How to remove the shift knob?

[jibb3r 29]

Does anyone know how the manual shift knob is attached in these cars?

I've been looking for answers online, but have failed. Some say they are pressure fitted, some say they are threaded on and just need to twist hard to unscrew them.

[Greg_E 211]

I'm betting that if you lift the plastic pattern insert you will find a nut in there, but it is just a guess for now.

[Skunk2419 0]

So yea i was just looking at gmsi and ill be honest with you there is not one direction on removing the shift knob on a manual only removing the whole lever and assembly

[Greg_E 211]

That's weird. And I may need some help from you, still have a nagging problem that no other dealer can be bothered to even detect, but I can reproduce at will. Think I need someone on the inside to help me get a service writer that actually cares about making my car right after I show that person what is happening. I'll probably send you a PM sometime soon, but I think you need a certain number of posts to reply so off to the test section to run your post count up.

Also it might be worth some advertiser dollars from your dealer if they are willing to ship parts out from internet orders, something that you might suggest and see what happens, might increase you profit margins for the parts department.

[Skunk2419 0]

I can easily ship out parts and give a discount its just freight any more these days isnt to cheap unless its small enough to go usps

[Greg_E 211]

If you ship enough stuff, freight gets a lot cheaper with UPS, not sure how it works but they do discount pretty heavily to many places. I may need a complete rear axle to fix my problems, going to try East Syracuse Chevy and see if they care enough to get this fixed, I work in Syracuse so they would be easier than coming south to where you work. I'll send the part number when I get the camera and upload the picture of the part number tag, probably going to be a few hundred dollars, and still not sure it will fix my issue.

Now if you can get the official service manual sooner that Helmers, I'd drive down to pick it up when it arrives. Helmers lists it as June and $200. Not excited about the $200 but I want the info.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Greg_E

[Skunk2419 0]

And the service manual should only be like 50 to 100 i get any other chevy one for less than a 100 any time try helminc.com i believe as a person you can order from there anddont need to be a dealer

[Skunk2419 0]

And the service manual should only be like 50 to 100 i get any other chevy one for less than a 100 any time try helminc.com i believe as a person you can order from there anddont need to be a dealer

[Greg_E 211]

http://www.helminc.com/helm/product2.asp?Make=CHV&Model=SPAR&Year=&Category=&class_2=CHV&mk=Chevrolet+%26+Geo&yr=All+Years&md=Spark&dt=&module=&from=result&Style=helm&Sku=GMP13S&itemtype=N

[70-yenko-nova 12]

Skunk2419 where do you work at that your "on the inside" ?

[Greg_E 211]

Stuck a fingernail under the bottom edge and pulled:

Haven't got any farther but it is just a matter of time.

[70-yenko-nova 12]

step 1.. get fingernails.. step 2... which "corner" are you at to pry it up?

also im not past the "cutting" stage in my head... .. i might cut the top of the boot because it will need to be shortened anyway... then cut shift knob off...and then when putting back together.. ill cleanly think of a way to get the boot folded over to hide the "Cut" cuz the boot will be atleast 2 inches to long once I set my short through up.i just need to locate an all metal shift knob.. and little piece of ,.... o god... the damn shift lever is aluminum im sure... welding should get interesting now...

[Greg_E 211]

The very lower edge of the plastic strip that is half way down the knob, one of my fingers is resting on the end.

Now thinking about this, I bet the part I pried out is actually the first part that goes in when they assemble these... Put the lower end in and then slide the top in place. I'll try to look at this when I get out of work tonight and see if I can find any other clues.

[gitsum 16]

I took the whole thing apart. The boot for both the shifter and hand brake pop out at the bottom. One screw under the rear cup holder and two screws on the front sides allow you to pull up the whole console from between the seats.

There is a cotter pin that slides out on the driver side shift rod. There is a fastener on the passengers side that secures an assembly that holds a metal pin on the left side and a nylon bushing that holds the "ball" that pivots on the shaft of the shifter itself. I didn't remove the flat fastener on the passengers side because doing so will deform or damage it, and I didn't have another one. The shifter knob appears to be glued on. If one were to remove the gear shift itself, you could heat the knob with a hair dryer and remove it by using a 2 x 4 and a hammer.

But none of that is necessary. Just use a hack saw to cut the shaft below the knob at the desired height. Find a universal knob that attaches by set screws and is adjustable for shafts from 8mm to 15mm. Use a hardened drill bit to make shallow dents for the screw sets to get a good grip on. Autozone had a dozen or so different screw set shifter knobs from $12 to $35.

Edited June 25, 2013 by gitsum

[70-yenko-nova 12]

^^^ Man after my own heart.. gave a whole way to properly do it.. and then said fuck it and hack it.

[bensemailis 10]

This seems much more difficult then it should be. But I suppose for the sake of cost it makes sense when they are building them. Why waist 20 seconds screwing on a shift knob when you can spend 15 gluing it on.

[70-yenko-nova 12]

http://chevysparkforum.com/topic/1179-short-throw-shifter-done/


^^^^^^

not to mention its not even glued... its like.. solid.. as fuck..

[Greg_E 211]

Maybe they cast the plastic on there when the assembly is made, but then why have that plastic cover at all? The cover says something else is going on in there and we need to find out what it is. Maybe it just gives a place to stuff the boot inside.

[Jopar_X 7]

I have been searching for this as well. I see that a few of you guys have shortened it, but I actually kind of like the length. So I hit up a buddy of mine that works for Buick GMC service department, and this is the convo. In short, the knob is glued on, and to replace, you need a new lever.

[Greg_E 211]

How much is the entire lever? Maybe that would provide a may to make a new one with a little longer lower portion so it will give the shorter throw.

[Jopar_X 7]

How much is the entire lever? Maybe that would provide a may to make a new one with a little longer lower portion so it will give the shorter throw.

I'll find out when I talk to him. As soon as I know, I'll be sure and post the price/info

[Greg_E 211]

See if you can get him to get a full parts list for us, since Chevy won't release the service manual for publishing we'll have to get the info any way we can. Don't even care if it has prices, all I want is the diagrams and part numbers so I can sound intelligent when I go in to buy an XYZ part or order online.

[Jopar_X 7]

Will do. Next time we play another show together, I'll see if I can grab a copy. As for the lever, he said it's $50 + tax; with discount. He didn't divulge how much they are normally. This will be a part I will most likely be picking up, so I can swap out the knob; so when I grab it I'll let you know retail.

[Greg_E 211]

With a spare assembly, what I might be thinking is to cut the shaft below the pivot ball, and find a welder to put in somewhere between half an inch and 1.5 inches of metal. That way the height for your arm is the same, but the shifting would be much shorter. I might do this eventually but it's lower priority right now.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Greg_E

[Jopar_X 7]

Definitely sounds like a viable option, but sounds like a lot of work just to install a custom shift knob. I'm curious however, since the lever itself is metal...I'll bet there's a way to "break apart" the glue holding the knob to the lever. If that's the case, it would eliminate having to buy a new lever, cut, weld, etc. I may just disassemble and remove the lever assembly, and do some investigating.