Auto gear lever knob removal

[PeterJ]

Hi,

How do you remove the gear lever knob on a 500SE W126, I want to replace it with a wooden knob, I´ve tried turning it, as the aftermarket literature suggests, but it is not moving.
Is it attached to to chrome shaft on this model. If so, how do you get at it to remove. Or can the leather one be cut off, to then secure the wooden one over the shaft?

Any suggestions please.

Thanks,

Peter

 

[Myros]

I think they are attached

as the aftermarket pix in ME and MO seem to show new knobs on chrome shafts, with prices to match. Quick call to your local MB partsman? However, they have to attach the knobs somehow, so it should be feasible to get them off. There seems to be recess/rebate whatever the word is, machined into the shaft, presumably for the knob to grip. Perhaps some gentle tugging migh do the trick. We are about to go into full "Carry On " double entendre mode now, so beware the answers.

 

[PeterJ]

Hi Myros,

Thanks for your quick response, I think I will try to cut it off and then fit the new wooden "one" onto the shaft.

You see I´ve now gone paranoid from the latter part of your reply. I didn´t think of that.

Regards,

Peter

 

[stwat]

If its anything like the 190 lever, it bolts on under the shift gate. You have to take the shiftgate of and release a locking nut and then screw of the whole lever.

Stu

 

[andy_k]

don't just cut the leather off, it should unscrew on your car.

If it doesn't and the knob is moulded on then sutting the leather off won't really help either as the top of the lever will have a large metal plate to whoch the head is moulded - I've got photos somewhere to show what they look like when you butcher them

If you go down that road, then you need to make a threaded collet to match the thread of your new knob and that has a hole which matches the diameter of the gear lever. Then cut the top off the gear lever and attach the collet permanently - hey presto, threaded gear lever

I'll have a look around - I've probably got a couple of blank unthreaded collets lying around from when I made the one for my W124. If they are the same diameter I can soon put a thread on them for you.

Cheers

Andy

 

[PeterJ]

Hi Stu,

Thanks for the info, it does like the same as you described.

Many thanks,

Peter

 

[PeterJ]

Hi Andy,

Thank you for your advise, the replacement knob does not have a thread insert. It has 5 different dense rubber inserts so you can match the diameter of the shaft, and them there is an allen screw on the knob that holds the insert and the knob onto the shaft.
It is useful to know there is a metal plate on the top, I hadn´t expected that. So I think I will saw off the plate and go down that route.

I have sent for this from Germany, ordinarily if I had got it from the UK, I would send it back to exchange for one with the shaft attached.

Regards,

Peter

 

[shayes]

Should imagine that you have done the business by now?
In case you faltered I asked the very same question a couple of years ago.

Nobody new the answer.

On my 500SEC I just cut through the leather with a Stanley Knife, revealing the chrome cap and then hacksawed through the shaft at the most appropriate point so that the Mahog. gearknob with grub screws could be placed on top.

Got a new one for my new purchase 500SEL - will do the same after I have replaced the Steering wheel with a rather ponsy two colour leather and mahog steering wheel bought on e-bay. First must match the colour of the car by spraying one of the colours of the leather (blue) with burnt silver. Then lacquering. Acrylic and cellulose are pretty flexible and the new smaller wheel will stop me feeling I am driving a Bus!