I recently bought Rick's leather center console cover. I went to install it tonight, only to discover my shift knob will not come off . When I bought the car over four years ago, I put a drop or two of blue Loctite to hold it in place and center it (it was missing a set screw). Tonight, I used a hair dryer to heat it up and got it to the point where it would literally burn you. I then used a rubber grip assist and twisted... nothing. It won't budge.

I did manage to make the knob crooked, maybe turned 20 degrees. I'm thinking I may have twisted the shift linkage underneath. So at this point I'm really pissed at myself. Could I have twisted the linkage? And is this damaging to the car?

Any other advice would be helpful. I feel like . I'm thinking about getting someone to help hold the linkage underneath with channel locks wrapped in duct tape, while I twist the knob again.

Such a simple install becomes so frustrating!

 

Worst comes to worst, its 85 bucks for a new shift lever if you have to cut the old one off.

 

Just making sure, but you are unscrewing the button nut holding it into place clockwise right?

 

You're doing something wrong. Two drops of blue Loctite won't hold that tight.

 

There is no button nut. The knob was threaded straight onto the lever, with blue Loctite holding in place. It looks like it's threaded on as far down as it can go.

 

Maybe it was more than a couple of drops. It was definitely blue though. I don't know, hopefully I can get some help tomorrow and figure this out.

 

Small strap wrench sold at Auto Zone.

 

Hmm... think I'll give this a try. Any chance I could damage the linkage underneath by twisting too much? I hope the Loctite breaks before something else does. Should I have someone with channel locks wrapped with duct tape hold the shift lever?

 

sopmeone that hates you mixed in superglue with your loctite.

 

Ha, tried the strap wrench to no avail. All I keep doing is twisting the entire linkage underneath, or so it seems. I tried gripping the lever with channel locks with sticky rubber on them to help.

I'm going to have to take it to a shop and hope someone can help. This is a joke, so pissed. I know it was only blue Loctite.