The Official 356Talk Forum

Can anyone tell me if the pin which holds the heater knob on in a T-2 A is tapered? I've had trouble getting the pin out so I can remove the knob. What's the secret? If anyone has any suggestions or insights, I'd appreciate hearing them. Thanks.

Chris

Is it rusted together like sometimes happens?

Actually, it doesn't look that rusty, but the pin may not have ever been removed, so it's probably been in there for 60 years.

It’s a funny little pin in there. I can’t get mine off either, but it does not seemed rusted. Instead it feels loose. Very strange indeed. Somebody must know what the deal is with these. It’s almost as if they did not intend for it to ever come off.

Not tapered but likely frozen. Be really careful removing it as the knob is probably really brittle with age (first-hand experience). Use a good penetrant like Kroil. It might be easier to remove the spindle from the shifter base.

Mike

The pin is DIN 1475, 3 x 16 looks like below. As Mike suggests, you could unbolt the knob assembly, und or cut the heater cables and get the whole thing out on the bench.

Thanks Brad. I guess the pin wasn't designed to be removed.

Yes, Chris, I had the same idea about that type of pin -- but that's what the Porsche-printed parts catalogs say for the spec on that pin. The currently produced heater knob costs only $20, so you might have to sacrifice the original knob to take apart the assembly. Of course, you would have to put back together without breaking your new knob. So a simple roll pin could be used (DIN 1481) and lightly tapped into place.

Just curious -- why'd you want to take it apart in the first place?

Drill it out. Start with 1/16” bit to get it centered.

Brad, you're going to laugh, but I had a nice set of square weave floor mats I was going to install, but the hole provided wasn't big enough to fit over the heater knob. I'll rethink what I'm going to do, but I won't be taking the knob off. Thanks again for your help.

You could always do what I did: have the knob break apart in your hand the first time you turn on the heater for the cold season.

But seriously: I made (but currently can't find) a "press" for the heater pin using a small piece of rod and a C-clamp that I made when doing this on my '56 Karmann Ghia. The movable part of the clamp had the rod, which acts on the heater knob pin, and the static part had a hole for the pin to slide into as it's removed. I really only had to use the tool to pop the pin loose for the first 1/4" or so, and then I could drive the rest out with a drift.