Shift Knob Removal

1992, Metro, 2 door, hatchback.

I have looked everywhere on how to remove the shift know and I have found nothing. I have turned, twisted, pulled pushed, and everything else you can think of to get the knob off. Does anyone have any suggestions!?!?!?!:banghead:

If your vehicle is a standard stick, the just unscrew the knob. If it's never been taken off, it could be hard to turn.:cool:

Thanks Mustanger999. I did try using some plyers on the knob but it started to rip into the rubber and wouldn't even budge! All other knobs have just unscrewed. That's why I posted the question.

Try putting a wash cloth or rag around your knob then use the pliers.

:banghead: I knew that!

Well, I tried again last night and I got no where! It almost feels like I'm going to twist the gear shift stick and break something below! Thanks again for all of the help!

It unscrews in the normal anti-clockwise direction, but it's glued too. I've never gotten one off without destroying it. Try heating it up with a hairdryer, might soften the glue.

My '93 Metro came with some turned metal knob that a machinist had made.

Looked really nice - except for the fact that in winter is was the same temp
as the outside - sometimes 5° F !

If the sun was hitting it in summer, it would burn my hand....

So I obtained a large 3 Inch Wood Ball for Banisters, drilled it out for 1/2 inch
and stained and waxed it.

The Turned Metal Knob on the shift lever wouldn't turn...figured it was HOT
MELT glued on.

So I heated the Shift Shaft and the Metal Knob with a Butane Torch.

After a while, the knob turned easily.

That much metal took heating for a while to get warm.

I wrapped the shaft with a cold wet washrag at the base so any heat going
down the shaft would be absorbed by the wet rag.

I applied Hot Melt Glue to the Stick Shaft, heated the shaft again and screwed
the Wood Ball onto the shaft and let it cool.

It won't move unless I warm the shaft again with the Butane Torch.

I love it. Large. Feels warm even in subzero weather.

Looks nice - like an old 1920's stick shift knob.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4843/tacometer3et3.jpg

DoctorBill

PS - if you heat the SHAFT under the knob, the heat will travel up the shaft into
the knob...but it might take some time. Wrap the bottom of the SHAFT with a wet rag.

Wear a leather work glove to turn the knob as it may get hot also !

Be careful not to set your dash or shift hood on fire...

Thanks guys! As soon as the weather gets warmer, I'm going to try it. It's a little cold out in the garage!

Well guys, I ended up cutting the rubber know off of the stick. Underneath the stick was a plastic piece. I was able to get the plastic piece to twist but it's not twisting off! I can get it to turn, it just won't move up or down! I've even tried using the hammer hitting the plyers trick and it won't budge. I'm really concerned that I might mess something up below the shifter. Any other suggestions?

You could run a sander over the plastic thingie to sand it down enough to
get it off.

Maybe a Butane Torch to heat the stick up by the KNOB (know?) and maybe
that would soften it enough to get it off - unless it is covering a "nut".

My shift lever is threaded at the top.

DoctorBill