Well I 3liminated the boot completely andeft the mechanism naked.. doesnt seem to accumulate and dirt...
I inspect it every once in awhile.. been driving it for over a year this way... makes shifting a lot more positive...
Also.. if you need the plastic bushing that fits between the slot at the bottom of the shift rod and the shift rod in the transmission, some Jeeps use a compatible part and its available at a jeep dealer. I think they are about $7