Today 24.06.18 During my time working on the cigarette lighter, working out how to get to it, under the centre console, I came across more amateur DIY, worse than my own. I almost ripped the gear stick out of the gearbox trying to pull off the gear knob. I ended up destroying the gear knob.
The previous keeper had used a compound glue resin, solidly sticking the gear knob to the stick. Probably not the original knob, (pun here somewhere) it had been replaced with the BMW M silver plastic silver coated knob and at a slight angle.
I decided to replace it with the WRC chrome orbit knob with a matching handbrake grip... I have had these for a number of years and have used them in various cars I have owned.
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Keep the old parts safe, especially when you need to replace them when selling on your car.
Doesn't look to bad and in order with the decor
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The handbrake grip/sleeve cover, is another option for replacement and the replacement is also part of the WRC kit. The Grip can be attached to a new or existing gaiter. One needs to again; use some force and twist back and forth, (there will be resistance as explained in the next paragraph) and pulling off the old or existing hand grip/sleeve. Once off and stored away safely, by turning the gaiter inside out, the new grip/sleeve can be attached using the excess material on the gaiter and secured with a pull-tie. The grip/sleeve can then be pushed through the gaiter and the gaiter tidied or readdressed and slipped over the handbrake.
For the handbrake grip/sleeve there was a slight problem as it would not go back onto the actual handbrake stem fully, making it difficult to press the handbrake button. When the old grip/sleeve is taken off the handbrake, it exposes two moulded metal manufacturer's lugs pressed in/out of the handbrake unit, this helps to prevent the grip/sleeve from spinning or turning when used. There are usually two moulded lugs, (hence the difficulty of sliding off the original grip/sleeve). With a sharp bladed screwdriver, one lug can be sacrificed, allowing the new handbrake grip/sleeve to slip on snuggly and slightly over the remaining lug, allowing for the grip/sleeve not to turn and the button to be fully exposed for pressing and depressing. With the required intentions sorted, the job was done.
In addition, a few months down the line, I decided to drag out the matching WRC foot pedal covers to match, they were only gathering dust in a box after I had stripped from my E39.
The gear knob with a little vertical force upward should part company from the stick and one can replace the knob with a new one. Unless someone has done the unmentionable DIY job and wanting a more permanent fixture. With a little time the old gear knob was split using a hammer and screwdriver and the resin was chipped out of the gear stalk and the top of the stalk groove re-established. The WRC, (World Rally Championship) gear knob came originally as a kit, to install on a variety of makes of cars and therefore had different screw-thread attachments. With the correct one identified and fitted, the gear knob was screwed on and looked the business.
The cover on the accelerator pedal; perhaps looks a little odd based on one's perspective, however it serves it's purpose until I can find one more suitable for the full pedal length in the same pattern style. After many searches I am still looking.... many are sold in sets and this defeats the purpose for using the original set. I am not in any hurry and quite satisfied at the moment to use it as is...
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