RE: E30 Shift knob replacement

["Fadeev, Alex" <alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris Baisley [mailto:cbaisley@domain.elided] wrote:
> 
> Chris, I should lend you my girlfreind :-)  She pulled the 
> shift knob right off my e30 on her first shift, I'd gotten
> her so uptight about driving my car!

Chris,
I might be tempted with your offer... please send pictures of your
girlfriend ;-)

> The original knob on a 89 e30 pulls straight up and off, but
> with her method it hever fit quite tightly enough afterword.
> It looked like the removal caused a small tear in a rubber 
> ring up inside, presumably this bit compresses to hold the
> the knob on. 

There is a plastic receptacle inside the shift knob that snaps on the
U-shaped end of the shift lever. The receptacle inside the shift knob is not
designed to withstand multiple re-installations. Once broken, the whole
shift knob needs to be replaced to get it to stay snugly on the lever. 
The good news is that new OEM plastic E30 shift knobs are something like
$10-15 from the dealer. This is also a good time to replace the original
shift boot that is at least cracked and most likely torn at crease lines.
Again, OEM replacement plastic piece is around $15, but you can spend
multiples of that sum on leather after-market replacements.

alex f

> At 01:40 PM 04/03/01, Chris Fowler wrote:
> >I have an old wood shift knob that the plastic bezel has 
> >craked due to extreme Atlanta heat. I have purchased a leather 
> >replacement on Ebay and wish to know how to remove the old one.
> >I do not see a set screw and I've tried pulling as hard as I 
> >can.  I do not want to break anything that would need repair.

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