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

Such a tease...nice write up!

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

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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?

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...

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.

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

I would love to see the pictures.

Where can I buy a tommy kaira knob?

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/...us/image3.jpeg
http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/...us/image4.jpeg

Thanks FairLadyZ...very nice.

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 :)

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

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

Contributing
 

I just installed 2 - 3/8" x 1 1/4" neoprene washers from the depot underneath the shift boot and it came out perfectly

well done. Off to the Depot I go!

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

I really don't understand why all the trouble of buying extra washers just to line up the turtle. Just use a few drops of locktite then line that bad boy up. As long as you don't excessively apply the glue (like OEM knob), you should be able to remove it with minimal force if you want to take it off later down the road..


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because eventually when I sell the car, I dont want to include a 300 dollar shift knob in the sale

edit: you think? Man the OEM was just a bitch to get off...and I would fear I would scratch the Heavy baby or something

Nissan went extra heavy on locktite.

The TK isn't leather so you don't have to worry about damaging it taking it off like the OEM. If you tear into it, you're using the wrong tool

(again, as long as you didn't go bat **** crazy with the locktite)


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I was one of the fortunate one who was able to remove my OEM with no damage. All depends on how much glue was initially appliedhttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...16068fcf52.jpg


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leon used like a roll of gaffer's tape on his heavily threadlocked knob.. and remove it with using some big pipe wrench or an oil wrench with no damage.

Yes this... Easier than push starting the car.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...bfd57f6519.jpg

I want one of those!!!!:icon18:

Don't you guys have those plumbing tape around? Wrap your shaft in it then screw the turtle on.

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

I was bought into the washer idea too because it would help close the gap around the boot... But the OEM knob is pretty much toast. My fault though thought enough tape and a towel would do it but no.