Wom 0 Report post Posted March 29, 2011 Hi, I got a brand new gear stick surround boot to replace my old worn one, but I can't get the thing on. I can get the gear stick knob off fine, but the gear stick has a plastic piece covering the metal where the gear stick knob goes. The plastic bit is far too wide to be able to squeeze the surround boot over without ripping it. I tried to get the plastic bit off but it seems to be well and truely stuck on the gear stick. Is this plastic bit supposed to come off too? Does it screw off? I believe it needs to be on there when I put it all back together as it makes the gear knob have a nice tight fit on the gear stick. I can take pictures tonight if that doesn't make sense to anyone lol 1996 E36 coupe, manual cheers, Christopher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lucan 196 Report post Posted March 29, 2011 So after you get the knob off, you cant fit the new gaiter/boot over the gear stick? Where'd you get the boot from? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted March 29, 2011 (edited) yep that's right, take the gear knob off and there's the normal metal gear stick but with what looks like to be a plastic covering which I guess is so the gear knob has a tight fit got the surround from BMW, genuine part it clips into the centre console fine, just can't get it over the gear stick [edit] I'll also add, the hole in the top of the new surround is about half the size of the hole in the old surround, but the old surround looks ripped and very worn Edited March 29, 2011 by Wom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1264 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 sounds like maybe the inside part of your gear knob has been left behind on the gear lever. should look like this when off Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 yea I was thinking that might be it, coz my gear stick isn't just plain metal and the length of the plastic that's still on the stick is the exact same as the gear knob I'll put up a couple of photos tonight when I get home to confirm before I start prying bits of plastic off lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jono51 58 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 Hi Chris, if you are near by pop in, i"ll sort it for you not a problem Jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lucan 196 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 If its the plastic insides of the gear knob, pull up on the plastic firmly and it should slide off just like the knob. Might be easier than taking photo's etc as what Brents saying makes sense. When I 1st pulled off mine I had to sit over the console and pull up, was bloody stuck!! When it came off I was yanking on it so hard I hit myself, in the eye, with the knob. Explaining this with a semi-black eye to the missus was interesting... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 cheers Jon, I'll pop in saturday morning if I don't get it sorted before then and thanks everyone who's taking the time to reply, it's much appreciated Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 here's a pic so the plastic bit should just pull off with a bit of force? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 Explaining this with a semi-black eye to the missus was interesting... Telling her it happened from getting a knob in the eye probably didn't help? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forrest 35 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 Plastic bit looks to be what is usually moulded inside the gearknob, might be time for a new knob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huff3r 347 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 Plastic bit looks to be what is usually moulded inside the gearknob, might be time for a new knob Hmm so thatd be why my gearknob is so loose haha. I broke that piece off and threw it out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1264 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 yes your gear knob is stuffed , that part may have been glued on . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phatputer 3 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 And this happens when you attempt to unscrew the gear knob instead of pulling it off Mechanic broke mine and just shrugged it off, really pissed me off, does still seem to hold correctly still. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2011 yea I did initially try to screw off the gear knob, so that would explain it lol right, new knob time haha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 right, got all the old plastic off thanks to a mate and a 2nd pair of vice grips lol I have the new surround on, and am putting the new knob on, but it's kinda easy to pull off it fits, and it sits there fine, but it's not a tight fit am I supposed to glue it down? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Matt_ 42 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 right, got all the old plastic off thanks to a mate and a 2nd pair of vice grips lol I have the new surround on, and am putting the new knob on, but it's kinda easy to pull off it fits, and it sits there fine, but it's not a tight fit am I supposed to glue it down? the knob or boot? neither are 'suppose' to be glued Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 the knob the surround fits perfect Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wom 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 all sorted, apparently it needs to be hammered on Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
