Installing a Tommy Kaira shift knob and aligning the turtle perfectly :)

Volk Z · 11-09-2012, 10:11 PM

I know there have been a bunch of posts regarding the issue of the turtle not lining up perfectly... So being a perfectionist with OCD I found the way besides stuffing paper in the end of the knob or using loctite.

Here goes:

Buy 5 Napa copper washers Part #26442
Buy one 3/8 opening rubber grommet at home depot (this is for making the boot flush)
Buy one sheet of 120 sandpaper (will tell you why)

First pop up the shift boot assembly and put the rubber grommet over the threaded part that holds the shifter on.

Then Take one of the washers and just sand one edge down with around 14 light swipes across one of the washers. Then take the 4 washers and mate them up by their flater sides together put them on top of the stock spacer that comes on the car. Then after you have sanded the 5th one down just slightly put that on top of the 4 sitting on the shifter thread assembly sanded side facing down.

Then screw the knob on. It will stop slightly before it needs to for a full tighten then twist it a little more giving it slight force and voila the turtle should be facing straight.

Pics will be posted tomorrow I promise,

I just wanted to give a scientific alternative to some of the attempts at straightening the turtle and writing. This is good for someone with minimal toolsand little patience

Enjoy

Z-Girl 12 · 11-09-2012, 10:32 PM

Such a tease...nice write up!

Liquid_G · 11-09-2012, 10:49 PM

What? since when has this been an issue? I have this knob and never heard of this being a problem.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

FairladyZ · 11-09-2012, 10:50 PM

Wow I did this forward facing trick using a 30 cent neoprene washer from home depot....,,,Forget all that. My way is even easier and looks factory and is done using next to no work. You place the neoprene washer down and screw it perfectly straight lol

Volk Z · 11-09-2012, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairladyZ

Wow I did this forward facing trick using a 30 cent neoprene washer from home depot....,,,Forget all that. My way is even easier and looks factory and is done using next to no work. You place the neoprene washer down and screw it perfectly straight lol

One washer worked? Maybe your threads are different... What exactly did you usefor thickness of the washer and overall diameter size?

Volk Z · 11-09-2012, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquid_G

What? since when has this been an issue? I have this knob and never heard of this being a problem.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

Hmmm not sure then man you must have gotten lucky or something as this is an issue in like 15 threads but no one had a solution I liked...

FairladyZ · 11-10-2012, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volk Z

One washer worked? Maybe your threads are different... What exactly did you usefor thickness of the washer and overall diameter size?

I'll let you know, but it doesn't even sit inside the knob threaded part it sits over the black shaft below the stock spacer, you force it on its very soft and makes tightening the knob tighter when it gets close to the boot so you can control the turtle.

Ni55anPat · 11-10-2012, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquid_G

What? since when has this been an issue? I have this knob and never heard of this being a problem.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

Gene, i had problems with the turtle aligning up....i did similar like OP

Zoren 370 · 11-10-2012, 05:18 AM

I would love to see the pictures.

Where can I buy a tommy kaira knob?

FairladyZ · 11-10-2012, 06:11 AM

Z-Girl 12 · 11-10-2012, 07:10 AM

Thanks FairLadyZ...very nice.

FairladyZ · 11-10-2012, 02:06 PM

Anyways, homedepot 30cent neoprene washer, you can see it under the knob where it connnects to the boot. Its cool because the neoprene is soft and makes it like a cushion between the knob and leather, in real life its so thin you don't notice it, and the knob is pretty flush to the boot.

Didn't even do any work, just placed that all the way down the shifter, then the stock spacer, then screw the knob down and it made it tight enough to control the turtle. My turtle is straight

Volk Z · 11-10-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairladyZ

Anyways, homedepot 30cent neoprene washer, you can see it under the knob where it connnects to the boot. Its cool because the neoprene is soft and makes it like a cushion between the knob and leather, in real life its so thin you don't notice it, and the knob is pretty flush to the boot.

Didn't even do any work, just placed that all the way down the shifter, then the stock spacer, then screw the knob down and it made it tight enough to control the turtle. My turtle is straight

Gotcha! I see how that would work... I like my way and its done so I'm leaving it... Its so funny the damn knob was only off by like an 1/8th of a turn too so the neoprene washer was a great idea...

Anyway hope this thread offers a couple solutions for people my way is more complex then the neoprene washer suggestion but it offers another alternative

acelesson · 02-21-2016, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairladyZ

Anyways, homedepot 30cent neoprene washer, you can see it under the knob where it connnects to the boot. Its cool because the neoprene is soft and makes it like a cushion between the knob and leather, in real life its so thin you don't notice it, and the knob is pretty flush to the boot.

Didn't even do any work, just placed that all the way down the shifter, then the stock spacer, then screw the knob down and it made it tight enough to control the turtle. My turtle is straight

you still post here? What size washer? My turtle isnt alligned and its driving me crazy

cooltoy · 02-21-2016, 06:01 PM

Please. Don't wake up the thread. It's been peacefully sleeping since 2012.

11-09-2012, 10:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Volk Z A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Laguna Beach, CA Posts: 2,214 Drives: Nismo Z Rep Power: 3066	Installing a Tommy Kaira shift knob and aligning the turtle perfectly :) I know there have been a bunch of posts regarding the issue of the turtle not lining up perfectly... So being a perfectionist with OCD I found the way besides stuffing paper in the end of the knob or using loctite. Here goes: Buy 5 Napa copper washers Part #26442 Buy one 3/8 opening rubber grommet at home depot (this is for making the boot flush) Buy one sheet of 120 sandpaper (will tell you why) First pop up the shift boot assembly and put the rubber grommet over the threaded part that holds the shifter on. Then Take one of the washers and just sand one edge down with around 14 light swipes across one of the washers. Then take the 4 washers and mate them up by their flater sides together put them on top of the stock spacer that comes on the car. Then after you have sanded the 5th one down just slightly put that on top of the 4 sitting on the shifter thread assembly sanded side facing down. Then screw the knob on. It will stop slightly before it needs to for a full tighten then twist it a little more giving it slight force and voila the turtle should be facing straight. Pics will be posted tomorrow I promise, I just wanted to give a scientific alternative to some of the attempts at straightening the turtle and writing. This is good for someone with minimal toolsand little patience Enjoy onzedge and ohhbcase like this. __________________ AMUSE * TOMEI * STILLEN * CRAFTSQUARE RECARO * 3M * TOP SECRET * SLICKCARBON

11-09-2012, 10:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Z-Girl 12 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 4,105 Drives: Spirited Rep Power: 11716	Such a tease...nice write up! __________________ 2012 Z-SOLD 2014 Nismo #565 Fast Intentions CBE/HFC/Swift/SPC/RJM/H&R-15/20mm/Z1 CAI/Headers/Intake Manifold w/Uprev Tune 328.31whp/263.64tq

11-09-2012, 10:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Liquid_G A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago Burbs Posts: 1,439 Drives: 09 370z Supercharged Rep Power: 44	What? since when has this been an issue? I have this knob and never heard of this being a problem. Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2 __________________

11-10-2012, 06:11 AM	#10 (permalink)
FairladyZ Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 850 Drives: 2012 370Z TRNG SPRT Rep Power: 17	Last edited by FairladyZ; 11-10-2012 at 02:04 PM.

11-10-2012, 07:10 AM	#11 (permalink)
Z-Girl 12 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 4,105 Drives: Spirited Rep Power: 11716	Thanks FairLadyZ...very nice. __________________ 2012 Z-SOLD 2014 Nismo #565 Fast Intentions CBE/HFC/Swift/SPC/RJM/H&R-15/20mm/Z1 CAI/Headers/Intake Manifold w/Uprev Tune 328.31whp/263.64tq

11-09-2012, 10:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
FairladyZ Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 850 Drives: 2012 370Z TRNG SPRT Rep Power: 17	Wow I did this forward facing trick using a 30 cent neoprene washer from home depot....,,,Forget all that. My way is even easier and looks factory and is done using next to no work. You place the neoprene washer down and screw it perfectly straight lol

11-10-2012, 05:18 AM	#9 (permalink)
Zoren 370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: FL Posts: 11,018 Drives: 11 Nissan 370 M6 Rep Power: 1913653	I would love to see the pictures. Where can I buy a tommy kaira knob?

11-10-2012, 02:06 PM	#12 (permalink)
FairladyZ Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 850 Drives: 2012 370Z TRNG SPRT Rep Power: 17	Anyways, homedepot 30cent neoprene washer, you can see it under the knob where it connnects to the boot. Its cool because the neoprene is soft and makes it like a cushion between the knob and leather, in real life its so thin you don't notice it, and the knob is pretty flush to the boot. Didn't even do any work, just placed that all the way down the shifter, then the stock spacer, then screw the knob down and it made it tight enough to control the turtle. My turtle is straight Elmo370z likes this. Last edited by FairladyZ; 11-10-2012 at 04:10 PM.

02-21-2016, 06:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
cooltoy Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Calgary Posts: 13,971 Drives: 14 PW 370Z S/T MT Rep Power: 243722	Please. Don't wake up the thread. It's been peacefully sleeping since 2012. Memphis370Z likes this. __________________ Member of kenchan's "photoshopped mods" and "proper offsets" gang.

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