I know I shouldn't want to do it, but I have been trying to unscrew the shift knob on my Victory Ed. Shifter. It will turn but does not seem to be unscrewing. Is there something I am missing. I do not see any allen screws or other locking devices on the knob, there are 2 little screw type holes on the lower chrome funnel connector, but that is the only thing close to a locking device to the shift knob. It has to come off in the event the console has to be changed.

 

It has been years (October 2012) since I replaced the original shift knob on my wife's 2006 XK8 Victory Edition with a gorgeous custom one from British Autowood, but I remember it unscrewed fairly easily once I figured out the process....

I just now stepped away to find the original shift knob on my home office shelf. There is a metal collar at the top of the shift lever (not the shift knob) that you must unscrew with a tool in order to unscrew and remove the shift knob. That collar has three equally-spaced indentations around it that line up with a special tool which loosens or tightens the collar. Not having that special tool, I probably used a long pair of needlenose pliers with the tips placed in two of those indentations to loosen that collar and remove the original shift knob and then to tighten that collar to lock the new British Autowood shift knob into place. But it has been so long ago that I do not remember all of the details. Hope this explanation helps....

 

That's what I was looking for. I found 2 small indentations that looked like allen wrench holes, but did not accept any type allen wrench. I will try smaller star wrench. The leather knob turns, but does not move up. Hope I have not striped the threads. I also have very nice B. Autowood Knob I would like to use. The Leather knob is stained and has a couple of cracks. Will keep looking.
Thx.

 

The're not allen bolts. they are shear bolts.
you need to drill them out to remove the gear knob.

 

I discovered that today. Tried all my different star bits. None would fit. Will go to the drill next week. I did see that there are 3 screws. Those sneaky Brits do not make it easy!!

 

I broke the code!!, well, not the code, or the knob. I used a thin bladed screw driver to pry the knob up from the washer above the indented collar. The knob is pressed down on a sleeve and will turn on the sleeve. Once the knob slides up and off the sleeve, a pair of pliers can be used to screw the sleeve from the shift lever. The collar is not locked on the lever. The indentions are just for a tool to catch for tightening. Once I screwed my wooden knob in place, Iwas able to tighten the collar under the knob to hold it in the position needed to best display the 'Growler' logo. Looks much better than the scratched leather knob.

 

I have been looking to remove my R Momo shifter knob for some time, from what I have seen it is the same as the Victory knob. Mine only has 1 indent in the bottom collar though

When you pryed the knob up from the collar are you doing it between the collar and the grey painted bit the leather is attached to?

Do you have a picture of the piece apart.
I think this would help a lot of people in the future as the need to remove the knob increases.

Thanks

 

I will try to get a pix later as I am away from home just now. What I did was rotate the knob numerous times clockwise, trying to unscrew the knob. After discovering that it was not moving, and reading in this forum that it did not unscrew, I tried to see if it would move in any direction. I twisted it and turned it in both directions. What I was doing was loosening it on the 'knurled' barrel that is pressed inside the knob. This barrel is internally threaded, and it is what is screwed onto the shift leaver.
After a lot of turning had loosened the knob, I inserted a thin bladed screw driver between the knob and the top of the cone. This damaged the washer a bit, but allowed me to start moving the knob up the barrel. By working the driver around the cone at intervals bit at a time, I was able to slowly a first move it up until I got a little more space. Soon, got a bigger screw driver in. After a bit the knob just slid up and off. Used a pair of locking pliers to unscrew the barrel from the leaver, and then the cone just easily screwed up and down the leaver. Added my wooden knob for desired look. Patience, which I normally don,t have, good luck.
Sam

 

Sam, gotta ask - clockwise to unscrew? Were you laying on the floor looking up mate? ;-) reverse thread?

Joking aside, glad you got it going.

John

 

That description was for all the readers on the other side of the pond who drive on the wrong side of the road, and turn screws backwards to tighten and loosen??
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.....
Actually, I was writing early this morning after getting in late from a Hugh Jackman Concert in Tampa Fla.. I wanted to get the explanation out ASAP. THAT is my real story and I'm sticking to it. Great concert, great performer. Highly recommend if anyone has a chance to catch him in concert, anywhere.

 

Ah, the old coriolis effect. Good one Sam! LOL

 

I would say 'Coronas' effect, but in this case it was 'Patronas".

 

Thanks Samthesham.

I think the R knob in 2003 must be different. I have attempted to remove it several times over the past 12 months without success. I would wrap it in electrical tape and use grips to try and turn it to no avail. Tried turning the bottom gray price the opposite way etc, just wouldn't budge. I bought a replacement and could afford to be more wrekless. Funny thing is I always had trouble getting a good enough grip, I happened to have latex gloves sitting around so thought I would give it a try with them. The grip was great and for anyone looking to remove the R Momo knob in the future the 2003 at least is all in one piece and just unscrews, if you have the gloves that is.

 

I presume you finally got it off. I would have suggested that you use a 'pipe wrench' since you were not concerned with destroying the knob. Seems that some of these are pressed into place with the intent of never being removed, yours being one such.