Gearshift knob refurbish

[JimsCJ5]

Hey Gang, Is there any way to refurbish these knobs?


I was thinking just black paint with white for the pattern but I don't know how durable it will be (to sweat, gear oil, beer, etc).

 

[gutthans]

Sand gently with 400 wet/dry. Coat with Krylon plastic paint (6 - 8 LIGHT coats). Use the enamel paint pen thing you find at the Zone or Advance or Pep Boys and let it flow into the lettering.

The white paint should flow up to the sanded edge and fill in without running over if you're careful. Should last for a year or so...

 

[RatDog8o8]

I just had that exact issue with mine. The transfer-case knob wasn't bad; some scrubbing with a bit of "super-clean" (purple stuff) and a scotchbrite pad cleaned the knob. A scrubbing with a nylon-bristled brush cleaned the white letters.

The gearshift knob is another issue. Even with some sanding it's not "black" anymore.....kind of a really cruddy dark gray. I had given some thought to using some of the Duplicolor spray bedliner to make it black again, but that would fill the letters in.

I may end up replacing it.

 

[mstar]

If your knobs are in decent shape I have buffed them with buffer wheel VERY gently .Too hard will burn.The hard rubber type or plastic come out pretty good.My T/C knob that I don't use much I painted gloss black.If you have buffed out plastic light lenses you know about going easy with the buffer wheel.
mike

 

[hondo]

i replaced mine with a section of antler i found.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Smooth with 0000 steel wool, and coat with boiled linseed oil.
Wait 5 minutes and wipe off excess. Let 'dry' for 2 days and repeat.

LG

 

[JimsCJ5]

I took Lumpy Grits advice since I already had something similiar to linseed oil. I used tung oil and filled in the shift patterns with Testor paint I use for restoring motorcycle controls. The results are pretty good but the tranny shifter was pretty worn. We'll probably be looking for a suitable stocker to replace it with.

 

[Focker]

Nice work, thanks for posting the results. There's just something cool about a knob with the shifting pattern.

 

[HackFabrication]

Nice work, thanks for posting the results. There's just something cool about a knob with the shifting pattern.

T18a:



T18b:



Really hard finding these knobs. The aftermarket replacements have no engraving, and no threaded insert.

They also seem to walk away from parked Jeeps....

 

[JeffP]

Mine have the writing completely worn off so I was thinking an 8 ball for the shifter & q ball for the Transfer Case . Or drill & tap a couple of inert hand grenades. I'd rather have new stock factory knobs but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I was also considering welding a 2" hitch tube onto an inert Claymore mine & using it for a hitch receiver cover. But it might be better to cast one complete out of resin.
Bet there wouldn't be any tailgaters! LOL

 

[Lumpy Grits]

That 8 ball is a lot of weight to be bouncing around on your shifter.
Not to mention this is an almost 3 yo thread.......
LG

 

[Belizean]

Mine have the writing completely worn off so I was thinking an 8 ball for the shifter & q ball for the Transfer Case . Or drill & tap a couple of inert hand grenades. I'd rather have new stock factory knobs but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I was also considering welding a 2" hitch tube onto an inert Claymore mine & using it for a hitch receiver cover. But it might be better to cast one complete out of resin.
Bet there wouldn't be any tailgaters! LOL

I found a round stainless / chrome knob just under the size of a cue ball many years ago and use it for the Transfer Case . I was able to remove the shift pattern placard off the old knob and placed it on the dash just above. Looks really good

 

[hole]

When I was still running the T-5 I tried removing the knob and the threads snapped off the shifter cane. Thought about it a minute, and ended up grabbing one of my kids baseballs and drilled a 7/16 hole half way into it and tapping it on. Liked it so much (big hands) that it carried over to the shift cane on the T19 in there now