41 Buick: Removing Trip Odometer Knob

[Kenneth Carr]

I am attempting to remove my instrument panel and replace several gauges , speedometer cable, and the panel itself.

I got the 5 nuts off the panel and some of the other nuts are off too. But now I am having trouble with

the trip odometer knob.

 

I loosened the hex nut. I removed the small screw that is in the center of the knurled knob (replaced in attached photo).

The knob still won't come off. Do I have to first release the cable from the speedometer and then feed it through the

hole for the knob? I'm trying to do this without damaging anything.

 

Suggestions welcome. Thanks!

[neil morse]

I'm going to be watching your progress very carefully and hope you keep posting because I will be embarking on a  similar project on my '41 pretty soon.

 

When I got my car, the knurled knob on the trip odometer was missing and it was just about impossible to get a good enough grip on the shaft to turn it at all.  Then I was poking around and found the knob in one of the ashtrays.  The screw that you show in the center was not there (and I didn't realize that it should have been part of the assembly).  However, I just pushed the knurled knob onto the shaft and it stuck solid.  I wondered what was supposed to be holding the knob in place, but it has stuck so solid that I just figured that the shaft was slightly tapered, and the knob was intended to be held in place as a sort of "pressure fit."  Anyhow, this is a long-winded way of saying that I think that you need to remove the screw and then pull hard on the knob (while holding the shaft with vise-grips) and it should come off.

[Kenneth Carr]

Neil, Thanks for the input. I will give that a try.

 

I have been documenting my progress with notes and photos. The first thing I did was to

read the excellent thread on this board that is all about pulling the instrument panel.

Boy was that a chore. Now I am working on removing all the gauges and wires and

sensor cables. 

It's a lot of fun at 68 years old spending time on your back under a car dashboard.

I don't usually do this stuff but  I know the guys in our local AACA Region club (WPRAACA)

have got my back. They encourage and lend a hand when I am really stuck.

 

Eventually I will post to that other thread and make a posting to our own club

blog. (I'm more comfortable with computers and writing than fixing old cars.)

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Roadmaster71
addition of link (see edit history)

[Kenneth Carr]

Thanks to Neil I was able to remove the knob off of the trip odometer. First I re-tightened the

hex nut to keep everything lined up. Then I braced the shaft with long nose pliers

(the vise-grips were too cumbersome) and inserted a spring-loaded seam opening tool between the

knob and the pliers. Several tries with lots of force popped it off.

Then I was able to remove the shaft and put the knob back on (don't want to lose it) loosely with a couple

turns of the screw. 

The seam opening device is the one I used many years ago to open up Macintosh computers

that I needed to work on. It's a great tool to have.

A photo (best I could do with only two hands) is attached. At this point the knob has popped off.

And yes Neil, the shaft has a definite taper! You have the mind of an engineer.

If you lived around here I'd invite you right over for a few beers (or iced tea .. your choice).

 

Bonus: In the 16 years I have owned this car the trip odometer was stuck at 44,609 miles (or something

like that). Now it suddenly works!  I set it to 000000.00 miles. Maybe when I get the new speedometer 

cable in I will be able to track mileage and apply for the AACA M.A.P. (Mileage Award Program).

 

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Roadmaster71
added image (see edit history)

[neil morse]

That seam opening tool was just what you needed -- I didn't know such a thing existed.  Glad I could help.  I will stop in for those beers the next time I'm in Rhode Island!

 

Neil

 

 

[kgreen]

Nice little detail of things good to know when I get to the same point. 

 

I'm also looking at your dash panel engine turning detail with regard to another thread on this forum.  Thanks for your post.

[Kenneth Carr]

1 hour ago, kgreen said:

Nice little detail of things good to know when I get to the same point. 

 

I'm also looking at your dash panel engine turning detail with regard to another thread on this forum.  Thanks for your post.

Glad I can be of some help ... I get more than my share of help from the good people here.