More info on removing a S13 Shift Knob

[masta]

I know there are a few threads on this, but I have some info dispelling a suggestion made by one of them: Do not try to cut it off!

I first only had a small vice-grip and was too lazy to go to a friend's house for more tools. So I tried to use that as a brace to hold the shifter while I turn the knob to the left (counter clock-wise). After like 10 minutes I could not budge it, so I decide to cut it. But what happens is you cut the plastic/rubber layer of the knob off and still end up with the backbone of it. I have attached a pic of it. Notice that this pic is not of the leather wrapped one, so that one could be different.

So in other words, cutting it will not help you in removing it. The knob actually looks kinda cool; it can probably be a free mod. The inside of the knob is made of a metal tube that screws to the shifter and the outside of it is made of plastic. So sawing it off or cutting it off is probably out of the question.

After this I tried to turn it again. This time the knob had more of a grip surface, but if you look at the pic this surface really strips your skin. I was able to break it open, but I might have pulled a muscle or something. But after doing that, the knob is still hard to turn. So I just went to my friend's, borrowed a wrench and went crazy on it because I was getting frustrated. As you can see in the pics I messed the knob up.

So my advice in removing it is to get two things to turn it (wrenches, vice-grips, etc) and have one hold the shifter and the other hold the knob. Use towels to protect what you want and use two friends if possible. I am a pretty strong guy and believe me it is really hard to turn.

[240 2NR]

Strap wrench worked for me.

[TheTicTac]

The knob should just come off, no need to hold the shifter it won't spin unless you break it and they are pretty hard to break.

[DuffMan]

Some come off easy and some seize. One of my cars it just twisted off. On the other it is seized and is not coming off no matter what. The leather portion didnt survive my twisting efforts, and the rubber porting will break long before it would come loose.

[legendarysnail]

I thought mine was hopelessy going to spend the rest of it's miserable life on the damn thing. Then I found my large strap wrench (1" thick strap) and, using every ounce of strength I had, it broke loose. YAY!