How to Remove the Gear Shift Handle From a 1998 Trans Am
The 1998 Pontiac Trans Am was a continuation of American-built muscle car history. The 1998 Trans Am has a 5.7-liter (350 cubic inch) engine, capable of putting out 305 horsepower and 335 foot-pounds of torque. The combination of the 2.73:1 gear ratio and the minimal-slip differential helps propel the vehicle from 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds. There was no "Firebird" or "Firehawk" model made for the 1998 production, but it returned in 1999.
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Instructions
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Automatic Transmission Shifter
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1
Sit in the driver's seat of the Trans Am. Depress the parking brake with your foot. The parking brake is located next to the left front kick panel, underneath the dashboard.
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2
Turn the key to the accessories position, or the position labeled "II" on the ignition cylinder. It's the second click in your ignition cylinder, just before the step to turn the vehicle on. Put the car in neutral, or one of the forward drive gears, labeled "N," "D," "3," "2" or "1."
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3
Remove the set screw or Allen screw from the front bottom portion of the handle. The set screw sits less than 1/2 inch from the bottom of the gear shift knob, and holds the gear shift knob to the actual gear shifter.
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4
Remove the gear shift knob, without depressing the thumb lever on the upper left side of the shifter knob.
Manual Transmission
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5
Sit in the driver's seat of the Trans Am and depress the clutch pedal with your foot. The clutch pedal is the far left pedal, just to the left of the brake pedal.
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6
Pull the manual transmission shift lever out of gear, and wiggle it to make sure it is in a neutral position (when in neutral the shift lever will move freely from left to right).
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7
Turn the shifter knob counterclockwise like a screw, using your hand, until the shifter knob comes completely off of the shifter.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Many auto parts stores offer aftermarket shift knobs, for both manual and automatic transmission shifters. Check with your local auto parts store or dealership for cool upgrades to spruce up look of your vehicle.
Do not use pliers or any type of prying tool to remove shifter knobs from either manual or automatic shift levers. Prying on or using pliers on shift lever bases can cause the shift lever to break, or cause expensive damage to this link between your shifter and the transmission.
References
- Photo Credit Andres Balcazar/Photodisc/Getty Images
