Purchased a new to us '75 2.0 yesterday and the shift knob (wooden Porsche w/badge) came off no less than five times on the 200 mile drive home during down-shifts.

I can't believe the factory would send out shift knobs not attached with threads.

The knob is a real Porsche (off what, I can't remember) wooden knob and the metal whackadoo shim-thingy is in place and it takes some pressure to push it on the shaft, but really?

Is it just my set-up?

Is the factory 8-ball shift knob less prone to coming loose?

Thanks again, from a newbie.

Will

BTW, if anyone wants to trade their stock knob for the (claimed) $80 wooden one I have, please, make my day! 805-550-7865

Your wooden shift knob is an aftermarket replacement. They are usually secured with an Allen headed set screw. The factory supplied black plastic shift knob is secured with a crush ring, and it does not easily come back off.

Buy a new $8 crush ring.

914 Rubber has the shift knob and crush sleeve.

http://shop.914rubber.com/Interior-parts_c...p3plqscsfapp005

Like Mark said, not from factory. It never fit right and never will. Post a pic. Someone might know who made it.

Sorry to disagree with the 914 Maestro of Tulsey Town, Curt, but ....

I had & still have the leather wrapped version - assuming it is the AMCO Porsche Crest type sold at the Porsche+Audi Dealers & aftermaket sellers & AMCO themselves - & mine has always fit well since I first test drove it in Nov `75, purchased in Dec 75 at +/-45,000 miles as 2nd owner, & drove it to 172,000+/- ....

.... & it's still on there tight as factory today! FYI for OP to compare with the Walnut version -
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment
> the allen screw is on opposite side of the 2nd pic, but I don't have that side in a pic.

Yes, it should have either a crush sleeve or allen screw to hold it on, as Curt & all above have said above.


Tom
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I have an Amco leather on my Rennshift and the young lad also has one that looks brand new on his stock shifter, solid as a rock.

Now I have the same issue with the stock knob and crush washer on my '67 bug with a 901-911 trans and shifter.
The crush washer is a one use only....and damn that's what I forgot to order from 914rubber....

Amco did not make any leather shift knobs those are vinyl.

Welcome and good luck!

OMG! I just assumed they sacrificed a real nauga for it's hide!

Those wooden ones are for sale on EBay all the time.

Allen is the only way to make them hold. I'm doing another run of the knobs now, I'll try to add an Allen to see if a "factory " look knob can be modified to an Allen screw mount. My bases are not cheap plastic, they are delrin. So they may support the load of an Allen. I'll check Thursday when I'm back..

One other way is JB Weld. My stock knob popped off right after purchasing the car and a few smears of JB up the tube, and it is on to stay. Now I just have to hope the rubber boot stays in shape for the life of the shifter.......

One use only? Guess I've been lucky. I have had shift knobs off hundreds of times. I have never replaced a crush sleeve and never had a problem in 43 years.

Guess you have been lucky.

My knob or more often the crush washer has ended up in the back seat, front seat, under the seat or under my feet more times than I can count.
I always forget to order a crush washer, I've also thought seriously about JB welding it in place.

If you don't have a crush washer thats new, you can use paper or felt to securely hold on the stock knob.

When I was making knobs, I held my prototype on with paper for about 2 years.

Just cut a slip of white printer paper about 2.5 inches long and 2 inches wide. IIRC I needed three folds to get a good TIGHT fit, so you end up with a paper 2.5 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Center the paper over the top of the shifter of the shifter and fold down the "legs." You should have to tap down the knob with a leather or rubber mallet.

Zach

I experimented with this.
The delrin strips out before the allen has enough tension to hold fast to the lever.
Maybe if you use a bigger allen screw, though. Or find one that uses deeper threads.
But the standard ones stripped out the delrin pretty quick.

Zach

Dimpling the shift lever for the set screw helps. JB Weld is hard to undo.

My stock plastic knob came off all the time auto-crossing, one time out the window....drill hole in back side/tapped and install allen screw...done. Best, Mark

Dude got this one solved!
Drilled and tapped a slightly modified version that can handle the stress.
Over 25 lbs (known loading)+ cant twist or pull off.

One set screw at the base

I'll put in another thread, but I'm quite happy how well these worked.