Gear Shift Knob?

[befunone]

Hi Everyone,

My 230 sl had an after market gear shift knob (fake leather rapped piece). This week I ordered what i believed was a reproduction of the stock knob online. The price was $72.30.

When it came today, it was plastic with very little substance(about 4oz). It did have the correct gear shift pattern engraved in white.

In the hole, is a white plastic piece. My car is at the shop so I could not put it on, but the knob appears to have no threads inside.

Was this knob plastic from the factory?

How does it attach?

As always thanks.

Best,

Ty

[scoot]

For an automatic, the shirt knob is a black plastic ball about 1" in diameter with a slight indention line around the circumference.  It is a friction fit - you pull straight up really hard to get it off the splined transmission gear selector shaft.   I think that the manual knob is the same except ever so slightly larger and with a gear pattern in it, and I suspect it is also friction fit but I can't say for sure.  Is the white plastic piece in the hole just something to protect the inside of the whole or is it functional in some way?

[befunone]

Dear Scoot:

Thank you for the reply! It is a manual and you described it perfectly.

Went to the mechanic today and the actually shaft to transmission has threads at the top where the knob would go. I thought maybe it was self tapping but I did not want to mess with it.

Can anyone tell me if there should be threads at thetop of the shaft?

Thanks Ty

[SteveK]

I pulled my shift nob about 6 months ago when I re-did the bushings. There are no threads, it is a compression fit.  You align it the way you want it and after wrapping it with a towel, tap it down with a rubber mallet.   It does not take a lot to tap it down.

[befunone]

Fudge!!!!!!

I have defin. threads on my stick shift. I cannot imagine the shift stick was changed.

Help. I really like the look of the original.

[SteveK]

If you go into the tech manual under "transmission and clutch" and then go to shifter, it describes how to remove and install and what it looks like.  My car is a 230sl, could be it changed in later models?

[Jordan]

I just pulled the knob off my shifter about 2 weeks ago to replace all the bushings.  There are definitely threads on the top 2 cm (3/4 in) of the shifter.  They are vertical however, parallel with the long axis of the shaft, same as the threads that are inside the shifter knob.  Hope that helps.  I tried unscrewing the shifter when I first tried removing it until I was told how to properly remove it.  Probably stripped the threads inside the shifter but I can't afford a new one so will make do for now.  Still fits tightly when I tapped on it.

[befunone]

Thanks.

I went to the manual and blew up the picture for the the gear shaft for the auto tran. Sure enough it is threaded veritically.

But mine is definetly threaded horiz. ( like a normal screw). I have a hard time believeing that the shifter was changed.

Any adivce? I am thinking of grinding my shifter down until ball fits.

[SteveK]

Why not just take a tap and thread the ball?

[Jordan]

You don't mention what the inside of your shift knob looks like.  Is it threaded vertical as well?    If so maybe get a new shifter and change the bushings while you are at it.  It sounds like the shifter is incorrect.  On a 66 it should have a slight bend in it near the base below the boot.  Very early models had it straight.  Really up to you what you want to do and how original you want it to be but look inside your shift knob to see what it looks like.  Since its new maybe start there.

[RickM]

By "threaded vertically" do you mean Splined?

[tankowner]

 My 280SL  Auto  has definitely got ridged vertical bands running vertical on gear shift, there is no screwing at all - its just a friction  fit. I got a black knob some
 years ago and I cannot confirm the the parts authenticity. Remember just carefully tapping it on the metal gear 'shifter'.

 I am presently looking for   -  White Gear shifter Knob  can anybody give me a lead as to where I can get one.

 Great site and members knowledge simply amazing!
 TANKOWNER

[IXLR8]

There are white knobs on eBay right now. 

Prices range from about $35 for "refurbished" tgo about $100 for new.


Joe

[114015]

There was never a horizontal thread (like on bolts) on the shift levers;
only the vertical bands are correct for all W113s, early to late.

Before you put on your new knob get the shift bushings replaced first.
And put on the knob while the shift lever is out of the car. Otherwise you immediately damage the new lower shift bushing and might have to do the job twice.

Good luck; it's easy!

Achim

[hank sound]

Hi Achim,

Thanks so much, you made a very important point regarding possible shift bushing damage !!   When I replace the knob on Ingrid's auto shift lever while still in the car, I'll try to lock out and prevent the downward movement of the lever shaft by using a wet (more holding friction) padded vice grip, secured at the floor level.   Then I'll tap the new knob downward with a rubber mallet.   I'm hoping my approach is valid and - works  

Thanks, Hank

Edit: unnecessary quote removed