Pre A light and wiper switch knobs

[Vincent Gillespie]

Hello, I am currently stripping the dash board and the knobs on the light and wiper switch just will not budge. I have assumed they are simply screwed on the threaded shaft and applied oil and cooled the metal shaft but, as yet, to no avail. Before this assumption makes an ass of me and I break something I thought it best to stop and ask the Oracle if am I missing something, or simply just persist, as they are bloody tight. Hopefully I will apply just enough pressure to remove them but not enough to do any damage!
Thanks in anticipation.

[James Davies]

Yeah, they're just screwed on. The small black pull knob is an aluminum bezel on a steel shaft. Perhaps some corrosion-dissolving liquid would help, and a very long soak. Vinegar can obviously work, but perhaps people have a better soaking solution.

[Brad Ripley]

See the hole in the shaft. Put a punch thru it, hold the punch and unscrew the knob.

[Vincent Gillespie]

Thanks, I have never heard of using vinegar and I assume that, as the whole knob has to be immersed, no damage is done to the plastic so I will give that a go if the light machine oil I have them soaking in at the moment doesn't work.
I have tried holding the shaft with a punch and the wiper knob shaft with a pair of pliers and I have not yet resorted to a tool on the knobs only my hand grip but I'm amazed just how stuck they are.

V

[Steve Harrison]

Soldering iron touch to the shaft for a second or two?
Maybe as a last resort.

The other thing I routinely do when trying to get stuck things unstuck is to rotate both ways at first. Don't know why this works, but it usually helps break things free.

[Vincent Gillespie]

Hello, I just thought I'd let you know after a week of soaking in light machine oil and using the freezer spray and soldering iron to cool & heat the shafts I finally managed to get these off. Mind you it still needed the application of a strap wrench for the light switch and a plumber's spanner!!!!!, with for the knob protected by a rubber cushion, for the wiper switch. I didn't have to resort to vinegar soak, but I am just flabbergasted just how tight these were.
Once again thanks for the advice & brilliant tips.
V

[James Davies]

*hifive*

Someone must have really wrenched those things on. Crazy. Looks like patience won out. Well-done.