Removing Leven Blower Knob??

[arandle]

Hi all,

I have what looks like one of those Leven Technology aluminium heater blower knobs on my new baby, it's a bit tarnished/scratched and so I've ordered a new one to replace it. My problem is how do I get the old one off?! It seems fairly firmly attached and I don't want to put undue force on the knob if it's not a Leven one or if it's fixed in a more permanent way than double sided tape would suggest.

Any ideas anyone? Anyone heard of other makers of these or know what I could break whilst trying to force it off???? By the way it's a '97 4.0 I'm talking about......

Thanks for you help,

- Andy.

[JonRB]

As far as I am aware, the 97 model has an allow blower knob as standard. Well, mine does anyway.

[Saracen]

Mine's a 97 and didn't have the alloy blower so I fitted the Leven one. You should be able to get it off by a bit of levering with a small screwdriver and then twisting it. Well, as long as they didn't also use glue to stick it on....

[Simpo One]

Some Leven bits do need to be glued on. I'd mail Simon at Leven and ask. You'll find the URL easily on Google.

[JonRB]

Are we talking about the same knob here? The rotary one that controls the cockpit blowers near the two horizontal heater dials that control temperature and direction?
Mine is a metallic colour and looks & feels like metal. What do the standard ones look like?

[bryanlister]

Mines a 1996 and I bought the leven knob myself. It's just double sided sticky tape in the inside of the knob. This knob then fits over the existing one. The different dash came in about 1997 - this has an electronic variable speed blower control on it, the earlier like mine has click stops with 3 positions. (Hope that make's sense!). So, if the blower clicks when turning it, its the ealier model and the knob should prise off - BUT I've never had cause to take it off.

[ATG]

echoing jonrb, mine's a 97 (P) and it has an alloy knob as standard. Pulling it till it came off would be a bad idea methinks.

[arandle]

Hmmm, now I'm not sure what to do. Mine's a 97 (P) too and the knob seems well fixed, difficult to believe there's anything lurking under it and I originally thought it was an original TVR part. Having spoken to Leven I got the impression those aluminium knobs were only produced by them though - am I wrong here? Do later Chims have a knob that looks the same as the Leven one as standard (but doesn't pull off???)

The advice from Leven was to carefully twist/force the knob off - obviously if it is an original part I'll end up breaking something expensive with this approach!

What a dilemma!! Any other ideas folks????

[arandle]

JonRB, just re-read these posts - does your original have "click stops" or is it a smooth variable control?

Mine has click stops (but again I assumed it's an original part)

Thanks.......

[JonRB]

Mine rotates smoothly and is almost certainly a potentiometer as it works like a volume control on the blowers (if you see what I mean).

[SMB]

Does the knob have a picture motive representing a fan?, If yes it's a TVR one, if no, it a leven one.

[arandle]

Thanks again JonRB and SMB,

Looks like it must be a Leven job on mine then - it definately has a "click" action and there's no TVR motif on the knob (still feels darn solid though and like I may break something!).

I'll have a go at the weekend and let you know what happens.....

Fingers crossed,

- A.

[SMB]

I'm not sure if it will help, but perhaps you could apply some heat very carefully first ( the the knob only), either leave in the sun, or perhaps use a microwave type heat pack to soften the glue. I wouldn't use anything stronger.

[arandle]

Good thinking SMB - I'll try that, might make it a bit easier....

[SwanJack]

The Leven knob is stuck on over the plastic standard switch. The double sided tape used, is bloody strong stuff and I think is along the lines of araldite. The same double sided tape is used on the Leven stainless steel kick plates and these, I would imagine, would be very hard to remove.

[arandle]

Right thanks all - especially Simon at Leven who got in contact with me as a result of this thread.

It turned out it was a Leven knob and it came off with minimal force once I got a screwdriver behind it (looking for the "flat" on the spindle at Simon's recommendation as it happens). That pad is indeed strong, but does give after repeated tries!

Gawd knows what TVR were thinking with that original switch - Yuk!!

Looking forward to receiving my replacement now so I can stick the new one on. MMmm sounds like an idea for another thread!!!

...ok, p'raps not. Thanks again all, most helpful.

- A.