Question about this metal shift plate under the shift boots...
 

Hey guys, I was taking apart the center console and just doing some clean up. I noticed the shift plate and the rubber boot were out of order so I took out the boot and unbolted the plate and it was a headache. It seemed that the plate was wedged under the carpet or something.

Trying to put it back in with the center console still installed doesn't make sense to me. The metal plate seems wider at the base? Am i just installing this wrong?

I checked online and found the same plate that Atkins sells and the shape is accurate. Heres that link

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...81af139407.jpg

rotate it 90 degrees?

You really want the rubber boot and the other associated boots that go there. Without them hot air from where engine bay blows up in there when your driving and eventually destroys your shift boot. This is what you need. BOOT SHIFTER KIT, MIDDLE 86-92 - Mazdatrix

In the photo, its oriented with the arrow (thats stamped into the metal frame) facing towards the front of the car. So i assume thats gotta be the way its installed??

Yep thanks i will definitely install the boots.

Maybe im overthinking this and itll fit some way or another. Maybe im just hungry lmao

I think he means rotate it 90 to get it under the surround then rotate it back to having the arrow towards the front once it's in there.
It's been 20 years since I had that plate out of mine but I don't remember taking anything other than what you have off, off of it. Since you got it out it should go back in.

If I look at the top left hole in de body, it does not match the top left hole on the plate how you have oriented it in the picture. So it looks to me that it needs to be rotated 90 degrees

I went and took a look at mine. Arrow toward the front of the car is correct.

I think the angle he is holding it at in the picture makes things look way off.

its not a lot of fun to get that plate in there, but you do want it

Yeah, I figured it out fellas.

You just gotta twist and rotate it around to get it to sit. So i sat there for about 10 minutes wrestling with it, finally got it seated, now ill take it back out and order the boots just to wrestle it back in there.

Boots make a big noise difference
 

The dealer just cut all the boots away when I had the clutch replaced!
Drove it open to the road for years and never noticed the amount of noise coming from the shifter area!
Replaced all the boots when I installed a short throw shifter. It was so quite after that, felt like I had hearing protectors on while driving!
Remove the boots yourself before having anyone change your clutch, they won't take the extra time to remove the boots without damaging them!