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T case shift knob removal 97 xj

[You should since 96 is such a bastard year!

I completely agree. This dang vehicle has kept me working on it constantly fixing problems. I think it’s pretty good now but it’s only been running well for the last few months. I’ve owned it for 2 years and I’ve spent 1 year fixing things that keep breaking. Has 150k.
 
Early model bezel/console with a late model lever?
 
Yupp that's how the 96 is (wide lever old bezel) all that I've come across have a small cut of the front side of the bezel.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 
I guess that explains why mine is broken.

I never got around to trying to fix it so never realized the root of the problem.

Good to know before I break a replacement.

Maybe I will look for one of those earlier ones with the pretty red stripe.
 
Ok, so the 97+ tcase lever is shaped slightly differently than the 96 and down ones, so it won't fit through a 96 and down bezel without being shaved down. Knew about the slight change, but not that it didn't fit through the older bezel style.

Just looked at pics of both bezels, and they are clearly not cross-compatible (figures).

If this is how some of the 96 models came from the factory, then there HAS to be a trick to getting the later-model shifter handle through the older-model bezel without modification and we just haven't figured it out yet.

I don't think all the earlier models had the red stripe on the handle - I'm fairly sure my 92 doesn't, but it's been a while since I looked at it and now because of this thread I'll have to make a point of checking...
 
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My guess is that when they built these things the brand new plastic was flexible enough to allow the oversized handle through without cracking it.
 
My guess is that when they built these things the brand new plastic was flexible enough to allow the oversized handle through without cracking it.

I suppose that would explain it - but doesn't seem very likely.

fwiw - I removed the centre console from my '96 & don't recall any difficulty (in fact it wasn't as difficult as I was led to believe it would be), nor do I remember it being different from my '98 - not that I had reason to carefully compare them side-by-side. :dunno:
 
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