How would we go about mounting application for my rig? I have splines rather than threads

You don't happen to have a picture of the empty splined shaft do you? what we could do is bore the hole to the major diameter (outside of the splines) and then put 2 or 3 set screws in the side towards the bottom.

My first post here, but long time member on other diesel forums.

Farmboy1, I've made knobs for other sites, the OD of the spline of the ZF6 trans in .582" x 1" long.

I drilled out the hole first with a 37/64" then bored out to .585 for clearance. I used a single 3/8x16 stainless set screw.

I have used several different material, some solid stainless, aluminum, cold rolled , D2 steel, and even did a combo of aluminum with a stainless insert. The cold rolled and D2 were used for those who wanted to paint there knobs.


Since you don't have access to a CNC anymore, you could always make them out of stainless and have them lazer etched to what ever design or logo needed. Raw aluminum won't lazer etch too well unless it's anodized first.

Here is some of the ones I gave away to fellow members.

Attachment 39508

Attachment 39509

Attachment 39510

These all look great! hope your selling them and making it worth your while..

Ive made many, most out of aluminum. i'd post a pic but the last one i made was when i was in school and pressed a primer cap of a 35 Marlin rifle shell into the top of the handle, and the school thought it was a fire arm..... :w2:
BUT, great job, one idea you could consider to throw into your design is using a radius cutter around the top edge, 3/8, 1/2, etc...
Also drilling and tapping holes in the top in a circular pattern and srewing some set screws in gives a neat look, 6-32 screw, small ones...

good job man :tu:

Coors_man_2005, for some reason this site requires me to have 10 posts before I can send/reply to a private message.

I don't make shifter knobs anymore. I was only giving info to farmboy1 for the Ford ZF6 manual trans.

Please contact farmboy1 for shifter knobs. Thanks.

ok thanks we talked befor but he cant do the logos he said

Hey, what did you ever figure out about making the knobs for a zf-6 speed where it splines in instead of threads? Also, is there anyway you can machine on/lazer etch on the shift pattern? Reason I ask is because I cannot find a shifter ball with the correct Low-Reverse 1,2,3,4,5 pattern. I can only find ones for a 5 speed. And what about taking the insert and epoxying it in? Will the significantly increase cost? If you need to send a pm feel free....thanks man!:rocking:

let me do some looking into the laser etching and I will let you know. I would probably do as lilpooh suggested with boring the hole to the od of the spline and then put a set screw of some sort in it.

Check you local trophy shop, the ones who make trophies for sports,schools, and such. Our local shop had the laser etch machine. He told me the price would be between $25-$30, depending on what the design/logo was. They also told me, if they didn't have the design/logo that I liked, I could bring them in a picture of what I wanted.

I suggest you get the knobs anodized black, then have them laser engraved with the cummins logo. I get parts anodized all the time and for a single color like black, it is cheap. Laser engraving can be cheap to as long as you do the design work on the image. Most Laser engraving shops charge a premium to do design work. Shop around on the web for laser engraves and anodizers. I got a bunch of flat oval aluminum blanks anodized black locally for $30 flat charge up to 100 pieces, then had them laser engraved with the international logo for $5 each with a minimum order of 10 (these were for a certain Power Joke diesel)

You could sell them easily on ebay....... hint.....hint.

this section really doesn't get much traffic unfortunatly.