Shift knob removal

[Cbengt]

Thanks for this very helpful thread. The excellent photo posted by Jerry Bransford makes it really clear. I would like to emphasize something in the post by TJDave: "You can use a little flat head screw driver to pry it out....if you don't want to mess up the rubber part of the knob...warm it up with a heat gun or hair drier. This will soften the rubber."

I tried to pry my cap out in 40 degree weather, but it was not coming out. I did not want to force it and cause damage. So I used a hair dryer on it for a couple of minutes to warm it up. This worked like a charm. It is not the plastic center cap that softens; it is the rubber knob itself. So you can focus the heat on that part. Then the circular edge of the knob becomes soft enough to easily pry out the center cap without damage.

++++ on the heat gun for my 04 TJ. Just carefully go a little deeper under the cap with the small screwdriver to work it out. TJDave, thanks for this great tip!

 

[CharlesHS]

Yours may be loose enough to do that but others trying to force the knob to unscrew will likely be unsuccessful. There is a big lock-nut for the shift knob hidden underneath the plastic shift pattern that is supposed to be loosened before the knob can be unscrewed.

View attachment 12232

IF his shift knob is the original... he may have similar problems to what I encountered several months ago while accessing the transmission shifter mount. The factory shifter knob and emblem were sun baked and hardened; even after warming them up with a hair dryer the emblem would not come out easily.
Both the knob and emblem were damaged while removal so I ordered a new one online.

 

[jhw528]

I just used a hairdryer to heat up my shift knob, but instead of prying the button out from the sides, i shoved a screwdriver up the hole of the knob and pressed the hand grip end of the screwdriver down on a desk to push the button out. It popped out pretty cleanly.

My issue was putting the button back in. I used a screw driver to try and wedge it back into the groove but still messed the rubber up a little.

this guy does it with his thumbs when it's already on the stick, that might be easier. Also he installed a brand new knob it looks like