Shift Knob Replacement

[digilotus]

These are for the Evora, but it looks like the same shift lever that's on the Emira. Would Evora gear knobs fit?

View attachment 26617
View attachment 26618

They should be identical. I can’t imagine that Lotus changed the size of the screw thread.

 

[eriegz]

They should be identical. I can’t imagine that Lotus changed the size of the screw thread.

Maybe @Bilbao-Emira could do a test for us.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Maybe @Bilbao-Emira could do a test for us.

Haha, mine is Auto though!!!

 

[eriegz]

Haha, mine is Auto though!!!

Look pal, I didn't ask for your life story. Are you going to help us out or not?? 😂

But seriously, yup, I really did forget that you had an auto when I wrote that comment yesterday, apologies. 😅 🤦‍♂️ Man, I really was having a slow brain day...

 

[Concept24]

The worst shifter knob I ever had for temperature was the chrome one (OEM) in my 68 Corvette convertible. With the top off and after sitting in full sun, that think would scorch my hand unless I covered it with a glove or old shirt before exiting the car.
Years later, I made shifter knobs out of water-clear polyurethane that I would typically tint so that they were translucent. I called one, "Wine Red"; that color was very popular.

One day someone questioned whether the knob would act as a magnifying glass and start a car fire if exposed to the sun.
So on a hot Summer day, I used a thermocouple to measure the temperature on surfaces near the knob. Temps never came even remotely close to that which would burn or melt anything but chocolate.

 

[Ltth_63]

boys, does anyone have a clue how to remove the shifter boot? I want to replace it with alcantara cloth with yellow stitching. im not brave enough to go for a DIY try and error disassembly

 

[kitkat]

boys, does anyone have a clue how to remove the shifter boot? I want to replace it with alcantara cloth with yellow stitching. im not brave enough to go for a DIY try and error disassembly

Not a whole lot of detail on how to "release gear lever gaiter from center console gaiter retainer". Sounds like you have to press down to unclip it then remove?

 

[VL3X]

View attachment 26903

Not a whole lot of detail on how to "release gear lever gaiter from center console gaiter retainer". Sounds like you have to press down to unclip it then remove?

I can already hear the plastic clips breaking. 😬

Though if replacing the boot anyway, you can always just cut the oem boot and take a peek inside first to see what you're dealing with.

 

[Ltth_63]

I can already hear the plastic clips breaking. 😬

Though if replacing the boot anyway, you can always just cut the oem boot and take a peek inside first to see what you're dealing with.

Thats what im afraid of ive changed boots on a few cars so far and from experience i can confirm that clips tend to break a lot..
Id like to keep the oem part.. so cutting it up is not an option. but ill figure something out

 

[KJD]

I tried unsuccessfully to pop mine off by pushing downwards.

It was getting to the point where I was putting on slightly more pressure than felt safe and it didn’t move, so I gave up.

 

[kitkat]

A better approach would be to maybe remove the shifter assembly cover and peak under there to see how it's clipped in. A simple plastic spudge tool should be all you need to unclip the 10 clips and take a look under the trim piece.

 

[Concept24]

I think these procedures are written for Lotus mechanics. Simply stating to "Release clips (x10 working from front to rear is bound to result in frustration if clips start breaking. This is why I would add notes where necessary to factory service or owner's manuals.
kitkat, where did you find the manuals?

 

[kitkat]

I think these procedures are written for Lotus mechanics. Simply stating to "Release clips (x10 working from front to rear is bound to result in frustration if clips start breaking. This is why I would add notes where necessary to factory service or owner's manuals.
kitkat, where did you find the manuals?

Paid for them on https://vsic.lotuscars.com/

 

[KJD]

A better approach would be to maybe remove the shifter assembly cover and peak under there to see how it's clipped in. A simple plastic spudge tool should be all you need to unclip the 10 clips and take a look under the trim piece.

View attachment 26960

Had a go at this today as @kitkat suggested, and found the gaiter is screwed on from below.
So don’t try to push it down from above.
The manual is misleading about this, as I’ve found about a few things while I’ve been fiddling around.
eg: the start button is installed from above the panel and not fixed below like suggested in the manual. Mine appears to have been bodged at build with a broken clip to make it fit.
And it’s not really worth taking off the gaiter to get that ‘open’ look. There’s a lot of plastic fixings and other gubbins that would be visible.

 

[KJD]

Had to take the gaiter off today as the leather had come loose from the cable tie (!) holding it on.

Here’s what it looks like removed. You can see quite a mess of stuff.

It would need something (3D printed?) to hide all that if you wanted to run without it.

 

[Porter]

Had to take the gaiter off today as the leather had come loose from the cable tie (!) holding it on.

Here’s what it looks like removed. You can see quite a mess of stuff.

It would need something (3D printed?) to hide all that if you wanted to run without it.

View attachment 28012

Finally! We finally have a picture. After what, a year of these being in the road? Well done KJD, many thanks for this.

Re: a trim cover... maybe a leather ring similar to the boot would work? Could use the existing boot affixing locations and simply invert it, affixing with adhesive or double sided tape around the bottom of the plastic structure.

Is all of the plastic structure necessary? Or can the lower section be removed along with the mesh safety screens?

 

[kitkat]

Would honestly look sort of silly as a big gaping hole even if finished.

 

[KJD]

Would honestly look sort of silly as a big gaping hole even if finished.

Not if done properly….

 

[KJD]

Is all of the plastic structure necessary? Or can the lower section be removed along with the mesh safety screens?

I think it is unfortunately. It supports the Alcantara “flyover” bit.

 

[KJD]

Another angle.