Centre Console

[Rich]

Hi all, have attempted to put one of many of my maestros pet peeves to sleep today. The gear lever has groaned and creaked like a couple of old bone for some time. Many years ago I think it was Dave who told me that greasing the ball under the centre console would soon cure this. I was under the impression that the hardest bit of getting that console out was the removal of the rubbery thing on the end of the handbrake. In my case this came off no problem, but no amount of pushing, pulling, twisting or pursudaing will get the console up over the gear lever and handbrake. It seems to me either the dash has to come out (which i hope is not the case) or the handbrake must be cut in half as it constantly fouls in the cutout for it. Am I missing something really silly here (I have removed the four screws) as I am sure it should come out easy enough, despite this being one of the few parts of the car that until now I havent touched!!

Thanks, Rich

[Dave]

Hmm... never had any trouble with that one - it is a bit fiddly, but through combinations of hand-brake up, down etc.. it lifts up and pulls away. Have you removed the rubber gator from the handbrake?

[Rich]

It wouldnt remove as such, but I pushed it down into the gap under the console as I pulled it up, the gator itself seems stuck to the floor, and the gear lever one is screwed to the console from underneath i think. It just seems even when the handbrake is up as far it will go, the front of it still wont go through the slot.....

[Dave]

... yeah, the gear stick gator is screwed from underneath. The handbrake one is just a push fit - i think the best bet is to start by removing it... if you damage it i have a spare one i could bring to you later.

Dave.

[Rich]

Ok, cheers Dave, I will have a go at pulling that out, then go from there, I assume that to grease the ball you just have to remove the little steel cover that I can sort of make out through the gap in the side, and pack it with grease?

[Mat_C]

Pull the handbrake hand rubber off, if its stuck stick a small screwdriver in and squirt some WD-40 underneath the rubber. Once the handbrake is pulled up as far as it will go, you should be able to remove by pushing the front left and forwards, lifing rear up and playing with gear stick. Lots of force and swearing should do the job ;)

Also play with the position of the seats, as they're the main restricting factor. If you get really stuck remove them (easy as pie)!

HTH, Mat.

[Simon]

I did it a different way: All I did was to slacken off the handbrake cable tension at the adjuster just ahead of the N/S/R wheel. This means that the lever can attain a really high position to facilitate console removal without much tugging and pulling.
:)

[MG1600S]

Pull the gearlever gaitor down from the knob and squirt some oil on the metal part of the gearlever. This will the run down the lever onto the white plastic ball to stop it squeaking, without removing the console....;)