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Shift Knob Removal

Old Feb 27, 2006 | 08:57 AM
  #1  
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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
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 09:19 AM
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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
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 09:26 AM
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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!
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 09:26 AM
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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 ****.
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 11:47 AM
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thanks for the advice. The 2 screwdriver method sound promising.
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 12:13 PM
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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
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 01:32 PM
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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!
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 01:57 PM
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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.




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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 04:02 PM
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The "key" is in the impact imparted to the key with a hammer. See

http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_install.htm
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 04:26 PM
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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!
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 05:22 PM
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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.
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Old Feb 27, 2006 | 05:25 PM
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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
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