Cutting FJ Shifter Knob to fit the T4R

[TOY2G]

I said I would do this a few weeks ago and I was being lazy. Today I noticed a member posted a mod where you just break off a trim piece and put the full shifter knob on the 4Runner. His mod is definitely much faster and easier, however IMO the the knobs look better when they are complete with trim and look factory.

So this is one option.

Stock Shift knob

Clips are not very strong, just pull firmly and it will come apart

You want to mark 19mm or 3/4 to remove from the center shaft.

Cut on the waste side of your mark to allow for grinding.

You need the cut end to be flush, so I use a sanding wheel, you can also use a piece of sandpaper on a block or flat surface.

Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the round supports inside.

Here is a picture with supports removed.

Now file the inside to smooth it out so the knob shaft will fit back inside.

Now slide back together (should be a snug fit) you do not have to use superglue but you can if you feel the need.

Finished product should look no different for the factory FJ Knob.

Installed on my SR5

NOTE: these come in silver or black, and they can be made to fit the shorter 4th gen with a little more work. If you have a shift lever these match perfectly, but in any event they look better IMO than the school bus shifter.

 

[eddiebx]

Nathan, you weren't kidding when you said there's nothing holding the knob together from the factory, lol. Thanks for the detailed pictures!

For those guys at home that don't have a sanding wheel handy, one other way I can think of to cut this perfectly straight is on a powered miter saw; since the stem is perfectly round all you need to do is hold it straight against the fence and it should come out perfect. The wood blade will slice right through ABS plastics and leave a pretty clean edge if you go slow. I've cut much plastics with my miter saw and great results. Just watch the fingers

 

[TOY2G]

Nathan, you weren't kidding when you said there's nothing holding the knob together from the factory, lol. Thanks for the detailed pictures!

For those guys at home that don't have a sanding wheel handy, one other way I can think of to cut this perfectly straight is on a powered miter saw; since the stem is perfectly round all you need to do is hold it straight against the fence and it should come out perfect. The wood blade will slice right through ABS plastics and leave a pretty clean edge if you go slow. I've cut much plastics with my miter saw and great results. Just watch the fingers

the first 3 or 4 I did were with a 6" adhesive sanding disc stuck to my desk to clean the cut up.

you can get creative, it really is easy to do if you just take your time. The 4th gen ones take a little more cutting and you have to shave a tab off, and bevel the inside. I will do that on on the 4th gen section later.

 

[c2one]

I know I can buy the shift knob through a Toyota parts seller but are you selling these modified?

 

[TOY2G]

I know I can buy the shift knob through a Toyota parts seller but are you selling these modified?

I have a couple extra modded ones if you want to buy one. I bought a few on eBay (half the price of Toyota) and a couple from the FJ forums. I made them as gifts for a couple of my T4R friends in TX. I pay about 65-75 for them on average (first couple I bought were about $100, but I bought a couple from the FJ guys for $25 so it brought the cost back down for the whole project) so if you wanted one I would sell it for about that (plus $5 shipping).

If you can find one and want to send it to me to mod, I'm willing to do that also.

 

[c2one]

Awesome! Thanks for offering, I found them online for $50 but I'll look for one on the FJ sites for a good deal. If I don't find anything, I'll hit you up and buy one of yours! Thanks again! (Btw, looking for the one that has the silver pieces)

 

[TOY2G]

Awesome! Thanks for offering, I found them online for $50 but I'll look for one on the FJ sites for a good deal. If I don't find anything, I'll hit you up and buy one of yours! Thanks again! (Btw, looking for the one that has the silver pieces)

I have one with silver, PM me if interested. I bought a black one for my TE for $50. That's a pretty good price. More often than not, you are looking at $75 or higher.

 

[sandcrawler]

For those guys at home that don't have a sanding wheel handy, one other way I can think of to cut this perfectly straight is on a powered miter saw; since the stem is perfectly round all you need to do is hold it straight against the fence and it should come out perfect. The wood blade will slice right through ABS plastics and leave a pretty clean edge if you go slow. I've cut much plastics with my miter saw and great results. Just watch the fingers

either the sanding wheel or miter saw would be much more painless than when i did it—with a Dremel. talk about details, details, details... a jeweler's monocle was practically required!

these look great. nice jobs. new, the OEM part shouldn't cost more than $50 from Camelback Toyota or Toyota of Dallas.

 

[TOY2G]

either the sanding wheel or miter saw would be much more painless than when i did it—with a Dremel. talk about details, details, details... a jeweler's monocle was practically required!

these look great. nice jobs. new, the OEM part shouldn't cost more than $50 from Camelback Toyota or Toyota of Dallas.

I thought about using a dremel, but nowing how much plastic you have to cut now, I am glad i did not.


I'm not sure if you check the price or if you were being wishful like me, but they are still over $100 from TOD and Camelback. Cheapest place to get them is ebay between 50-100.

 

[sandcrawler]

I thought about using a dremel, but nowing how much plastic you have to cut now, I am glad i did not.


I'm not sure if you check the price or if you were being wishful like me, but they are still over $100 from TOD and Camelback. Cheapest place to get them is ebay between 50-100.

i have no idea what you're talking about... they're listed for $49.04 online at Camelback Toyota... Toyota Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

part #33504-35091-B0 is the black automatic shift knob (w/o the silver trim)

 

[TOY2G]

i have no idea what you're talking about... they're listed for $49.04 online at Camelback Toyota... Toyota Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

part #33504-35091-B0 is the black automatic shift knob (w/o the silver trim)

Holly Crap man...... I kid you not, I tried buying through the normal dealers I use 3 months ago when I first started this and I could not find them under $100. So I resorted to eBay and to be honest I over paid.

look a this crap.... they still are on ebay for over $100 07 12 Toyota FJ Cruiser Black and Silver Shift Knob N 4 | eBay

well now i know....thank you

 

[sandcrawler]

Holly Crap man...... I kid you not, I tried buying through the normal dealers I use 3 months ago when I first started this and I could not find them under $100. So I resorted to eBay and to be honest I over paid.

look a this crap.... they still are on ebay for over $100 07 12 Toyota FJ Cruiser Black and Silver Shift Knob N 4 | eBay

well now i know....thank you

i think it happens all the time because, logically, you'd expect that the prices on FleaBay should be cheaper—but that doesn't necessarily make it so. people overpay on FleaBay all the time.

yikes! anyone who's paying $125 for a plastic FJ shift knob is getting ganked hard. sorry you were one of them... but at least you won't be from here on out. :cheers:

 

[eddiebx]

either the sanding wheel or miter saw would be much more painless than when i did it—with a Dremel. talk about details, details, details... a jeweler's monocle was practically required!

these look great. nice jobs. new, the OEM part shouldn't cost more than $50 from Camelback Toyota or Toyota of Dallas.

Freehand?! Let me just say if I tried this with a dremel by hand, all I will have left is the top portion, lol.

 

[sandcrawler]

Freehand?! Let me just say if I tried this with a dremel by hand, all I will have left is the top portion, lol.

yup, freehand. ha!

i'm a detail guy. not a bright one.

 

[TOY2G]

Awesome! Thanks for offering, I found them online for $50 but I'll look for one on the FJ sites for a good deal. If I don't find anything, I'll hit you up and buy one of yours! Thanks again! (Btw, looking for the one that has the silver pieces)

I tried to do you a solid on the FJ board.... these guys wanting 50 and 60 is too high, now perhaps they will reconsider.

Hold out for $30ish

 

[c2one]

I tried to do you a solid on the FJ board.... these guys wanting 50 and 60 is too high, now perhaps they will reconsider.

Hold out for $30ish

Haha, yeah I caught that. Thanks!

 

[ZOMBRNR]

So do you have any of these left? I'd like a silver one for my 4th gen if you have any..

 

[TOY2G]

So do you have any of these left? I'd like a silver one for my 4th gen if you have any..

I have a few left, just PM me if you want to buy one, and I will make it up for you.

 

[wfo9]

I installed the FJ shifter knobs on mine, but I did something very simple. I just grabbed a bolt the right diameter (slightly smaller than the diameter of the shifter threads) and cut it to function as a spacer. Works perfect and ends up being a nice height for resting arm on the console and flicking the gears in manual mode.

 

[TOY2G]

I installed the FJ shifter knobs on mine, but I did something very simple. I just grabbed a bolt the right diameter (slightly smaller than the diameter of the shifter threads) and cut it to function as a spacer. Works perfect and ends up being a nice height for resting arm on the console and flicking the gears in manual mode.

I originally tried this, (I used a pencil eraser not a bolt) and as it turns out the plastic threads inside the knob need to be screwed in pretty far to be strong. My 5 year old kicked the shifter stepping over the center consol (very lightly) and it ripped the treads out of the know because it was only being half by about a quarter of the intended threads.

That said, I got the eraser idea from another member who has been rocking it for a long time with no issues.