Removing hood release handle knob?

[bergie33]

I want to get the hood release handle plated, but I'm not having any luck pulling off the black plastic knob. Any tips?  I pull and wiggle and it doesn't budge. I don't want to breat it.  If that doesn't work, does anyone have any better ideas for renurbishing that handle with the knob still on there?

[Son of Marty]

To the best of my recollection it's molded onto the stalk and can't be removed without destroying it. 

[Einspritz]

I recall it unscrewed

[bergie33]

It's from a 1974 if that matters.

[Mike Self]

The factory parts book shows the knob as a separate part from the handle, so presumably it comes off somehow.  I don't think it's threaded, though.  Probably just pressed in place.  

 

mike

 

[bergie33]

So I just found pictures on the W&N website. They sell the knob, and have a picture of the handle. The knob press fits on the handle, not threaded. I just don't know how to get enough leverage to pull it off without cracking it. I guess I can either paint the handle or force the knob off, have the handle plated, then replace the knob with one from W&N if the old one breaks.

[Mike Self]

Something to try for removing the knob:  find a small open end wrench that will just fit around the metal handle end where it disappears into the knob.  Then clamp the handle in your vise (padded so as not to ding up the metal) and strike the wrench with a copper or lead mallet (or a small ball pein hammer if you don't have a soft metal one).  Squirt a little WD40 or similar thin oil down inside the knob to promote slipperiness.  It may just take a couple of taps to jar it loose.  

 

mike

[dlacey]

Put whole thing in deep freeze for 2 days...then place just the plastic knob in a cup of hot water...differential thermal expansion combined with poor heat conduction of plastic should allow a window of time to pull the plastic away from the shrunken metal....... Never tried it for this piece...but that's my guess.

Edited April 17, 2022 by dlacey

[02Les]

If a picture helps, well, see below. As the Knob/Button is sold separately it must be, at least, possible to fit a new one.

 

Lever part # 51 23 1 801 019

Knob part # 41 33 5 680 162 (should be available in USA to save shipping cost)

 

[calw]

Mine, at least, is made of brittle thermosetting plastic.  I'd secure a new replacement knob before trying to remove the old one with anything more aggressive than Dlacey's method

[Rodolfo Lasparri]

On 4/16/2022 at 10:27 PM, dlacey said:

Put whole thing in deep freeze for 2 days...then place just the plastic knob in a cup of hot water...differential thermal expansion combined with poor heat conduction of plastic should allow a window of time to pull the plastic away from the shrunken metal....... Never tried it for this piece...but that's my guess.

+1 on this method from Dlacey - I did this prior and after freezing it - stuck just the knob section in a mug of boiled water for about 45 seconds and was able to pull it off.

[bergie33]

Thanks for reminding me that I put it in the freezer a week ago.  Just did it this way and it worked like a charm. Thanks!