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An Odd Little Problem

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kyreb1862

kyreb1862

Jedi Knight
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I started to install a new shift knob in my 77 B and I've run into a problem. My current shifter knob is a two piece one. The bottom part is retained by a round nut with a slot on either side. Apparently I need a tool with two prongs that will fit over the end of the shifter lever and engage the slots in order to be able to turn the nut. What have you guys used to do this little task?

Regards John
 
I used a set of long needle nosed pliers.....get a generic, cheap pair because you may have to grind the points down some to fit.
 
For the MG I was able to loosen the nut on the bottom outside of my knob an eighth turn, then used a small standard screwdriver in one of the slots to unscrew the nut on the inside of the knob.
With my Volvo, I used a pair of needle nosed pliers.
 
SUCCESS!! I purchased a pair of cheap needle nose pliers and then ground the ends to fit inside the knob and fit the slots in the retaining nut and managed to screw the nut out with no problems.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]SUCCESS!! I purchased a pair of cheap needle nose pliers and then ground the ends to fit inside the knob and fit the slots in the retaining nut and managed to screw the nut out with no problems. [/QUOTE]

There ya go - exactly what I did....now you have another specialty tool for that drawer of your box!
 
tony barnhill said:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]SUCCESS!! I purchased a pair of cheap needle nose pliers and then ground the ends to fit inside the knob and fit the slots in the retaining nut and managed to screw the nut out with no problems.
Click to expand...

There ya go - exactly what I did....now you have another specialty tool for that drawer of your box! [/QUOTE]

We had fun a few months back discussing those little "specialty tools" that we all end up having to make for a specific purpose, never to be used again. I have a whole box full of ground-down box wrenches, bent pliers and heated-bent-quenched offset thigamajigs that worked for me. I am sure that the MG crowd has the same.
 
There was a thread in the tools forum about buying tools. This is when buying cheap tools come in handy. I had to pull a trans on a Toyota once. I went to sears and bought their cheap crap as I knew what I had to do. I heated up an off set box end to make it an offset off set box end. Worked like a charm. Sear takes back all of their "Crafstmen" tools not thier Sears tools.
 
I have a drawer especially for those types of tools. My favorite is the one I made for pulling the main caps on the B. It's just a fine thread bolt that is welded to a coarse nut for attaching to a slide hammer. My other favorite is the tool for taking out the grease cap on wire wheeled cars. I used a head stud and a long nut from a late model B. Fits great, and cost nothing to make.
 
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