C5 Tech Corvette Tech/Performance: LS1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Shift Knob Removal

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 08:57 AM
  #1  
scienceguy2's Avatar
scienceguy2
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Russellville Ky
Default Shift **** Removal

I'm having trouble removing the key that keeps the shift **** from turning. I've tried vise grips and am contemplating drilling and tapping it and running a small bolt and washer into it so that I can pry it out. Does anyone have any other suggestions. Thank You
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 09:19 AM
  #2  
bluewire's Avatar
bluewire
Drifting
20 Year Member
Active Streak: 30 Days
Active Streak: 60 Days
Active Streak: 90 Days
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,542
Likes: 76
From: Houston TX
Default

I have removed more than one with a pair of small Craftsman channel locks. I recomend a newer pair with sharp teeth. Get a good grip on the key and wiggle and twist while pulling up, it should come right out. This has evan worked on keys that were rounded off from vise grips.
Good Luck
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 09:26 AM
  #3  
MHVette's Avatar
MHVette
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 836
Likes: 0
From: Lake Norman NC
Default

I found the best thing was to get two flat head screw drivers and pry it out from both the left and right sides at the same time!

Good Luck!
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 09:26 AM
  #4  
KBlanke's Avatar
KBlanke
Drifting
25 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee Florida
Default

I have the best luck using two flat bladed screwdrivers. Place one on each side of the key them gently apply pressure to both sides at once, should come right out. Be gentle and it won,t damge the shift ****.
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 11:47 AM
  #5  
scienceguy2's Avatar
scienceguy2
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Russellville Ky
Default

thanks for the advice. The 2 screwdriver method sound promising.
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 12:13 PM
  #6  
dunbindun(tov)'s Avatar
dunbindun(tov)
Safety Car
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 0
From: St Marys GA
Default

I made a slide hammer out of needle nose visegrips. I removed the knurled adjusting screw and replaced it with a 6in X 1/4-20 stovebolt. On the stovebolt, I placed a flat washer (small enough to fit inside the socket without sipping through) at the head and then inserted a 3/8 dr socket (as big as you can fit) below the washer. Attach the visegrip as tight as possible and hold with left hand. A couple of taps up with the socket and out it comes. Worked great for me after an hour on the other methods. DBD

Last edited by dunbindun(tov); Feb 27, 2006 at 12:16 PM. Reason: accuracy
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 01:32 PM
  #7  
Halfway's Avatar
Halfway
Safety Car
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,524
Likes: 0
From: Burbs Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06
Default

I took a vise grips and pulled straight up. Of course I hit myself in the face very hard, but I'll be damned, the key was out. Second time, I took the top off and stood on the seats and pulled with everything I got. Both ways worked out, though the second method was less painful!!

Good luck!
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 01:57 PM
  #8  
Bubbletop409's Avatar
Bubbletop409
Drifting
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,726
Likes: 97
From: Castro Valley State of Insanity
Default

Just removed mine over the weekend to shorten the shifter by 3/4". Made a significant difference in the feel of the stock shifter. First tried grabbing it with a vice grip, and wiggleing. The pin was in so hard, the vice grips started chewing up the edges of the pin. Next I took another vice grip, grabbed the first pair at a 90 degree angle, a couple of sharp hits with a ball pien hammer and it was out.




Larry

62 Bel-Air 409

260 Eagle XP HP500EFI

2002 Corvette M6 Coupe
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-5

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 04:02 PM
  #9  
Dave68's Avatar
Dave68
Race Director
20 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Default

The "key" is in the impact imparted to the key with a hammer. See

http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_install.htm
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 04:26 PM
  #10  
DT's Avatar
DT
Le Mans Master
25 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 7,121
Likes: 0
From: Vilano Beach FL
Default

Howdy!

The method with two medium flatblades works outstanding - I've swapped my **** 3 or 4 times, and it takes almost no effort with all the leverage.

Definitely wrap something around the screw driver shaft where it contacts the factory **** - the leather (er, or "leather" I guess) is very thin, and it will cut/split with the force of the screwdriver.

Good Luck!
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 05:22 PM
  #11  
VetteNoob's Avatar
VetteNoob
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,320
Likes: 4
From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
Default

Originally Posted by Dave68
The "key" is in the impact imparted to the key with a hammer. See

http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_install.htm
Abso-freekn-lutely!



This pic is all you need to know about removing the shift **** key!

I used a 1/2" rachet extension to hammer the key back in.
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2006 | 05:25 PM
  #12  
Tony2's Avatar
Tony2
Racer
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
From: Calgary AB
Default

Originally Posted by Halfway
I took a vise grips and pulled straight up. Of course I hit myself in the face very hard, but I'll be damned, the key was out. Second time, I took the top off and stood on the seats and pulled with everything I got. Both ways worked out, though the second method was less painful!!

Good luck!
ROFL!! I thought I was the only one to do that, a few weeks ago I put in a new shifter and I will be darned if I couldn’t get that stupid pin out of the shifter ****! I had a large pair of vice grips and was lightly tapping them as I pulled upwards, well after about 15 minutes of getting nowhere and me getting more and more irate I grabbed the vice grips and pulled as hard as I could and wiggled back and forth…………well it came out and in a hurry!! The end result I smoked myself in the nose and eye with the vice grips leaving a huge whelp and gash, after about 3 days and as Murphy’s law would have it the day before I had to fly out for a business meeting the whelp subsided to only turn into a huge black eye. Some of my peers thought that was quite funny!!



Tony2
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Shift Knob Removal





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:47 AM.

story-0
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-5
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-24 16:12:42


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE