Automatic shift knob adapter install
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 28
From: Oviedo Florida
Automatic shift **** adapter install
Hey y'all, I ordered one of the SICKSPEED brand Automatic shift **** adapters from Ebay and it came in yesterday. Everybody says its a 10 min job which it's probably only a 5 min job if the adapter fits correctly. Mine however did not and took me a little longer. The fix was fairly easy but thought I would post what the issue was and how I handled it to save some frustration for someone else that runs into the same thing.
Pros
1) The kit is fairly cheap and comes with the shift ball.
2) The shift ball is actually really nice
3) When finished it looks great and totally at home IMO
4) Easy to do (would be easier if it fit right the first time)
5) Came with a sticker and everybody loves getting a free sticker
Cons
1) The adapter was not machined to the correct diameter and therefor didn't fit properly.
2) the finished product sticks up slightly higher than the stock shift **** but not a huge deal or anything that anyone who didn't have knowledge of what it looked like before would notice.
3) came with no instructions whatsoever
Pros
1) The kit is fairly cheap and comes with the shift ball.
2) The shift ball is actually really nice
3) When finished it looks great and totally at home IMO
4) Easy to do (would be easier if it fit right the first time)
5) Came with a sticker and everybody loves getting a free sticker
Cons
1) The adapter was not machined to the correct diameter and therefor didn't fit properly.
2) the finished product sticks up slightly higher than the stock shift **** but not a huge deal or anything that anyone who didn't have knowledge of what it looked like before would notice.
3) came with no instructions whatsoever
Ok so here we go... In the front(toward the dash) of the shift **** you see a little bar this is the key that holds the shift **** onto the shifter you want to take a small thin flat head screw driver or other similar tool (I used one of my small pics from a $4.99 pick set these thing come in handy so much) and just pop it out. It comes out very easy.
Once out the shift **** just lifts right off
Here is what you have. You need to use your small screwdriver again and slowly and carefully pull the boot from underneath the white retaining ring.
Just keep tugging and using your screwdriver to pull out the boot and work your way around. The more that comes out the easier it gets.
Once it's all out you can see what was holding it on was a tiny little black ziptie I just popped that off. You will no longer need it. Now push the boot down around the shifter
Take the spring that came with the kit and place it over the shifter and slide it all the way down until it stops. This is what will pop the shift ball back up to make sure your shifter still locks into gear.
So far so good right? what have you invested so far to get to this point... maybe 3-4 minutes tops. Well this is where my install came to a hault. You are supposed to then just slide the adapter onto the shifter and slide it all the way till it stops PROBLEM!!!! it doesn't want to go on very easily. As a matter of fact in order to get it to go anywhere near all the way on I have to hit with my hand fairly hard and pound it on... This is NO FREAKING GOOD!! there is no way with it fitting that snug that it will ever return or move up in order to lock. At this point it's either on and jammed in place or it's off. I can see that the diameter of the hole drilled into the adapter is too small and is scraping the metal of the shaft of the shifter so I try to file the shaft a little but that made little to no difference. I figured if I am going to mess something up better to be my new adapter than my shifter sooooo I do what any other logical sane person would do at 9:30 at night when installing their cool new mod and I.....
stick the adapter in a pair of vice grips and grab my drill and drill out the center to make the hole bigger. So that it can slip over the shifter and slide up and down like it's supposed to.
I keep drilling a little more at a time slowly and test fitting and it's getting better and better... this might actually work! This is what the inside looks like when finished. I had to remove quite a bit of material. 2 things to remember 1) GO SLOWLY only take out a little at a time until it fits. 2) If your clamping in vice grips like me or a vice or whatever clamp on the adapter end not the end the threaded end that the shift ball goes on to because that part is visible the adapter side is covered up by the shift boot so if it gets a couple nicks no one will ever see it.
Ok folks almost done with this simple 10 min mod
I put a little grease inside and its on and sliding up and down with ease. There are two small allen screws (one in front and one in back) these press against the center rod and hold it. This is what allows your shifter to unlock and change gears. Tighten them up equally front and back until the you feel the shifter kinda start to stick when you push it down and then loosen up the set screw just a hair until the shifter moves freely and will come right back up all on its own after you push it down . do the the other screw the same way. Your almost done!
Now time to secure the shift boot to the adapter. I had some tiny zipties and thought i just secure it the same way however they were not quite long enough and they were too bulky to fit under the black sleeve that covers up the edge of the boot.... so I pirate rigged it with some (bowing head in shame) twisty ties! I almost can't say that without cracking myself up YES I USED TWISTY TIES to hold my vette together
anyway it worked! I just twisted a couple together then twisted it tight around the top of the adapter then just twisted them until the excess broke off now the boot was secure and the sleeve fit over it no problem at all and covered everything up perfect.
And finally it's time for the Pièce de résistance... the shift ****!
Once out the shift **** just lifts right off
Here is what you have. You need to use your small screwdriver again and slowly and carefully pull the boot from underneath the white retaining ring.
Just keep tugging and using your screwdriver to pull out the boot and work your way around. The more that comes out the easier it gets.
Once it's all out you can see what was holding it on was a tiny little black ziptie I just popped that off. You will no longer need it. Now push the boot down around the shifter
Take the spring that came with the kit and place it over the shifter and slide it all the way down until it stops. This is what will pop the shift ball back up to make sure your shifter still locks into gear.
So far so good right? what have you invested so far to get to this point... maybe 3-4 minutes tops. Well this is where my install came to a hault. You are supposed to then just slide the adapter onto the shifter and slide it all the way till it stops PROBLEM!!!! it doesn't want to go on very easily. As a matter of fact in order to get it to go anywhere near all the way on I have to hit with my hand fairly hard and pound it on... This is NO FREAKING GOOD!! there is no way with it fitting that snug that it will ever return or move up in order to lock. At this point it's either on and jammed in place or it's off. I can see that the diameter of the hole drilled into the adapter is too small and is scraping the metal of the shaft of the shifter so I try to file the shaft a little but that made little to no difference. I figured if I am going to mess something up better to be my new adapter than my shifter sooooo I do what any other logical sane person would do at 9:30 at night when installing their cool new mod and I.....
stick the adapter in a pair of vice grips and grab my drill and drill out the center to make the hole bigger. So that it can slip over the shifter and slide up and down like it's supposed to.
I keep drilling a little more at a time slowly and test fitting and it's getting better and better... this might actually work! This is what the inside looks like when finished. I had to remove quite a bit of material. 2 things to remember 1) GO SLOWLY only take out a little at a time until it fits. 2) If your clamping in vice grips like me or a vice or whatever clamp on the adapter end not the end the threaded end that the shift ball goes on to because that part is visible the adapter side is covered up by the shift boot so if it gets a couple nicks no one will ever see it.
Ok folks almost done with this simple 10 min mod
I put a little grease inside and its on and sliding up and down with ease. There are two small allen screws (one in front and one in back) these press against the center rod and hold it. This is what allows your shifter to unlock and change gears. Tighten them up equally front and back until the you feel the shifter kinda start to stick when you push it down and then loosen up the set screw just a hair until the shifter moves freely and will come right back up all on its own after you push it down . do the the other screw the same way. Your almost done!
Now time to secure the shift boot to the adapter. I had some tiny zipties and thought i just secure it the same way however they were not quite long enough and they were too bulky to fit under the black sleeve that covers up the edge of the boot.... so I pirate rigged it with some (bowing head in shame) twisty ties! I almost can't say that without cracking myself up YES I USED TWISTY TIES to hold my vette together
anyway it worked! I just twisted a couple together then twisted it tight around the top of the adapter then just twisted them until the excess broke off now the boot was secure and the sleeve fit over it no problem at all and covered everything up perfect.
And finally it's time for the Pièce de résistance... the shift ****!
Last edited by Pirateslife4me; Mar 21, 2014 at 12:31 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 779
Likes: 67
From: Simi Valley Ca
St. Jude Donor '12
Wow, thanks for the write up. I was going to order the exact same kit today until I saw your response to my post in the other thread. Now I'm worried about getting it to fit properly. I figured if a guy like you that can work magic on some of the other mods you've done, had trouble with something like this, how am I going to stand a chance.
You would think that since these are made for our cars that it would slip right on.
You would think that since these are made for our cars that it would slip right on.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 28
From: Oviedo Florida
Wow, thanks for the write up. I was going to order the exact same kit today until I saw your response to my post in the other thread. Now I'm worried about getting it to fit properly. I figured if a guy like you that can work magic on some of the other mods you've done, had trouble with something like this, how am I going to stand a chance. You would think that since these are made for our cars that it would slip right on.
You would think that since these are made for our cars that it would slip right on.At first I didn't know what to do and figured I'd send it back but then figured out a pretty simple fix to make it work.....Thanks for the kind words but did you see my redneck way of fixing it? LOL (in my best history channel redneck voice) I just grabbed me this here ole drill and and then i just went to a drillin and made that dat gum hole a tad bit bigger... hehe actually It wasn't a big deal. I know a few of us all ordered at the same time and would hate for someone to overlook a simple fix and not be able to use it. I'll look up the size of the drill bit that I used when I get home tonight.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 28
From: Oviedo Florida
Pro
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 718
Likes: 69
From: North Reading MA
yep plenty of ways of tweaking it if ya wanna put the time in. I think it would be cool to shorten the whole shifter rod and make the shifter even shorter than stock... project for another day the weekend is here, the top is off, the weather is beautiful, My Bday is tomorrow and its time to have some fun
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
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Nice write up. Thanks for the pics and instructions.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,858
Likes: 30
Almost worth a follow up letter to the CEO, CFO & janitorial staff there maybe they'll take matters into their own hands and escalate it up and do something about it
Awesome write up and well photo illustrated PirateMan
Thank you once I get my new boots ordered I'm going to change the shifter also.
Congrats! Happy BDay Mo. You're the best
Last edited by PeterB; Mar 21, 2014 at 11:45 PM.
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 419
Likes: 39
From: Helena Alabama
yep plenty of ways of tweaking it if ya wanna put the time in. I think it would be cool to shorten the whole shifter rod and make the shifter even shorter than stock... project for another day the weekend is here, the top is off, the weather is beautiful, My Bday is tomorrow and its time to have some fun
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 443
Likes: 1
From: Greensboro North Carolina
nice write up, looks good. i got the same one from sickspeed and i too had to bore the adaptor a bit in order to get it to work properly, i went thru the same hassle you did with having to slam it into place then it getting stuck, i was about to just throw the damn thing out but ever since boring it its worked fine
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 779
Likes: 67
From: Simi Valley Ca
St. Jude Donor '12
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 28
From: Oviedo Florida
Isn't it disappointing to take your time to let them know there's issue and nothing was done.
Almost worth a follow up letter to the CEO, CFO & janitorial staff there maybe they'll take matters into their own hands and escalate it up and do something about it
Awesome write up and well photo illustrated PirateMan
Thank you once I get my new boots ordered I'm going to change the shifter also.
Congrats! Happy BDay Mo. You're the best
Almost worth a follow up letter to the CEO, CFO & janitorial staff there maybe they'll take matters into their own hands and escalate it up and do something about it
Awesome write up and well photo illustrated PirateMan
Thank you once I get my new boots ordered I'm going to change the shifter also.
Congrats! Happy BDay Mo. You're the best
nice write up, looks good. i got the same one from sickspeed and i too had to bore the adaptor a bit in order to get it to work properly, i went thru the same hassle you did with having to slam it into place then it getting stuck, i was about to just throw the damn thing out but ever since boring it its worked fine
Found this site in a 2010 post. Some very cool *****. http://www.flameball.com/index.php/
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 390
I just finished installing my adapter and shift ****. It took me just under an hour since I took my time to make sure the fit is perfect. A 1/2" drill will work just fine to enlarge the mounting hole for the adapter. Wrap some tape several times around the base of the adapter before you use a vise grip to prevent marks. Be sure to stop and check often for the fit. You don't want to go drilling too deep into the adapter. Before mounting the adapter permanently, use a little white lithium grease on the shifter stem mount to minimize friction when pushing the shifter down. Using blue locktite is also recommended when installing the 2 mounting screws to keep them from coming loose. I also used a wire tie to secure the shift boot to the adapter stem, which worked perfectly. Finally, I used some Teflon tape on the adapter threads before I mounted the shift ****. This should prevent it from becoming loose. I may end up using blue locktite later instead to secure the shift ****. This is one easy mod that an auto trans owner would appreciate.
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 443
Likes: 1
From: Greensboro North Carolina
Dude I was right there with ya. It's still a pretty good deal though even with the modification needed. Just would have been nice to know before hand so we wouldn't have to blindly figure it out on our own...But you know what they say "if it was easy, everyone would do it" but it actually was pretty easy
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 159
From: LaGrange Park, IL IL
St. Jude Donor '13, '15
I wouldn't mind doing this mod someday, but I can't get over two things. One...the black cap that covers the boot shown in the last picture from the OP. Just doesn't look as nicely finished as the original. Two...the taller end result. I thought I saw a related thread sometime last year regarding folks shortening the adapter(?) to make it sit lower?
I wish more options would be available that doesn't require the adapter and instead is like the one UPR is selling with a traditional push button.
I wish more options would be available that doesn't require the adapter and instead is like the one UPR is selling with a traditional push button.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 419
Likes: 39
From: Helena Alabama
Update:
I called the vendor and told him to re-send the adapter and ball. I also sent him a link to this thread. He called me Monday and told me he drilled the hole to 1/2 for me and told me he contacted the supplier and made them aware of the problem. It seems that some are correct and some are not. He said that he would personally check each one out himself before shipping. I got mine today and it fit like a glove. I only returned it last Wed and got it back in 7 days. it looks a million times better that the origional ****.
I called the vendor and told him to re-send the adapter and ball. I also sent him a link to this thread. He called me Monday and told me he drilled the hole to 1/2 for me and told me he contacted the supplier and made them aware of the problem. It seems that some are correct and some are not. He said that he would personally check each one out himself before shipping. I got mine today and it fit like a glove. I only returned it last Wed and got it back in 7 days. it looks a million times better that the origional ****.
Last edited by Cowboy26a; Mar 26, 2014 at 03:37 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 779
Likes: 67
From: Simi Valley Ca
St. Jude Donor '12
I finally decided to order the combo kit with the black C5 **** yesterday after looking at hundreds of *****, however, the eBay vendor that I was going to order from, no longer had them listed
So I emailed him asking when he expected more in. He replied that he was out of the "old" kits, my quotation marks, and wasn't sure if he was ever going to receive anymore in the future. I asked, by "old" stock, did he mean that there might be a "new" stock coming in, and, if so, did it have anything to do with the "old" stock not fitting correctly and purchasers having to drill it out themselves?
He replied to me today that he will have some new stock coming in this week or next, but he did not address the fitment issue.
Oh well, thinking that these may become in short supply, I quickly ordered one yesterday from another eBay vendor I was originally going to order from. His price was a couple of dollars less, but what concerned me, was that his product wasn't advertised as a Licensed GM part, whereas, the others I had seen were. Don't really know if it makes a difference. Can't wait to get it, hope I'm one of the lucky one's that doesn't have to drill it out.
While I'm replacing the ****, I figured I'd replace the shift indicator bulb with an LED, a new Nappa leather shift boot, E-brake boot, and arm rest cover that I'm ordering from CF vendor RedlineGoods.
So I emailed him asking when he expected more in. He replied that he was out of the "old" kits, my quotation marks, and wasn't sure if he was ever going to receive anymore in the future. I asked, by "old" stock, did he mean that there might be a "new" stock coming in, and, if so, did it have anything to do with the "old" stock not fitting correctly and purchasers having to drill it out themselves?
He replied to me today that he will have some new stock coming in this week or next, but he did not address the fitment issue.
Oh well, thinking that these may become in short supply, I quickly ordered one yesterday from another eBay vendor I was originally going to order from. His price was a couple of dollars less, but what concerned me, was that his product wasn't advertised as a Licensed GM part, whereas, the others I had seen were. Don't really know if it makes a difference. Can't wait to get it, hope I'm one of the lucky one's that doesn't have to drill it out.While I'm replacing the ****, I figured I'd replace the shift indicator bulb with an LED, a new Nappa leather shift boot, E-brake boot, and arm rest cover that I'm ordering from CF vendor RedlineGoods.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 419
Likes: 39
From: Helena Alabama
[QUOTE=Mr31FlavorsVette;1586504281]I finally decided to order the combo kit with the black C5 **** yesterday after looking at hundreds of *****, however, the eBay vendor that I was going to order from, no longer had them listed
So I emailed him asking when he expected more in. He replied that he was out of the "old" kits, my quotation marks, and wasn't sure if he was ever going to receive anymore in the future. I asked, by "old" stock, did he mean that there might be a "new" stock coming in, and, if so, did it have anything to do with the "old" stock not fitting correctly and purchasers having to drill it out themselves?
He replied to me today that he will have some new stock coming in this week or next, but he did not address the fitment issue. Oh well, thinking that these may become in short supply, I quickly ordered one yesterday from another eBay vendor I was originally going to order from. His price was a couple of dollars less, but what concerned me, was that his product wasn't advertised as a Licensed GM part, whereas, the others I had seen were. Don't really know if it makes a difference. Can't wait to get it, hope I'm one of the lucky one's that doesn't have to drill it out.
While I'm replacing the ****, I figured I'd replace the shift indicator bulb with an LED, a new Nappa leather shift boot, E-brake boot, and arm rest cover that I'm ordering from CF vendor RedlineGoods.[/QUOT
If the seller's name on the auction site started with tw, he is aware of the problem and the kit looks awesome and should fit fine..
So I emailed him asking when he expected more in. He replied that he was out of the "old" kits, my quotation marks, and wasn't sure if he was ever going to receive anymore in the future. I asked, by "old" stock, did he mean that there might be a "new" stock coming in, and, if so, did it have anything to do with the "old" stock not fitting correctly and purchasers having to drill it out themselves?
He replied to me today that he will have some new stock coming in this week or next, but he did not address the fitment issue.
Oh well, thinking that these may become in short supply, I quickly ordered one yesterday from another eBay vendor I was originally going to order from. His price was a couple of dollars less, but what concerned me, was that his product wasn't advertised as a Licensed GM part, whereas, the others I had seen were. Don't really know if it makes a difference. Can't wait to get it, hope I'm one of the lucky one's that doesn't have to drill it out.While I'm replacing the ****, I figured I'd replace the shift indicator bulb with an LED, a new Nappa leather shift boot, E-brake boot, and arm rest cover that I'm ordering from CF vendor RedlineGoods.
[/QUOTIf the seller's name on the auction site started with tw, he is aware of the problem and the kit looks awesome and should fit fine..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 779
Likes: 67
From: Simi Valley Ca
St. Jude Donor '12
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 419
Likes: 39
From: Helena Alabama
I would call him and get him to drill it out for you. I can PM his number if you need it. If you click on his web site in his ad you will see his number. tell him Pat in Alabama told you to call if you talk to him.