Ben, you can just leave the Tension Pin alone. The Lower Shifting Relay
Lever can be separated from the Shifting Ball Lever, no problem. The Shaft
(which runs all the way from the front)can be dropped by removing one bolt
(the upper one) from the flange just forward of the Ball Lever. Once this
upper bolt is removed, the remaining lower bolt will allow you to pivot
the Shaft downward, separating the Shift Lever from the Ball Lever. Then,
once you have dabbed a little molly (or your preferred lubricant) into the
cup, you can slip in the boot (note, manual dexterity required.)
Good luck,
Miguel