Aargh - trying to fit new manual gearstick knob

Aargh - trying to fit new manual gearstick knob

Author
Discussion

yellowshark454

Original Poster:

578 posts

242 months

Monday 26th April 2004
quotequote all
Hi I bought a natty new knob for tyhe C5 but cannot get the original knob off. It will not turn and prising of the plastic cap there seems to be a fairly hefty retention bolt or whatever the term is. It seems to have a very very shallow lip on both sides but I have failed to prise it up, scared to damage something. Anyone done this/know what I need to do?

ZR1427

17,999 posts

250 months

Monday 26th April 2004
quotequote all
The C4 gear knob removes by carefuly prising the plastic cover on top then there is a long square locking pin that locates in a grove between the gear lever and knob,if this is the same set up on the C5 then i used some long nose pliers to 'work & pull'the locking pin at the same time,this needs to be done at arms length otherwise your in danger of leaving an imprint of a pair of long nose pliers on your forehead.

If its different to the C5 totaly disreguard the above

ZR1427

17,999 posts

250 months

Monday 26th April 2004
quotequote all
Once the pin is removed the knob should just unscrew off.

yellowshark454

Original Poster:

578 posts

242 months

Monday 26th April 2004
quotequote all
Yeah, sounds pretty much the same, thanks. Thanks for the hint, mind you the forehead is probably preferable to the nostrils

te51cle

2,342 posts

249 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
You have encountered the "demon key". Annoying isn't a strong enough word !

You have to prise up the metal piece using mole grips, big screwdrivers and brute force. Ain't no other way to do it. Move it a little bit at a time and be prepared to swear a lot. Try not to damage the rest of the interior while you're at it - you may want to surround the area with an old thick towel.

Some of them pop out easy, some take 15 minutes. Mine took nearly 10 minutes to get it released.

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

254 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
Used mole grips on mine and it took about 5 seconds to get it out!

C5RagTop

1,610 posts

249 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
vetteheadracer said:
Used mole grips on mine and it took about 5 seconds to get it out!


Brute force and ignorance often works

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

254 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
:YElsie said:
Brute force and ignorance often works


....No, reading the instructions.......

b3any

224 posts

243 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
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I was thinking of getting a new knob for mine, anyone ever fitted the aftermarket ones for an Auto??? There different with you having to press the button down?

LuS1fer

41,142 posts

246 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all


This is the one on my Z28 which I got from MBA. i think it fits the C5 as well. It's fantastically better than the knob pressing stick. You heave the car to a halt and push down and select reverse in two shakes of a lamb's tail. It's a lot quicker and much better to use. However, the billet is damned cold in the winter and probably hot in the summer.

www.mbaproducts.com

b3any

224 posts

243 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:


This is the one on my Z28 which I got from MBA. i think it fits the C5 as well. It's fantastically better than the knob pressing stick. You heave the car to a halt and push down and select reverse in two shakes of a lamb's tail. It's a lot quicker and much better to use. However, the billet is damned cold in the winter and probably hot in the summer.

www.mbaproducts.com


Cool, just what i needed, i'm sure i can cope with the cold and hot temps of it though

LuS1fer

41,142 posts

246 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
I thought so too. It's like sticking your hand into a freezer....I tend not to leave my car in the sun unless I can help it so haven't been burnt yet but there were some complaints from the Lexus IS200 camp that it was possible to get in on a hot day and grasp the burning coal...!

yellowshark454

Original Poster:

578 posts

242 months

Tuesday 27th April 2004
quotequote all
5 seconds eh, some people get all the luck.

If anyone needs to do this is the future here is a good article on the Vette Essentails site...
www.vetteessentials.com/instructions/6_sp_b&k/shift_boot_install.html

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th April 2004
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I took my billet one off as it was very cold in winter and very hot in summer! I went back to my Dale Earnhardt No. 3 Pool Ball one, which is ambient temperature all year round.
Got it from a Chevy dealer in Daytona Beach and it fits both the C4 and the C5 gear stick.

malc350

1,035 posts

247 months

Wednesday 28th April 2004
quotequote all
Sounds like the C4 and C5 have the same fitting. As there seem to be a few snazzy gearknobs available for the C5 I wonder if they'll fit the C4?

Sounds like if one does, thay all would?

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

254 months

Thursday 29th April 2004
quotequote all
Some of the knobs have universal plastic sleeves allowing fitment to a number of width shafts, others are direct threaded and therefore will only fit certain applications. The one I have is direct threaded and fits fine so I would guess the C4 and C5 shafts are the same fitment.

yellowshark454

Original Poster:

578 posts

242 months

Thursday 29th April 2004
quotequote all
I have the C5 carbon fiber one from the Ecklers/MidAm catalogues. It comes with a variety of different sleeves with different internal widths