Hello Folks. This post details my 2017 6MT shift knob replacement.
If did not like the feel / look of the stock shift knob. I wanted an all leather knob. After some research online and on the forum, I found many round ball options but did not find an all leather one. I decided that the best option for me was to use the Camaro shift knob #24287141.
Prep the new knob - phase 1:
1. Very carefully remove the black plastic "inner ring". This piece is glued to the leather boot. I used an exacto knife.
Old knob removal:
2. Start the process with the knob in 4th gear.
3. Gently pry off the silver bracket that holds down the shift boot leather, I used a plastic trim tool.
4. Pull up the leather boot.
5. You need need to carefully cut off a tie wrap at the top of the knob.
6. Now pull down the leather boot. This will expose the hold down screw on the left side of the knob.
7. Remove the torx screw.
8. You can now remove the knob by pulling straight up on the knob.
Harvest the trim from old knob
9. The old leather boot has a leather "sandwich" where it connects to the console. You need to disassemble the sandwich and "harvest" the two plastic trim pieces.
10. Carefully detach the silver outer trim by pushing on the tabs and prying off the silver trim. It's kind of tricky. Be careful NOT to break of the white tabs. You will now have the boot with the inner white trim attached.
11. Remove the white plastic "inner ring" from the old knob. This piece is glued to the leather boot. If you want to preserve the old boot, be very careful during the removal process. I started the separation with an exacto knife and then gently pulled of the boot. The old material separates easier than from the new boot.
Prep the new knob - phase 2:
12. Glue the white inner plastic trim to the new boot. Try to align the trim to the existing cutouts. Make sure that the stitching is centered on the trim. WARNING, the console trim is directional! Working upside down with the boot can be confusing. I glued the trim in the wrong direction. Make sure that the wide ends up toward in front of the shifter and facing the dash , when it is installed. I messed up and had to re-due (the pictures show the incorrect install!). It will work, but the shift diagram will be upside down.
13. Let the glue dry a few hours. I used a super glue - not good. Best to use some contact cement type of glue.
14. Trim the extra leather around the white trim.
15. Install the silver trim and carefully squeeze them together to make the leather boot sandwich again. Be careful when doing this to avoid breaking the tabs. I broke one. Broken tabs will cause a gap between the silver trim and the leather boot. I used glue is the gap area and it fixed the gap.
Console re-install
16. Install the new shifter on the shaft and install the torx screw.
17. Gently press down the boot onto the consle
Enjoy the new shifter. I like the feel of the new shifter much better than the old shifter. Also, note that the suede scheme on the new shifter matches the suede on the dash board and top of the doors very well.
If did not like the feel / look of the stock shift knob. I wanted an all leather knob. After some research online and on the forum, I found many round ball options but did not find an all leather one. I decided that the best option for me was to use the Camaro shift knob #24287141.
Prep the new knob - phase 1:
1. Very carefully remove the black plastic "inner ring". This piece is glued to the leather boot. I used an exacto knife.
Old knob removal:
2. Start the process with the knob in 4th gear.
3. Gently pry off the silver bracket that holds down the shift boot leather, I used a plastic trim tool.
4. Pull up the leather boot.
5. You need need to carefully cut off a tie wrap at the top of the knob.
6. Now pull down the leather boot. This will expose the hold down screw on the left side of the knob.
7. Remove the torx screw.
8. You can now remove the knob by pulling straight up on the knob.
Harvest the trim from old knob
9. The old leather boot has a leather "sandwich" where it connects to the console. You need to disassemble the sandwich and "harvest" the two plastic trim pieces.
10. Carefully detach the silver outer trim by pushing on the tabs and prying off the silver trim. It's kind of tricky. Be careful NOT to break of the white tabs. You will now have the boot with the inner white trim attached.
11. Remove the white plastic "inner ring" from the old knob. This piece is glued to the leather boot. If you want to preserve the old boot, be very careful during the removal process. I started the separation with an exacto knife and then gently pulled of the boot. The old material separates easier than from the new boot.
Prep the new knob - phase 2:
12. Glue the white inner plastic trim to the new boot. Try to align the trim to the existing cutouts. Make sure that the stitching is centered on the trim. WARNING, the console trim is directional! Working upside down with the boot can be confusing. I glued the trim in the wrong direction. Make sure that the wide ends up toward in front of the shifter and facing the dash , when it is installed. I messed up and had to re-due (the pictures show the incorrect install!). It will work, but the shift diagram will be upside down.
13. Let the glue dry a few hours. I used a super glue - not good. Best to use some contact cement type of glue.
14. Trim the extra leather around the white trim.
15. Install the silver trim and carefully squeeze them together to make the leather boot sandwich again. Be careful when doing this to avoid breaking the tabs. I broke one. Broken tabs will cause a gap between the silver trim and the leather boot. I used glue is the gap area and it fixed the gap.
Console re-install
16. Install the new shifter on the shaft and install the torx screw.
17. Gently press down the boot onto the consle
Enjoy the new shifter. I like the feel of the new shifter much better than the old shifter. Also, note that the suede scheme on the new shifter matches the suede on the dash board and top of the doors very well.
