Rover owners: Gear knob removal TF LE500

Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2014

Location: Swanage, Dorset

Car: MG TF

Posts: 12

Gear knob removal TF LE500

Ignore the waffle if you like and go straight to METHOD.
Waffle
Wife’s LE500 came to us with a predominantly black interior, duller than a VW. I fitted ali coloured door trims, heater vent surrounds, gear lever bezel and center console surround. Just enough bling to make it a pleasant place to be.
Only one remaining task to comply with her wishes, remove the shiny bronze coloured gear knob and replace it with a matt black item which is more in keeping esthetically and warmer to the touch than the shiny thing on these cold mornings.
Just remove the gear knob..……, ha bloody ha, JUST remove the gear knob. JHC, what a performance!
Tried to release the clip with various tools and gave up. Others on here have said just pull. Three Shredded Wheat, roof off, pulling as hard as I could, got a wobble between knob and shaft, still wouldn’t lift, still couldn't release the clip. Grrrrr.
METHOD
Usual precautions; car secured, protect trim, engine off, key removed etc.
Prepare a piece of timber 125mm long and say, 2” x 1”. Roof batten is ideal.
Beg, borrow or steal a long OE or combination spanner min 13mm, max 7/8”
(Carefully) Prise off the bezel that retains the gear lever gaiter. Retaining clips at 3. 6. 9. 12.
Select first gear
Seated in right hand seat, with your left hand tilt the gaiter bezel up from left until it will tilt no further, this will give you a view of the nylon component in which the swivel ball of the gear lever is captured.
With right hand, place one end of the timber on top of the aforementioned nylon component then with left hand hold the timber as near vertical as it will go and the bezel in its inclined position whilst pushing the gear lever forward and left. (Don’t scoff, if my sixty nine year old slightly arthritic left hand can do it…..)
With your now free right hand position the open end of the spanner around the lever and against the underside of the knob, using the top of the timber as a leverage point push down on the free end of the spanner so that upward force is applied to the knob, if more force is needed you could try a longer spanner or place a length of tube over the spanner to increase its effective length. When sufficient force is applied the knob will lift.
Once the knob is free it will slide easily off the shaft. Works for me.
(If your name is Ned Flanders you might want to transpose lefts and rights).
It’s worth mentioning that the replacement knob took a sharp tap with a mallet to engage correctly, knob was well protected of course.
Adam