How to install a Momo knob and SCR adapter (Long with LOTS of pics)

[hungalicious]

First of all, http://roadsleeper.vwmafia.net/shifter.html is an excellent webpage on how to remove stock knob/boot and install a stock knob/boot that is preattached from the manufacturer. This was only good up to a certain point. After I got it off, I said, "What do I do now?" That's when my handy pocket knife came in handy. I'll explain later.
For those who are interested, I took some pictures and did a write up on this EASY process. Took me about 45 minutes to do. Take 10 mins off for a crap break. Fried chicken in the morning is bad on the digestive system.

DISCLAIMER: YOU F**K UP YOUR CAR, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT. DON'T BLAME ME OR MY SORRY INSTRUCTIONS. WE ARE ALL ADULTS HERE. USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT.

Here goes...

1. First of all, work in a nice place. You'll feel much better. Anyway, you want to remove the trim ring around your shifter. I used two hands and placed them underneath the "ledge". You can feel it under your fingers. One was occupied at the moment with the picture taking. Just lift up and forward at the same time until it "snaps" out. You'll hear it.

Here's me pulling it up. Ohhhhhh, ahhhhhhh!

2. Once the boot is pull all the way up, you will see a tiny brass ring. This needs to be cut and removed. I used wire cutters for this process. Make sure you take your time and don't mar anything.
Picture of brass ring.

You want to cut the piece of the brass ring that sticks out in a square shape. It take a bit of effort but it will deform and break.

Once the ring is broken, you want to spread the ring apart and remove it off from the shifter.
Here's the ring in my hand spread apart.

3. With the brass ring finally off, you can go ahead now and pull straight up on the knob and it should come right off. Here's me doing it.

4. Here comes the part where I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. How do I remove the boot from the shifter? I'm sure there are MUCH better ways but this is how I did it. Being lazy as I am, I took out my trusty Benchmade knife and cut around the leather as depicted in the picture. It took about a minute to do.
Before and after pictures...

5. Next, follow instructions that came with the SCR adapter. It is available from their webpage. Very simple to do now. Here are some pictures of the install and final product.

6. Here's the final installation process. Hang on, we're almost done.
Put the boot back on the shifter the same way you took it off the first time. Don't "unfold" it all the way yet. You will need to play with the hex screws on the SCR adapter and knob.

Next, follow the instructions that came with your Momo knob. Very easy. You will first need to install the sharp hex screws into the knob. This will of course be used to tighten it down to the shifter. Just get them started so it will slip on easily onto the shifter.

Oh, be sure you slide the Momo threaded ring onto the shifter before putting the knob on. This is how it should look with everything on but not tightened down.

You want to position the knob how you want it and slowly turn each hex screw on the knob one at a time until it tightens all the way. Make sure it's how you want it positioned. Make sure they are tight so the knob won't turn on you. After that is done, screw the shiny threaded Momo engraved ring onto the knob to cover up the holes.

7. Position the boot how you want it and carefully lift the boot back up to expose it's hex screws. Pull the adapter up until it hits the bottom of the knob. There's only two screws on the SCR adapter. You can use the allen wrench supplied with the shift knob. It fits perfect. Tighten the screws down until they are tight. Now you can reinstall the shift lever ring. The front end goes in first and then snap the rear back down. Simple.

8. Work your gears to make sure you can shift.

9. Go for a test drive.

10. Grab a cold one.

Here's the final product.

Tools used

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Modified by hungalicious, 12:04 PM 9-12-2002]

[RubberDubbie]

quote:

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Here comes the part where I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. How do I remove the boot from the shifter? I'm sure there are MUCH better ways but this is how I did it. Being lazy as I am, I took out my trusty Benchmade knife and cut around the leather as depicted in the picture. It took about a minute to do.

---

I was stuck at this part too. I finally figured out that all you have to do is push a small flat screwdriver into the crease where the top of the boot is and the whole thing will come apart.

[GTI_Matador]

next time you can go here
http://gtimatador.vwmafia.net/ShiftKnob.html

[hungalicious]

I COULD of done that but I was too lazy. I was in a slice and dice mood.

[Exception]

That means you can't go back to the stock shifter with the stock boot?

[RubberDubbie]

Just curious about one thing...does your brass ring have a bunch of little holes in it? My brass ring wasn't brass, it looked more like a steel clamp with little holes in it. The holes were used to keep the ring in place like the holes in a belt used to hold up your pants.

[hungalicious]

With my method, No. With GTI's maybe. You will have to ask him.

RubberD,

My brass ring was brass with no holes.

[ElectroMike]

Nice job dude! This since post saves on posting 3 different links now, when people ask on how to!

Now if you can only let me know how hot that knob gets at the end of the day, if it's not that bad, let me know.

I've been debating for 4 months now, on going with the same as yours or the half lether on top by Momo!

[RubberDubbie]

Hmmm...that's weird. I thought maybe that the 2002s had the new steel ring, but since you have a 2003, my theory goes out the window. My ring looks like it can be reused.

Also, if you use GTI's method of removing the boot, it can be reused with the original shifter if you haven't cut it up to fit the SCR adapter.

[hungalicious]

ElectroMike,

Will do. My car is parked outside right now in this HOT ASS weather we are having. The inside temp is probable in the 100 degree + territory.
I'll update in the evening.

[BlackGTI VR6]

I love the nice jumpsuit pants!!! Great knob, does anyone know if you can do this and hack the shifter down?

[hungalicious]

They are actually Nike swimming trunks that I bought after high school. Still got them.

[hungalicious]

Your page is great GTI_Matador. I just wish I found it sooner. Anyway, it was either do this write up or do this....

What are you guys thinking? I'm talking about Number 2 and putting lotion on my dry elbows!!!

[mcbgti]

quote:

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Great knob, does anyone know if you can do this and hack the shifter down?

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would like to know too- i have hacked my shifter and have a momo sphere knob

[GOLFERO]

quote:

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That means you can't go back to the stock shifter with the stock boot?

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Yes you can, you can use a hose clamp

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=211354

[RubberDubbie]

quote:

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ElectroMike,

Will do. My car is parked outside right now in this HOT ASS weather we are having. The inside temp is probable in the 100 degree + territory.
I'll update in the evening.

---

Show us a pic of the palm of your hand when you get this seared into it...

I hasn't been too hot around here yet, so I've been spared the pain...so far...

[Modified by RubberDubbie, 12:54 PM 9-12-2002]


[Modified by RubberDubbie, 12:55 PM 9-12-2002]

[RubberDubbie]

So you've done it?

[hungalicious]

Temperature update...

No branding of the word MOMO in my palm. I left it in direct sunlight during lunch. Yes the knob gets hot as hell but I don't hold on to it after shifting anyway so it doesn't hurt. Once the AC gets going a bit, the knob cools down enough to hold, not that I hold onto it. Say around 5 minutes or so.
I give it

[ElectroMike]

quote:

---

Temperature update...

No branding of the word MOMO in my palm. I left it in direct sunlight during lunch. Yes the knob gets hot as hell but I don't hold on to it after shifting anyway so it doesn't hurt. Once the AC gets going a bit, the knob cools down enough to hold, not that I hold onto it. Say around 5 minutes or so.
I give it

---

Thanks for that update!

So, honestly, if you had an option to choose again and apperance between the full metal look vs. top leather/full leather look was not the most desiding factor, keeping in mind that the overall Momo look, with a bigger overall size and comfort was what you're aiming for, would you still get the "ouchy hot" knob?

[RubberDubbie]

I would! The Momo sphere looks much better in person than in pictures. It's too shiny and any light reflecting off it makes it look too bright in pics. BTW, there is a little bit of leather in the "all" aluminum Sphere. It's gray leather and seperates the upper half of the sphere from the lower.

[Modified by RubberDubbie, 7:45 AM 9-13-2002]

[ElectroMike]

That's for that nice big pic!

The 2 separation lines, the ones with the leather inserts, which kinda separate the knob in the middle, do they catch all the dirt or oil from your hands? And do yous fingers automatically try to play with those groves while driving? Or you don't even notice them?

[RubberDubbie]

The two lines are actually chrome or aluminum polished to a chrome finish. The thin strip between the two chrome lines is leather. It's pretty smooth, so it probably won't catch much dirt. As for playing with it, I really don't notice it. I do wonder, however, whether I should put some sort of leather conditioner on the leather part.

[silam]

I am trying to install my MOMO knob too, but not sure how. Have you tried taking out the shifter only (not the whole thing: boot/shifter)?

i heard that you can take out the the little cap on top of the shifter where it has the R-1-2-3-4-5, and then using a screw driver, you can actually take out the shifter only. is it true?

[hungalicious]

Haven't heard anything about that. Even if it did work, I don't think the Momo shifter would "mate" properly with what's left of the assembly after removal of the knob. I may be wrong..

[ElectroMike]

Need an update!

Is your hand blistered from the heat from the knob after sitting in the sun all day, or it's drivable!?

[hungalicious]

No burns yet. It's acutally not that hot. The AC usually cools it down in about 5 minutes or so.

[ElectroMike]

Thanks!

One more question, the SCR ring color trim, which one did you get? did it match the bottom of the Momo slipover cover or the body?

[jamesb]

quote:

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ElectroMike,

Will do. My car is parked outside right now in this HOT ASS weather we are having. The inside temp is probable in the 100 degree + territory.
I'll update in the evening.

---

I had an all black sparco for a while, it got hot but nothing bad. now I have the leather/brushed momo racer and its perfect. Only reason I changed was the sparco would not fit properly when I cut off 2" of my shifter. but I like the that ontop of the short shifter I have (dieselgeek style but not from Jim)

[hungalicious]

ElectroMike,

I purchased the anodized aluminum finish. It matches the body perfectly but not the screw-on ring at the bottom of the knob.

[lucidzen]

Thanks for your instructions. I just installed the exact same knob but with a black screw-in adapter instead. Easy 10 minute mod thanks to your great pics and how-to. Added an additional 15 hp easy. Kidding.

I was able to take the boot off without cutting it. Just slowly massaged the plastic ring that held the boot to the shift knob.

[hungalicious]

No problem. Here's my new shifter and boot installed. The boot is fitted for VW's but it still a tad large.

[ElectroMike]

Since I still did not make up my mind on which shift knob to get, I appriciate your updates!

Going from stock to the Sphere and then to this one, what is the outside dimention of the knobs? (Looks about 1/2" bigger O.D.?)

Does the grip, feel much better on Momo vs. Stock?

Thanks!

[hungalicious]

Stock felt a bit too small. The Sphere filled my entire palm while the Race is just right. The Race is the in-between size. I like it alot. I didn't get a measurement but comparing the stock to the Race, the Race's overall diameter is probably a few centimeters larger. Grip feels much better with the Momo. The leather used on the Momo is grippy.

[ThaJetta]

Has anyone tried the Momo Shift boot that screws directly into the bottom of the knob and if so does the boot fit properly around the bottom where it meets the console?

[hungalicious]

Look three posts up. That's what you are talking about. The boot fits nicely although it is a tad larger than the stock boot.
My original setup was with the SCR adapter. I switched it over to the screw on boot from Momo.


[Modified by hungalicious, 7:56 PM 10-6-2002]