I can't get the damn stock shifter off!! Help!!
 

Can't get the damn stock knob off!! It's pissing me off. How the hell does it come off? I twisted it to the left, counter clockwise, and I can get it abuot 90 degrees but it just springs back into place! I don't have a wrench handy so I don't know what to do.

Someone help!

get yourself a set of vice grips. itll come off, wont be pretty anymore, but itll come off. . .

http://web.njit.edu/~aslam/g35/console/1.jpg

It's a PIA, takes about 10-15 revolutions.

10-15?!?!? ARE YOU SURE?? I did 3 and it got so stiff and I figured it should break lose after MAX 1!! This is ****ing irritating! 10-15 seems way tooooooooooooo many.. I used a wreched, it's definatly not pretty anymore! Did the silver base come off after you poped it off? URGHHHHH!! :|

Also someone told me it should twist to the right, are you sure it's to the left? Even nissan told me their not sure if its left or right since they never did it.... anyone who has done it.. PLEASE HELP!! I'm so mad.

Here you go...
https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=25516

Yes, counter-clockwise. It doesn't get "smoother" with each revolution. Mine did get stuck once in a while and it required more force.

Mine was the same way, I turned it and the whole thing turned so that the rubber boot below was all twisted.

I gave up and got the dealer to do it since they had to replace my shift boot, which was cracking.

I think they damaged it when they took it off, because when I got it back, it looked like it was a brand new shift knob.

Yeah I saw that, and tried it, but it didn't say how many times to turn, so I figured after 1 full rotation it should be loose, but it wasnt, so I did 3, and it just seemed tighter..so I gave up.

Same here, just have to grab it and give it Hell. It's not on there cheap like alot of Shift Knobs.

Reminds me of BMW Shifters, I punched myself in the nose while removing my pals on his 325i. :p

Wait,

I think I know it's so hard for me.. I was twisting it with the vice grip by the silver base.. Should I be attaching to the silver base, or above it and below the "Bulge" of the knob? (On leather where it meets the silver base?)

Ricky, the silver base which is actually the top of the boot, stays.

Just put your shifter between the silver base and the Knobby bit. You will notice the sides are flat to make it "easier" to get the shifter in there. You do have to turn it with some force!

Be aware though, there is a good chance you will damage the leather when removing the knob.

As always

H

Proper procedure according to Nissan is:

Pull up the shifter boot trim.
Put a vise grip on the Shift lever (rod under the boot trim (clamp it).
Clamp a 2nd toungue and groove pliers over a cut piece of radiator hose placed over the shift knob base.
Remove the shift knob by turning it counter-clockwise with the tounge and groove pliers, while holding the vise grips around the shifter rod.

Lou

ricky

did you ever get it off?

why are you taking it off anyway?

Finally got some time this morning and gave it a try. It was pretty simple to do using two sets of vice grips. I got the original knob off pretty quickly and in perfect condition.
Got the whole thing done in under 30 minutes and I was being super careful. I'm not particularly mechanically inclined so if I can do it anyone can!

You might want to check your car at the service dealer! You should always use two sets of grips when doing this (so i've been told), or you risk bending/twisting your gear lever, which could cause bad transmission damage. If you werent' using two sets of grips when you did yours, and you turned your shift knob a full 3 rotations, I almost can't believe you DIDN'T do any damage.

and in addition if you don't use two pliers then you can damge the shifter bushing. I believe it was in R&T and the dealer was trying to replace the shift knob for them and they ended up breaking the shifter bushing so be careful