Removing dash knobs (1 Viewer)

[Rick '79 FJ40]

I was trying to refinish the lettering on my dash knobs and I was able to get the ones off of the switches, but not the ones that were on the "Warm Pull" "Fresh Pull", or "Cluth" cables.

How do these come off, or are they molded onto the end of the cable?

TIA!

 

[dgangle]

As I remember, yes. De-attach on the other end and pull the whole cable out. Can lube well at reassembly, though. Not sure on the one you call "cluth". May wanna just touch up in place.

 

[igotta40]

The hard plastic warm & fresh lettering buttons will pry out of the softer plastic knobs. There is a tab & groove inside the pieces to facilitate correct reassembly. To remove the entire knob, loosen the setscrew in the skinny end of the knob with a small Phillips screwdriver.

The choke button does not disassemble.

 

[Texx]

Don't remember the specifics of which is which, but any without a set screw have to be detached at the "far end" and there is a nut on the back side of the dash that will have to be unscrewed to remove. Best access is by removing the heater duct and radio (if any).

 

[Rick '79 FJ40]

Thanks guys!

Oh, and that should have been "Choke" instead of "Clutch".

I'm getting senile in my old age...

 

[AndyM]

Hey Rick,
Thanks for this post, I was thinking of doing the same thing but wasn't sure how to remove the knobs myself. Is there a process that works better than others for re-doing the lettering and cleaning these up?

 

[Rick '79 FJ40]

One of the guys in my club (William McInnis) was over last weekend and he said he cleans them with alcohol then buffs them with 0000 steel wool then paints in the letters with white model paint then buffs off the excess paint with steel wool again.

His looked GREAT!

Hope this helps...

 

[AndyM]

Thanks! I'll give it a try....

 

[igotta40]

To paint mine I got them apart, cleaned them up with steel wool, and dug out the old paint with an Xacto knife. Then I rubbed on a light coat of vaseline and sprayed them with Krylon enamel. The vaseline coating is an old trick I learned in the USN, put it where you want the overspray to wipe off..

 

[AndyM]

To paint mine I got them apart, cleaned them up with steel wool, and dug out the old paint with an Xacto knife. Then I rubbed on a light coat of vaseline and sprayed them with Krylon enamel. The vaseline coating is an old trick I learned in the USN, put it where you want the overspray to wipe off..

happy with the results?

 

[Robert Sims]

The vaseline coating is an old trick I learned in the USN, put it where you want the overspray to wipe off..

Really.

 

[SD_rdcruzer]

Testers model paint and a rag that has paint thinner on it. Paint the knobs, let them dry a bit and wipe off any excess paint with the rag.

 

[igotta40]

Very pleased with the results. The other methods I see mentioned should work just as well if not better.