How to sew a gearbox cover yourself

01/26/2022 28,205 checkpoints

Author: Ivan Baranov

Car owners are always sensitive to their car, as they spend a long time in it. It is important for the driver that the steering wheel and gear shift knob are comfortable and pleasant to the touch - tuning these components allows you to achieve the desired effect. Services from tuning companies are not cheap. Tuning the gearshift knob can be done by any car enthusiast with his own hands if desired. An article will help you cope with this task, which provides recommendations on the selection of material and describes the step-by-step reupholstery process.

The reason for reupholstery is most often the unsightly appearance of the steering wheel and gear shift knob, which acquire it after many years of use. Sometimes car owners want to change the cover material or change the color. Tuning is popular on cars in which, from the factory, the gear knob is made of soft plastic and has an unsightly appearance. It's always nice to feel the skin under your hand. The leather interior looks prestigious and cozy.

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Material selection

All work begins with the selection of material.
Nobody forbids you to take some kind of rubber, fabric or any other option. But here the issue of practicality and operational stability should be taken into account. It is optimal to choose one of the following materials.

Leather. If we take practicality, quality, aesthetics and price-quality ratio, then leather cases are objectively the best. Only leather should be purchased specifically for cars, and not for haberdashery or furniture. These are materials that are completely different in quality and characteristics. Automotive leather has a polymer coating that additionally protects against mechanical damage, ultraviolet radiation, chemicals, oil, gasoline, etc. When selecting parameters, it is also worth choosing perforated leather without large pores;
Eco leather. Fashionable and popular material based on polyurethane. Do not confuse with leatherette, which uses PVC. The latter does not breathe and has worse performance characteristics than eco-leather. Practical, inexpensive and easy to use. Although the skin is still a little inferior;
Alcantara. A relatively new material that is very pleasant to the touch, does not fade, does not freeze, unlike leather, and does not crack. Don't be put off by the fact that Alcantara is thin. In fact, it is durable and wear-resistant. May cost slightly more than genuine leather. Plus, Alcantara is easier to work with and can be processed better.

Regardless of what you choose, each material is perfectly suited to the task at hand.

It doesn’t matter what kind of car you are going to sew a leather, eco-leather or Alcantara cover on.

Similar light tuning options can often be found among owners of such cars:

VAZ 2114;
Renault Logan;
Lada Granta;
Lada Priora;
Kia Rio;
Chevrolet Cruze;
Lada Kalina;
Ford Focus;
Deo Lanos;
VAZ 2110, etc.

For some, the lever has worn out during use, while others simply do not like the appearance of the factory cover. So car owners decided to buy a piece of material, make a cover, or install a new ready-made attachment. With display or classic, it's up to them to decide. Replacement is usually very simple. But sheathing an old handle is more difficult.

Correct selection and use of handles on the gearshift lever

When purchasing a new handle for the gear lever, you should make a choice according to the catalog numbers (if we are talking about a standard handle) or according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. It is important that the handle fits the installation dimensions, and also has a corresponding sign indicating the location of the gears (if such a handle is selected).

The handle is replaced in accordance with the vehicle repair and maintenance instructions. The operating procedure depends on the type of handle attachment, as well as on the presence of additional functions of the handle (for example, if there is a backlight, electrical installation work may be required).

The easiest way to change handles is with a threaded fastening: in this case, just unscrew the old handle and screw in the new one. In some cases, it may be necessary to seal the threads for a better fit of the handle (for example, using FUM tape, which is used to seal pipe joints and plumbing products).

Handles with different types of locks can be more difficult to replace. Typically, to remove the handle you have to unscrew one or more screws, remove the spring retainer, remove the pin, remove the retaining ring, etc. If we are talking about the automatic transmission selector handle, then it may also be necessary to recess the button to a certain level. When installing the handle, you need to install the fasteners back; some handles have self-clamping latches that do not require additional actions.

If the handle has a cover, then you additionally have to dismantle a special panel on the console and remove the cover from it. Then a new cover is installed in this panel, the panel itself is inserted into the console with latches or additionally secured with screws. When replacing a handle without a cover separately, you have to additionally fasten the cover in the upper part (under the handle), this is done with a clamp or other means.

With the right selection and replacement of the gearshift knob, you will return your car to its convenience and safety, and also decorate the interior without extra costs.

Hello, dear friends! For many people, having a car is not just a means of transportation, but also a kind of outlet, an opportunity to do something with their own hands, modernize and tune it. Moreover, many prefer easy external tuning without significant intervention in the technical component. It is these elements that include the cover for the gearshift knob.

The only question is what exactly do you want to get. Nowadays it’s not a problem to buy a silicone or leather ready-made version, order tailoring from a studio, or do everything yourself. It is the last option that we will focus on.

If the automatic transmission is not used so often, then the manual transmission is constantly in use by the motorist. Long service life leads to the appearance of cracks, tears and other signs of wear. This is not only unsightly from an aesthetic point of view, but also impractical. It is unpleasant for the driver to cling to scratches, loose threads, etc. Therefore, there is a desire to improve the condition of the gearbox lever.

Recommendations for covering

First of all, you need to remove the handle from the main long gearshift lever. It is the handle that we will tighten. If you wish, you can also replace the cover of the lever itself, which hides the metal pipe in the tunnel. But more on that another time.

The task is to obtain blanks. Here is an option:

wrap the handle with cling film;
or just use a plastic bag;
wrap tape (stationery or masking tape) on top, but most importantly tightly;
Use a marker to apply future markings on the tape;
Use a sharp knife to cut the wound tape;
you will receive something like a blank or papier-mâché;
remove, level on the table;
Apply the completed patterns to the purchased material for reupholstery;
cut according to the pattern, but make leather blanks literally 2-3 mm smaller, otherwise the cover will hang;
step back 5 mm from the edge of the leather and go through it with a sewing machine (stitch);
return the pattern to the gearshift knob, treating the reverse side with glue;
when the glue fixes the handle, you can start sewing together the pieces of leather;
insert good quality threads into the stitches of the seams and tighten them tightly;
if leather was used, wet the material after stitching is completed;
Replace the gear diagram, if there was one.

But there is another option. It is suitable for those who like the old case's shape and seam placement, but the product is simply worn out. To do this, carefully remove the old trim from the gearshift knob.

It will be used as a template for a new case. Cut out blanks from the new material in the shape of the old cover, and sew them together in the same way. The convenience of this option is that you do not need to measure anything, make markings, etc.

IMPORTANT! The cover should be sewn from the wrong side so that the seams are not on the outside. Then the comfort of gripping the gearbox will deteriorate significantly.

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Video “Detailed instructions for restoring the gear lever”

The MIS7Ter channel video provides a step-by-step guide to re-upholstering a car transmission selector, indicating the nuances of the process.

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Gearbox knob reupholstery

Not everyone can re-tighten the gearshift knob with their own hands: you need to have certain skills and patience. If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to contact a service that provides tuning services. If you really want to, you can do the tuning yourself. You need to stock up on the necessary tools and follow the instructions below.

Tools

Tools for work
To retighten the gear shift knob you will need the following tools:

marker;
stationery knife or scalpel;
scissors;
cling film;
masking or regular tape;
high-quality, durable nylon thread;
thimble for safety;
sewing machine;
sewing needles: preferably hardened ones, as regular ones bend;
glue;
sheathing material.

It is best to reupholster the handle with genuine leather. The material must be of high quality. You must work very carefully so as not to damage the skin and not redo it several times. It is advisable to use a combination of smooth and perforated leather - it is practical and gives a more aesthetic appearance.

Re-upholstery process

The reupholstery begins by removing the gear shift lever with the cover, if any. First of all, they sew a new cover. An old cover is used as a pattern: the seams are ripped out and the necessary patterns are obtained. New parts are cut out from these patterns. The cover is sewn from the wrong side using a sewing machine or by hand. If you sew the cover manually, you should make holes with an awl in advance. To make the seam even, you can make an awl from a table fork, sharpening its ends. The case is attached to the frame with superglue. After making the cover, you can start covering the handle. There are several options.

The first version of the constriction consists of the following steps:

The handle should be wrapped in cling film, or you can take a simple plastic bag.

Painting or regular tape is wrapped on top. It’s better to paint on a painter’s bench.

Use a marker to draw lines where future seams will be located.

Next, use a utility knife or scalpel to cut the winding along the drawn lines.

Then you need to remove the resulting “Papier-Mache” and carefully align it

The parts may not be completely aligned and may have wrinkles, but you don’t need to pay attention to this. Thus, we got a pattern.

Using these patterns we cut out leather parts

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In this case, you should cut the parts 5 mm smaller on each side for subsequent stretching of the skin.

Next, stepping back 5 mm from the edge, you should use a sewing machine to stitch the workpieces around the perimeter or stitch them by hand using a large needle.

Now, having fixed the skin with a small amount of glue so that it does not move, the parts are sewn together.

The threads are threaded through the seams and tightened.

When all the seams are completed, the skin should be slightly moistened: it will better take the required shape.

For the second option of tightening the gear shift knob with leather, old trim is used. Reminds me of the process of sewing a cover. First, the old seams are cut. The parts obtained after jointing are used as patterns. Blanks are cut from leather using them. Next, the blanks are sewn together in the same way as the old casing. After this, the workpiece is turned out and put on the gearshift knob.

Stretching the finished workpiece

If there was a gear diagram on top, it is installed in place.

Installing the cover

Homemade pen lighting

A way to decorate the interior is to add lighting to the gearshift lever.

Tools and materials

To complete the task you will need:

diode light bulb (the color of the light source is chosen by the car enthusiast at his own discretion);
1 kOhm resistor element;
stationery knife;
soldering iron with tin and rosin;
laser printer;
glue gun with a transparent rod.

Stages of work

How to make a gear knob backlight:

Remove the transmission lever.
Remove the glass from its top. This element is painted black during vehicle production. You need to remove the paint layer. To complete this task you will need felt cloth or GOI paste.
Using a computer and a printer, an image is created for illumination. It is necessary to develop a stencil and take into account that the light must penetrate in those places where the car owner requires it. Make a picture on your computer with a light filter so that there is light in the place where the numbers themselves are located, but not outside.
All unnecessary parts and elements are removed from the inside of the gearbox selector. This is necessary to install an LED light bulb in it, which is fixed with glue.
Make a vertical hole in the selector. Through it, voltage will be supplied to the light source. When the hole is ready, install a diode lamp in the middle of the lever. First you need to solder a resistor element and a wire to it using a soldering iron. It is advisable to place the light bulb itself not in the central part of the lever so that it does not shine upward. The diode is directed slightly to the side. With this arrangement of elements, the lighting will be distributed optimally.
Using a utility knife, determine the location where the glue will be applied. All free space should be filled as much as possible, but apply carefully, in small portions, so as not to overfill. If you install an additional paper circle inside the gear knob, this will provide light diffusion. The image itself, which you made on the printer, is placed above the paper circle.
Reinstall the gear lever. Connect the LED light bulb wires to the car's electrical system. If the cigarette lighter is directly connected to the battery, then there is no need to wire a wire to this section of the circuit. Otherwise, the indicator will light constantly, which will lead to battery discharge. Connect the wire to the car radio circuit or ignition switch.

Make or buy

Let's start with the main thing. Namely, from the idea of modernization. The gearshift lever is usually located inside the case, and the top handle itself, which the driver grabs when changing gears, can be plastic, silicone, leather, etc.

The leather option is usually found on more expensive models. And in Soviet or old domestic cars, glass knobs with flowers, roses and other once-fashionable handle decor options are not so rare. Now some people appreciate rare solutions, trying to decorate the interior of their own car with something similar. Making a complete lever attachment from glass, plastic or silicone is quite problematic. It's much easier to buy it. But you can sew the cover yourself if you have certain skills and desire.

Purpose of the handle on the gearshift lever

The controls in a car must meet stringent ergonomic requirements, both in their location and in their design. Levers, handles and buttons must be such that they can be confidently moved in the desired direction or pressed in all modes of operation and movement of the vehicle. This is especially important for the gear shift lever - an inconvenient lever not only makes driving difficult, but can also cause an accident. Therefore, for maximum comfortable driving, an ergonomic and comfortable handle is installed on the gear shift lever.

The handle on the gearshift lever is a decorative element of the gearshift lever, ensuring a comfortable grip of the lever with your hand and successful control of the car. Also, the handle is an important element of the interior design of the salon; with its help, you can make the salon more attractive, bring originality or even exclusivity to it. At the same time, handles usually have a low price, which allows them to be replaced with minimal financial costs.

Tips and recommendations for replacing the gearshift lever on a VAZ 2107

When choosing parts to replace failed ones, you must purchase only original spare parts from the manufacturer. Despite the simplicity of the design and easy repair of the product, when purchasing counterfeit material, the service life of the parts is low. When using such products, it is quite possible that there will be negative manifestations in motion in the form of crunching, jamming of gear engagement, spontaneous transition to other gears, howling in the lower part of the tunnel, which can subsequently lead to an emergency situation.

Also, during the procedure for reassembling parts, it is imperative to follow the sequence of actions when installing the linkage hinges. It is necessary to use special lubricants when installing the mechanical parts of the product. Special silicone lubricants with a water-repellent composition are best suited. Such material will preserve the integrity of the composition for a long time and protect the main parts of the scenes. Also, at the first appearance of signs of breakdown, it is necessary to carry out a scheduled preventive inspection with dismantling of the entire unit.

Assembling and installing the gearshift knob in place

The final stage of reupholstering the gearshift knob is inserting the panel, the lower part and installing the knob in its place. All this is done as during disassembly, only in reverse order. If everything is done correctly and in size, the appearance of your gear shift knob will become many times more impressive and aesthetically pleasing.

If you wish, you can watch the video, which clearly shows all the stages of reupholstery.

DIY gear knob cover

While I'm waiting for the spring warmth to work on eliminating body jambs, I decided to work on the interior. The gray gearshift knob cover did not fit into the style of my interior. I decided to replace it, besides it was already slightly worn in places. And I decided to change it by making a new cover with my own hands. Below is the whole process from A to Z.

In the morning I began searching for materials. My new one requires black leather + good thick white thread for nice stitching. The search at home was not crowned with success on any of the points, and I went in search of a fabric store.

In the first nothing, in the second 1300 rubles. Of course, I didn’t charge it per linear meter, and the leatherette was sooooo thin. What I needed was found in a fabric store for upholstery. The same black color as my cases and a slight matte finish. So, 500 rub. per linear meter of black “ekodermantine”))) with a width of 1.5 m. I took 0.5m, with a reserve for future alterations. I bought thick threads just right at Auchan. It says extra strong, let's check it.

These are the threads from Auchan + needle + thimble included Threads in 3 colors: white + black + gray. I took it for 97 rubles. Also included with them is a needle and a thimble. They won't be needed today, but I think they will come in handy in the future.

I took off the old cover and went home and made a new one))

old cover The cover was separated from the frame, it was held on by glue, it was easily torn off, all the glue remained on the cover.

no longer framed. Next, I ripped the seam open. And I cut the old cover into 2 equal parts, and then cut one of them in half again. I did this because the idea was to sew a new one, not one piece as it was, but from 4 parts with stitching. I traced one of the quarters on the new material.

And of course I added 5mm on each side for the seam (on the long sides). I multiplied this entire farm to 4 copies and cut it out.

4 black ones... Next, a good old foot-operated sewing machine was used. She has already helped me make a cheesecake sled. I sewed the first 2 parts.

Here they are, those 5mm left for the seam. And I immediately processed them with a stitch.

already with white stitching I did the stitching almost by hand, that is, I carefully and slowly turned the sewing drive by hand, it turned out quite evenly and accurately.

result Well and so on, I sewed on the 3rd part + line.

downside The last seam was the most difficult. More precisely, not the seam itself, but the white stitching. It was done entirely by hand. The precision of each stitch is almost jewel-like)) But this seam will still face the torpedo, because a little different from the previous ones.

After almost 3 hours of work, this is the result:

I attached it to the handle itself with electrical tape and slightly tucked the cover on top. I glued the frame with this glue:

cosmofen This is cosmofen, it glues in seconds. He is well known to those who deal with stretch ceilings. The price is about 120 rubles. but I had it at home. And now my new case is ready.

Immediately installed it in the car

It’s not so clearly visible from the photo, but now the gear knob is in the same color scheme as the seat covers and the steering wheel braid. + for comfort in the car.

And I also want to note one point: if you need to take out a comprehensive insurance policy or compulsory motor insurance policy, then you definitely need a technical inspection. Do you know that it is completely legal to simply buy a vehicle inspection directly and have it delivered to your home. Come in and negotiate.

Author; Alexander Kulikov Kostroma, Kostroma region

Do-it-yourself leather covering of armrests, steering wheel and door trim of Nissan Qashqai

The content of the article:

Nissan Qashqai armrests covered with leather

The handbrake is in Chinese leather, the seats are in eco-leather, the gearshift knob and the steering wheel are in pseudo-leather - the last non-leather element is the door armrests. And everything would be fine, but cloth armrests quickly get dirty and are difficult to clean.

Progress of work on covering leather armrests of Nissan Qashqai

We buy 1 linear meter of perforated eco-leather and 1 liter of 88CA glue (we only need 90cm * 80cm of leather and 400g of glue from this). 1. Remove the door trim and disassemble it into 3 parts to separate the armrest. antip4ik34rus soldered the rivets with a soldering iron, but it turned out to be more convenient for me to open them with a utility knife. 2. Spread glue on the original armrest trim; there is no need to tear it off, because it gives shape and softness. Contrary to the instructions on the bottle of glue, we let the first layer dry for 10 minutes, the second for 3-3.5 minutes, after which the leaning piece of leather sticks tightly in a couple of minutes and you can immediately start gluing other areas, namely: first glue long, smooth surfaces , then we tighten the corners, then the remaining folds along the long sides. With this order, there will not be a single fold on any door (neither front nor back), nor on any corner. 3. It will no longer be possible to attach it to the original rivets that we soldered/cut, so we drill holes with a 2mm drill and attach them to the 3.5x11mm rivets using washers. 4. After assembly, the plastic will press the skin, there will be no folds on the visible part, we make holes for the window lift buttons, put the trim back - and rejoice!

According to reviews from passengers, it began to look richer, the leather fit as if cut in a tailor shop, the perforated armrests go well with the perforated inserts on the seats.

System Users Menu Materials Components Extensions Help Tuning and repair. Tuning and repair of VAZ, UAZ, GAZ, Lada, Renault, Hyundai and other cars Material Manager: Change material Save Save and close Save and create Save a copy Close Help Heading * Nissan Qashqai steering wheel reupholstery with your own hands 17 Alias steering wheel reupholstery-nissan-qashqai -do-it-yourself Content Publishing parameters Material display parameters Rating Item Setting Editing parameters Material access rights [Toggle Editor]

DIY Nissan Qashqai steering wheel reupholstery

Not long ago I began to notice that the standard leather on the steering wheel of a Nissan Qashqai began to wear out. The steering wheel itself seems a little thin to me, the leather is kind of glossy, and I don’t like the seam on it. I decided to start reupholstering the steering wheel of my Nissan Qashqai. I didn’t make the patterns myself, because... There is a minimum of experience in this, and you have to look for leather... I found an office in MSC that produces leather steering wheel braids for reupholstery. I contacted them and ordered. The braid itself cost 1200 rubles. + delivery within the city. I didn’t order delivery to my city, because... I myself was planning to visit the capital at this time. Got a new braid. The kit included a thread and a needle (unfortunately, no photo). The first thing I started to think about was whether to remove the steering wheel or sew it in place. I decided to try to remove it. It turns out that this is elementary: we remove the battery terminal, there are holes at the back of the steering wheel into which we insert a screwdriver (Phillips head) one by one, press it, and the airbag comes off. You should be careful when pressing the screwdriver in the left hole, because there is a wiring harness to the cochlea next to it.

Afterwards, we disconnect all the wires from the cochlea and the pillow, unscrew the central nut of the steering wheel and pull it towards ourselves.

We take the steering wheel and go sewing.

Next, I removed the rear plastic from it (it is latched)

Before preparing for reupholstery, I soaked the new braid in warm water for a couple of hours, after which it becomes more elastic (and I need this, because I will be pulling over the old leather). I started preparing the steering wheel. I cut off the old braid at the points of contact with the pillow so that it would fit into place without any problems.

Cutting off the edge of the skin

The next step is to make cuts for the seams of the joints of the flaps (coincident with the standard ones, i.e. I only cut through the standard braiding)

Ready for reupholstery

That's how much excess has been cut off.

And this is where the preparation is complete. Next, we take the new leather out of the water, wipe it with a towel so it doesn’t leak, and put it on the steering wheel. We place the seams of the joints of the flaps in the slots and fix them temporarily with a plastic clamp. (removed as needed) Let's start sewing!) There are a lot of types of seams on the net. But I did it the way I liked. At first I simply sewed it together, then pulled it through several times, in the end it was difficult, but everything came together as it should!) I glued the edges together.

Ready to install

It is easy to install into place. There are marks on the axle and on the steering wheel, we match them and tighten the nut. We connect all the cables and put the pillow in place.

I am 100% satisfied with the work done! Close-up of the seam for anyone interested.

Leather reupholstery of armrests on Nissan Qashqai door trims

Questions regarding the contamination of the armrests on the door trims arose from the first day of operation. It was immediately decided to pull them over. Along with the seat covers, I ordered a couple of meters of the same cover material. In appearance and to the touch, the material turned out to be quite weak, although the covers have been living for a year and a half without problems. I decided not to experiment and reupholster it with genuine leather. I wanted to combine the reupholstery with noise and vibration insulation and replacement of acoustics. The materials and components were purchased a long time ago, but due to a lack of time or desire, we got around to it after a year and a half of using the car. I found a reupholstery shop near my house. They agreed to sew it according to my patterns and stick it on a plastic base for 5,500 rubles. First, I removed the door trims. I soldered the armrests.

I tore off the original fabric covering. I took it to the office.

While we were sewing, I glued the StP Aero Plus skin.

Ready-made armrests. 5mm foam rubber is glued under the skin. As it should be. Unfortunately, gray threads were not available, white ones seemed very soiled, so I decided to use black ones. Somehow the result was not impressive, probably it would have been better to have white ones.

Well, the performance isn't great. 4+.

I soldered the armrest back and additionally secured it with self-tapping screws for reliability.

I glued Biplast 10mm

DIY Nissan Qashqai interior cleaning

Contents of the article: 1. Cleaning the Nissan Qashqai interior with interior disassembly 2. Cleaning the fabric interior of the Nissan Qashqai 3. Cleaning the upholstery

Manual transmission: cover + shift lever handle

The leatherette is cracked. Not critical, but it looks ugly. The interior looks like it’s new, but there are holes in the lever casing... Of course, I didn’t buy a new one for that kind of money. I didn’t find any leather goods at home, as luck would have it, everything was thrown out recently. I went to the nearest auto store and purchased two leather covers for a VAZ 2110 without handles with different textures for 140 rubles each. I bought two because I didn’t want to install them right away... it looks too obscene, and one is not enough for cutting. I took off the handle (it was very difficult to unscrew), brought it home, and began to disassemble it.

At this stage I warn everyone - very carefully pull out the staples, the plastic is very fragile and begins to crack. I took it off, cut the plastic clamp on the handle (I had previously bought the same one, black), and ripped out all the seams on the cover

Leather-covered protective cover and lever knob

A fairly popular type of improvement of the gear shift knob is replacing the protective cover and knob with a leather one. What will it take? Leather or high-quality leatherette, thread, scissors, needle, awl and preferably a thimble.

First of all, remove the cover and handle. As a rule, the handle is unscrewed or removed with a slight upward force. The protective cover itself is secured with four latches.

First you need to make a pattern. To do this, you can use your old case. Considering the hardness of the leather, you can pierce holes for the seams with an awl or use a large needle. Also, in order for everything to turn out beautifully, when stitching, you need to make sure that the stitches are even. The fastening plastic at the bottom of the case can simply be glued. After this, the protective cover is installed back and secured using the same 4 latches.

Self-rethreading of the gear knob

Before starting the upholstery, it is necessary to remove the gear knob. As a rule, it is easily pulled out if you pull it towards you with force. However, depending on the car and the gearbox installed on it, the technology for removing the handle may change. In any case, this step will not cause you any particular problems. As an example, take a look at how easy it is to remove the handle on a Skoda Octavia.

Video: how to remove the gear knob

After you have removed the handle, you can begin making the pattern and the binding itself. But first, prepare the necessary set of tools.

Tools and materials for upholstery

In order to tighten the gearshift knob you will need the following tools and materials:

material for upholstery (leather, eco-leather or Alcantara);
tailor's scissors and stationery knife;
film (you can use food film);
glue;
felt-tip pen or marker;
tape (it is advisable to use masking tape);
durable nylon threads;
durable needle;
thimble for protection when sewing;
sewing machine.

Re-upholstery process

First of all, you need to make patterns for the future cover. The easiest way to do this is if you have an old case. In this case, your actions should be as follows.

Remove the old cover from the handle and open its seams.
Apply the resulting parts to the wrong side of the material and trace along the contour.
Carefully cut out the resulting parts.

use the old ripped cover to create a pattern for a new one

Using this method of making a pattern, you can be sure that your product will fit on the handle as it should. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to use an old case. In this case, you will have to make the pattern yourself.

First of all, wrap the handle tightly with thin cling film. If you don't have it on hand, use a regular plastic bag. Make sure no air bubbles form.
Place masking tape over the film so that it completely covers the surface of the handle. For reliability, make several layers.
Using a marker, draw lines following the curves of the pen. Be careful because these are the places where your future seams will be.
Using a utility knife, cut the masking tape along the lines you drew. You should have two parts.
Attach the patterns to the material used and trace along the contour.
Carefully cut them out.

Making a cover for a lever - photo gallery

After you have cut out the parts, the most important process begins - reupholstery. This can be done in two ways:

sheathing:
pasting.

The difference between them is that when sheathing, the parts are sewn from the wrong side. The resulting cover must be turned out and straightened. Now you need to put the resulting product on the handle. If you put the leather in hot water for a while, it will become more elastic and you can tighten it without any problems. When the material is completely dry, it will sit tightly in place.

This method of reupholstery is good because it makes it easy to remove and put on the cover at any time. In the case of the gluing method, you can remove the cover only by ripping it apart at the seams. In order to tighten the handle in this way, first of all you need to stitch the parts on a sewing machine at a distance of 3 mm from the edge.

stitch each piece at a distance of 3 mm from the edge

After this, you need to apply a small amount of glue to the parts and place them in their places

Pay attention to the lines you made earlier. You need to insert a strong needle into the thread, and then, passing it under the stitches, pull the parts tightly together

pass the needle under the stitches and tighten the parts

To ensure that the cover fits well on the handle, moisten it with warm water. After drying, it will take the desired shape.

Video: how to trim a gear knob with your own hands

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to tighten the gearshift knob with your own hands. The necessary tools are available in every garage. You don’t need to have any special skills either: just be careful and patient. If you didn’t succeed in replacing something the first time, don’t be upset: the second and even third attempts won’t drive you into debt. Almost certainly the store will not sell you less than one linear meter of material, and this is quite enough for several of these pens. Believe in yourself and you will succeed!

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Choosing material

Of course, leather for the steering wheel will be most preferable. This material is natural, strong and durable, plus it fits well in the hand. Alcantara can be an alternative.

But start with the skin. Its price is not so high, plus there are many design options. To choose the leather from which the steering braid will be made, follow several rules.

Naturalness. Artificial leather will not work, it has the wrong properties. And in general, once you get to work, do everything efficiently.
Thickness. We don't need thick skin. Otherwise, you will be tortured to pierce. Thin ones wear out quickly. The optimal size is considered to be 1.3 mm.
Extensibility. Strictly average. The elasticity should ensure a tight fit to the wheel.
Perforation. Its presence is not necessary, although working with perforated leather is more pleasant. At the same time, wear and tear is higher than that of ordinary leather. Decide for yourself. I chose smooth leather when wrapping the steering wheel.

In addition to leather for your car steering wheel, you will need a number of auxiliary materials and tools.

Tools and materials

The steering wheel trim kit for Mazda, Nissan, BMW and any other cars, even a Ford Focus, will always be the same.

You need to put together:

skin;
a strong needle with which you will stitch the material;
strong nylon thread;
a pair of thimbles to protect your fingers;
masking tape;
cardboard of normal density;
cling film;
marker or pencil;
sharp knife (buy at a building materials store).

All is ready. Now your car can be transformed. Start small - the steering wheel. Covering it with leather is not the easiest task for a beginner, but it can be done. I myself once decided to suddenly do something similar. The result exceeded my expectations, so you will definitely do no worse. I'm still a jack of all trades.

The whole process can be divided into two stages:

pattern making;
tight-fitting

If you do everything correctly at the first stage, reupholstering will be much easier.

Pattern

I will give sequential instructions to put everything on the shelves and convey to you the main idea.

Remove the steering wheel. I don’t know what kind of car you have, so I can’t give specific instructions on how to remove the steering wheel. Look in the repair manual if you don't know, watch a video or simply act instinctively. No, I was joking though. We work only strictly according to the instructions;
Get rid of the old braid. It is not difficult. You can simply cut the seams and remove the worn material;
Wrap the steering wheel with cling film. Do not skimp on the material, but wrap it carefully so that there are no differences in height or unevenness;

Painting tape is wound on top. Be sure to use a marker to mark the places where the seam will go;

In principle, the base is ready. Not as difficult as it seems at first glance. But then an equally important stage awaits you - sewing. If you have ever sewed, then you roughly understand what we are talking about. Those who have never even darned their own socks in their lives should not approach tight socks. I'm serious! Otherwise, the result may be very disappointing. Basic skills are a must.

Wrapping procedure

If you are careful and consistent in your actions, you will succeed and your car will have a truly beautiful handmade steering wheel.

Take a strong thread, insert it into an equally strong needle;
You need to retreat about 2-3 mm from the edge of the skin. If you sew too close to the edge, it will simply tear under tension;
All the blanks need to be connected, resulting in a ring. This is why it is important to mark your patterns with a marker;
The inner seam will be on the inside, so don’t worry about this;
When the ring is ready, place it on the steering wheel, align all the edges so that everything matches;
The leather will “walk” around the wheel if it is not secured. Here I solved the problem this way - I treated the steering wheel with epoxy resin. It held the skin firmly, but at the same time allowed the material to be slightly shifted until drying;
Sew all edges neatly. If you are good with thread and needle, you can get a beautiful decorative seam;
Stretch the skin evenly so that the tension is approximately the same everywhere.

The formation of small folds on a new case should not scare you. This is normal for the skin. In a few days everything will smooth out and look perfect. Be patient.

I told you what the process of covering the steering wheel looks like. Yes, the task is not the easiest, but it is doable. If you are not ready for it, take the steering wheel to a workshop. There they will do everything for you in the best possible way, although for a decent amount of money.

Share your stories about re-upholstering your steering wheel yourself or your bad experience with a repair shop, if you have one. To do this, write in the comments.

Material selection

Every driver wants the material with which the interior elements of his car are covered to be not only strong and durable, but also pleasant to the touch. In addition, it must meet the tastes of the owner and be combined with the interior design. The financial issue is also important. So how to choose a coating that will meet all these characteristics? The following materials are most often used to cover the gearshift knob:

Genuine Leather;
artificial leather (or eco-leather);
Alcantara (artificial suede).

All of them have good performance. The coating will not tear at the most unexpected moment, and with proper care it will last a long time. But each of these materials has features that distinguish it from the rest. This could be price, softness, or even the ability to cause allergies. To make the right choice, let’s look at the characteristics of each of them.

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Genuine leather for upholstery

Genuine automobile leather is the highest quality, but at the same time the most expensive material that can be used in upholstery. Leather seats, ceiling, control panel - it all looks solid and stylish. Having covered the gearshift knob with leather, you will not only enjoy its appearance, but also experience a pleasant sensation when touching it to change gears.

the use of genuine leather in the decoration of the car gives it a stylish and solid look

Leather is highly wear-resistant. Thanks to special processing, it is less susceptible to mechanical and chemical damage. In addition, this material is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, which means it will practically not fade in the bright sun. Another advantage is moisture resistance.

On sale you can find a special type - perforated genuine leather. It differs from the usual one in the large number of barely noticeable through holes throughout the entire area of the material. In addition to all the above positive properties, it has increased elasticity, softness and vapor permeability. You need to choose perforated leather carefully: if the holes have too large a diameter, a lot of dust will accumulate in them. This means you will have to clean it much more often and more thoroughly.

perforated leather has many small through holes, which increases its performance properties

It is not surprising that the cost of leather is much higher than any other material. But despite this, its use will be much more favorable in terms of price and quality ratio, because its service life without loss of properties can reach 7 years. But, besides the price, genuine leather has one significant drawback: the chemicals involved in the leather tanning process can cause a severe allergic reaction in some people

If you are one of them, pay attention to eco-leather

Artificial leather (eco leather)

Eco-leather does not emit harmful chemicals, which allows it to be considered a completely hypoallergenic material. Temperature changes do not have a negative effect on it, so we can confidently speak about the high wear resistance of the material.

As for the appearance, it is almost completely identical to natural leather: the artificial material retains its softness and texture. But the price of eco-leather is much lower, which makes it attractive to most car owners.

eco-leather looks identical to natural leather, but costs much less

Alcantara

Alcantara is otherwise called artificial suede. And if real suede is specially processed and tanned leather, then Alcantara is a synthetic material that has the same soft and velvety surface. In terms of its properties, Alcantara is in no way inferior to genuine leather. It is just as strong, elastic and wear-resistant. It does not fade when exposed to direct sunlight for a long time. In addition, Alcantara is difficult to burn: if a cigarette ash falls on it or a spark bounces off a cigarette lighter, the material will almost certainly remain in its original form. Another pleasant advantage is the ability to retain heat. When you sit in a frozen car in winter, you will touch warm fabric, not cold skin.

Alcantara looks similar to suede, but has better performance properties

Alcantara has a low cost and is easy to find in automotive stores. Working with it, especially at home, is much easier than with natural or eco-leather. This is a good choice for motorists who prefer practicality.

How to make a gear knob in the shape of a billiard ball?

Quite often, car owners, wanting to give their car originality, change the knob. A very popular type of tuning the gearshift knob with your own hands is to replace its knob with a round one, in the shape of a billiard ball No. 8. The easiest way for such purposes is to buy a Momo automatic transmission knob in the store. Its knob is your cherished eight.

Or you can take a regular billiard ball. To install it, just drill a hole of the required diameter in it and place it on the car. However, not everyone has one at home, and purchasing the entire set for the sake of one single ball is irrational. Then there is only one thing left to do, try to do everything yourself.

In order to do everything yourself, you will need a ball-shaped blank, since making a perfectly even ball is quite difficult from scratch. For these purposes, you can use a regular baby rattle or another round part.

Let's look at how to make a knob from an ordinary rattle. Sand the surface of the ball with sandpaper and fill it with epoxy resin. After the ball has become hard, cover it with several layers of primer, and after it dries, simply draw a circle and a figure eight on the ball with a regular marker. After this, cover the ball with black paint in several layers and, after drying, apply varnish on top. When everything is dry, all that remains is to drill a hole in the ball and secure it to the handle.

Do-it-yourself handle wrapping

You can sheathe or alter an automatic or manual transmission lever at home. To re-tighten the transmission selector, you will need standard tools. If we are tightening and sheathing the handle yourself, be sure to take into account all the nuances described in the instructions below.

Tools

To tighten the car gearbox lever, you will need:

pen, felt-tip pen or marker;
scissors;
stationery knife;
cling film;
scotch;
Super glue;
sewing machine;
threads (silk or nylon);
fabric that will be used for upholstery.

Re-upholstery process

Before completing the task, you will need to remove the transmission selector

Don’t forget to remove it with the cover, which we then carefully rip into pieces using a utility knife. From them we create patterns, according to the dimensions of which the components of the new product are cut out

The gearbox cover is sewn by machine or by hand, the procedure is carried out from the wrong side. If you do not use a sewing machine, the parts of the product must be pierced with an awl in advance to facilitate the joining procedure. The made cover must be fixed to the frame with glue.

User Vladimir Mazur in his video explained in detail and showed how the procedure for tightening the transmission selector is carried out.

The tightening procedure is performed as follows:

Take cling film and cover the gear selector with it. The top of the film must be secured with tape.

It is better to use a painter's one, as it is easier to mark with a felt-tip pen. Mark the lines on the tape with a marker or felt-tip pen where the seams will be located. Using a utility knife, carefully cut the winding along the previously drawn lines. You will receive a dummy that must be carefully removed and aligned. Using the finished pattern, parts are cut out from Alcantara, genuine leather or other material. Don't forget to leave some space around the edges (about 5mm) to adjust the tension. By hand or using a machine, sew all the elements of the cover, while maintaining the remaining distance of 5 mm. Sew the components of the future product together

Before using a needle or machine, glue the parts for secure fastening. You need to pull the prepared threads into the seams you made. Afterwards they are tightened as much as possible. When the cover is ready, it must be wetted with water. This will make the material more elastic. Then we pull the product onto the gearbox lever.

User Liberman in his video showed how the procedure for re-stretching and restoring the appearance of the gear selector in a car is performed.

What is the name of the gearbox cover?

Good afternoon dear friends! After buying the car, I noticed that the leather on the gearshift knob and the shift cover had dried out and lost its good appearance. I decided to do everything myself, taking into account the style after wrapping the car. I chose black leather and a thick blue thread (I searched for quite a long time, it was difficult to find a thick one, and even a blue one).

The order of work (here it is simpler): unscrew the handle from the gearbox (counterclockwise), remove the old leather, snap off the lower and upper parts with a screwdriver, wrap with stretch film, then a layer of masking tape, cut and get patterns, transfer to new leather, sew together and sew it with thread along the edges, put it back on and tighten it with the main thread, glue it and put it back together. In general, below is everything in detail and with photos.

Costs and materials: - a piece of genuine leather (sheepskin) - 420 rubles (leather-country.ru/) - thread Penny std 10/3 (800 m) 0073 (blue) - 330 rubles (www.trade-modus.ru/) — silk thread (black) — 40 rubles (sewing store) — sewing kit — 250 rubles (AUCHAN) — leather glue (German) — 260 rubles (sewing store) — 2 hours of work

Tags: #reupholstering the gear knob, #how to tighten the gear knob yourself, #where to buy leather, #where to buy blue thread

A modern car has a gear lever, which is one of the main controls. For convenient and reliable gear selection, the gearshift lever is equipped with an ergonomic handle. Read the article about what a lever handle is, what handles the market offers, and how to use them.

Preparatory stage

It contains the same steps no matter which method you choose next.

The handle is removed from the lever and disassembled. Most often, you will see a head that has a plastic attachment with a thread at the bottom, with which it is fixed to the lever. This lock is removable. There will be a sleeve underneath; it will also need to be removed;
A plastic cover covers the top of the head. It is pryed off with a screwdriver and removed. Next there will be an insert secured with a screw. It unscrews, the insert goes into a common pile;
The old sheathing is ripped apart at the seam and removed; it will act as a pattern;
There may be variations in which a cover was not provided: you have a plastic knob in front of you. In this case, you will have to do the preparation yourself;
The handle with the lower lock removed is tightly wrapped in several layers of cling film;
Painting tape is glued on top;
Cutting lines are drawn using this kind of papier-mâché. They must pass in such a way that they fall on the sharpest bends;
The workpiece is cut along the markings with a stationery knife. You get two parts, which represent your patterns.

Regarding cutting:

If the old pattern case is severely deformed, you can first transfer the patterns onto thick paper so that the pattern on the leather is as even as possible.

Stages of reupholstery

To tighten it yourself, you need to remove the lever and unscrew the handle from it. To make a pattern for a future case, it is recommended to use an old one. Thanks to this approach, you can save time and get a product that will perfectly fit the lever.

The new cover must be sewn from the inside. You can either use the manual sewing method or use a sewing machine. In the second case, the product will be more durable and aesthetically attractive.

After the cover is sewn, it needs to be turned out, smoothed out and put on the gearshift lever. If the cover is made of genuine leather, then before putting it on, it is recommended to wet it. This will make the product softer and more elastic, so that it fits perfectly on the prepared gearshift lever handle.

The advantage of making covers yourself is that even a beginner in this business can handle sewing them. Also, self-tailoring allows you to save your budget, because it does not require purchasing a large amount of materials or using special tools or equipment. Therefore, it is optimal for those drivers who want to save money and make their car more stylish.

Sources:

autodvig.com
remcars.info
myautoexp.ru
izdoski.com