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How do you take the plastic knobs off the window cranks?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Fidget, Feb 10, 2008.

  1. Fidget
    Joined: Sep 10, 2004
    Posts: 1,013

    Fidget
    Member

    I'd like to get the window cranks rechromed on my 58 Ford, but I can't figure out how to get the plastic knobs off without destroying them. Is it possible to take these off and put them back on?? I thought about buying new ones, prob be cheaper, but they're not available with the white knobs like I have. I don't have a picture of the cranks to post.
     
  2. Put a pot of water on the stove. Heat it slowly, holding just the plastic knob in the water. As it heats up, try to pull it off the handle. If it's still tight, put just the knob back in the continuously heating water. As the water heats, you'll find the temp that the knob releases from its pin.

    Be careful here. If you heat up the knob too hot, it will discolor to a chalky look, so it's important to keep trying to ease it loose as the water heats. All this will happen at a temperature lower than boiling....but hot. Don't scald yourself. Try it once on a non-critical part.

    The plastic is much softer and more heat sensitive than the steel pin so it expands under the heat allowing its release.
     
  3. Bob K
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,772

    Bob K
    Member Emeritus
    from Antigo Wi.


    That is cool as hell, I imagine that you must do the reverse to get it back on.

    B:)B
     
  4. The pins usually pull out cleanly. leaving the original bore. For reassembly tap the knob with a bottoming, coarse thread square-ended tap and use a truss head or socket head screw of some kind in its place. I just did this on door pull knobs off an old Firestone heater. They were riveted on place and I wanted to plate the doors, so they had to come off. I've done it often with Ford choke, throttle, heater, defrost or overdrive knobs I was replacing.

    If you want to re use the original pin, buff up the knob to the desired finish, clean up the knob bore with a drill (carefully), put a dab of epoxy on the original pin and shove it back together. I've never tried to pull one apart that had been removed then epoxied. With the epoxy treatment, the knob might not want to come off.
     

  5. Bob K
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,772

    Bob K
    Member Emeritus
    from Antigo Wi.


    Thanks for that, damn usefull info.

    The Tech editor should put this in the archives.

    Are ya listinin Tuck?

    B:DB
     
  6. Flat Ernie
    Joined: Jun 5, 2002
    Posts: 8,406

    Flat Ernie
    Tech Editor

    It's there now...:D
     
  7. Fidget
    Joined: Sep 10, 2004
    Posts: 1,013

    Fidget
    Member

    Since the plastic rotates on the pin, and the pin stays in place relative to the crank, I'll try heating up an old before I try that on the ones I want to keep.

    Thanks everyone!
     
  8. PM Crestliner---he's got a boatload of inside/outside/windowcrank handles. He might have some better than yours.
     
  9. DrJ
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 9,419

    DrJ
    Member

    If your friends with an optometrist you mught be able to use the hot salt they use to heat and bend plastic glasses frames.
    I'd try to find some re-pop supplier first, just in case.
    Some guys usta replace them with the same custom plastic teardrop knobs the used on the dash too, but they tend to break if the window is hard to wind up & down.
     

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