Transmission, Manual

Shift Knob Replacement

Shift Knob Replacement

Michael S Briggs wrote:

> I got a nice shift boot ....How do I take the old one
> off, and put the new one on?

Twist the knob back and forth slightly while pulling up. If it still sticks, you could pull the leather skirt up and try to squirt a little Ru-Glide (a rubber lubricant) or Vinylex between the rubber knob and the metal shift lever. I would NOT use any petroleum based product unless I was going to discard the old knob and boot.

> should just slide right over a shaft, right?

Right.

> Also, how can I shorten it? Hacksaw?

Yes. Better to shorten while in the car. I made the mistake of removing my shift lever to shorten. It was a bear to put back in. Poke it through a cardboard box (to catch metal filing) and hack away. You could use a Dremel tool or file to reshape the lever end to help it retain the shift knob. It is unnerving to have the knob slip off in the excitement of shifting from fourth to fifth at 120+ mph. Don't ask how I learned this. ;-)

You will probably also have to trim the bottom of the rubber shift knob the same amount that you have shortened the lever as the lever has a step or reduction. On an '86, a 1" chop is a good place to start.

--
Regards, Phil Eskildsen

928 Owners' Club Charter Member http://www.928oc.com
'90 928GT 5sp Schiefer (Slate Grey metallic) 119k
BWAAAAAAAAAAHHH! (C) 1999 PDT (used with permission)
'82 928 5sp (S-look) Palisander (Rosewood metallic) 76k
'71 911T 5sp Metallic Blue 199k+ - daily driver
Lafayette, CA (east of San Francisco)

928 Tips Home     Greg's Home