MGW flatstick help needed

[Stock Boy]

I installed an MGW shifter last year and love it. The flatstick version has a slight angle towards the driver. I just installed my race seats for the track day season and my sitting position makes the shift knob too far back. I'm banging my arm badly on second, fourth and sixth gear shifts. If I reversed the stick so it was canted away from me it'd work out great. I called George at MGW and he said it was no problem to do that; just remove the boot and then the four bolts, wiggle it off and reinstall. Problem is the flatstick is not budging off of that housing. I've tried some force with some tools but I don't want to damage anything. Has anyone tried this successfully? I've even shot some penetrating fluid in there but still no go.

[Pete M]

I think you should uninstall your MGW and I'll trade you my Barton for it with some cash kicked in..
It's even been threaded so you can install a custom shift ball..
Hahahahaha..
Really wanting the MGW...

[1Coopgt]

If you remove the screws circled it looks like it should come right off . I'm assuming there are 2 more on the other side . I don't own this shifter. The other thing you can try is removing the ball and heat the stick with a hair dryer/heatgun near the screw holes . And then pull on it . I'm guessing they use locktite on the screws an some oozed past the threads and hardened.

[Stock Boy]

Originally Posted by 1Coopgt

If you remove the screws circled it looks like it should come right off . I'm assuming there are 2 more on the other side . I don't own this shifter. The other thing you can try is removing the ball and heat the stick with a hair dryer/heatgun near the screw holes . And then pull on it . I'm guessing they use locktite on the screws an some oozed past the threads and hardened.

Correct, I unscrewed these four bolts no problem. No sign of locktite. I even found a pic of three different colored flatsticks displayed and there appeared to be nothing else holding it except those four bolts. I actually thought about the heat gun process but there's a lot of soft plastic, rubber and foam in the vicinity.

[Stock Boy]

Ordered a slide hammer, hopefully that should do the trick.

[BurnedRubber]

Hmm, I'm not sure. I've got the MGW flat stick but have never tried to remove the flat stick its self from the shifter. I would try giving it a few taps with a hammer in that area to maybe break it loose. Just be careful to protect the finish!

[1Coopgt]

Originally Posted by Stock Boy

Ordered a slide hammer, hopefully that should do the trick.

Hmmmm slide hammer seems a little drastic. I'd be worried about damaging the internals of the shifter . I'd try the hair drier. It shouldn't get anything to hot to where it starts melting anything. Just watch it closely. Also block any thing you don't want to get hot with tinfoil . Fold the tinfoil into layers and use it as a shield . Use air gaps between the layers .

[Stock Boy]

Originally Posted by 1Coopgt

Hmmmm slide hammer seems a little drastic. I'd be worried about damaging the internals of the shifter . I'd try the hair drier. It shouldn't get anything to hot to where it starts melting anything. Just watch it closely. Also block any thing you don't want to get hot with tinfoil . Fold the tinfoil into layers and use it as a shield . Use air gaps between the layers .

I understand your concern here but I think it it's more of a tight fit issue than a glue/locktite one. Using heat to get it off has been discussed but more of a gas torch heat to really expand the metal to get it off. Like with nuts and bolts. I am NOT using a torch in my car, though. Heat gun might not get it this hot. The slide hammer will give small impacts straight up, which is what this bastard needs. Slow prying from one side or the other is not working. The internals are pretty robust and I'm not going to wail on it.

[Stewart]

Originally Posted by Stock Boy

I understand your concern here but I think it it's more of a tight fit issue than a glue/locktite one. Using heat to get it off has been discussed but more of a gas torch heat to really expand the metal to get it off. Like with nuts and bolts. I am NOT using a torch in my car, though. Heat gun might not get it this hot. The slide hammer will give small impacts straight up, which is what this bastard needs. Slow prying from one side or the other is not working. The internals are pretty robust and I'm not going to wail on it.

Why don't you call George at MGW back and describe the problem that you are having and let him give you options? Before you slide hammer, torch it, heat gun it etc... You don't want to break something and have to replace the whole unit. Just saying.

[Stock Boy]

Originally Posted by Stewart

Why don't you call George at MGW back and describe the problem that you are having and let him give you options? Before you slide hammer, torch it, heat gun it etc... You don't want to break something and have to replace the whole unit. Just saying.

Absolutely. I plan on calling him tomorrow morning. However, it's still going to have to come off and there's only so many ways to approach it because of the shape of the stick

[1Coopgt]

Originally Posted by Stock Boy

Absolutely. I plan on calling him tomorrow morning. However, it's still going to have to come off and there's only so many ways to approach it because of the shape of the stick

The stick is aluminum. The reason I say heat it with the hair drier is because aluminum expands faster than steel . Even if they didn't use loctite and it's just an interference issue this should still work .

It's your car . So do what you want . Good luck.

[Stock Boy]

Originally Posted by Stewart

Why don't you call George at MGW back and describe the problem that you are having and let him give you options? Before you slide hammer, torch it, heat gun it etc... You don't want to break something and have to replace the whole unit. Just saying.

This guy is the winner...I called George back up and he said that it's actually rubber underneath the stick and to spray some soapy water in the screw holes and work the shifter with the knob on it. Ten minutes later after dousing it and pushin' and pullin' it came right off. That thing would have never had separated with brute force. Sort of wish George would have told me that the first time. Anyways you learn something new every day.