Restoring Rock Warrior/Tomahawk Shift knob leather

Here’s what I came up with:
Black Cerakote
SS black hardware
Perforated black leather

 

Looks very clean!

 

Do you have a link to the fasteners you used?

 

Sure here ya go…I ordered the 8mm
https://belmetric.com/m3x0-5-bolt-socket-head-black-stainless-coarse-din-912/

 

Is the Tomahawk shifter made out of steel or aluminum? Also wondering if it's possible to replace the two plastic parts or if you are hosed when those break?

 

the body is aluminum, as far as the plastic parts, there is only one, is it the semi-circle that holds the leather on but it is also what threads on to the shaft of the shifter. So I have been toying with a spare shift knob and I could come up with one possible way of fixing it. I would JB weld a nut into the handle where the plastic part enters, just make sure it is the correct thread pitch M8x1.25. then I would find a solid round of aluminum the same diameter as the plastic, then easy enough to drill and tap the threads for the hardware. Might also look cool un wrapped and finished a contrasting color to the handle.

I post some pics if i am not clear

 

I discovered the two plastic pieces and thought of harvesting the connection point from a normal shifter knob if it breaks. Would love to see where you got with it.

Any tips for removing the existing paint before I get it cerakoted? I've got some rust and oxidization around the screw holes

 

So this is my spare that I am experimenting with as far trying to replace the plastic with solid metal stock.

@crbr what two pieces of plastic are you referring to? Mine is one solid piece of plastic. Also as far as removing paint I would suggest sand blasting, or a chemical spray and some light sanding

this was also the first tomahawk I came across that didn’t have leather on it and it came with a polished black insert

 

The plastic part that it screws into on mine is an insert into the half cylinder.

 

Just finished installing the leather today. Powder coated and need new screws and done ..

 

I got replacement screws from pro-bolt. They have a few color options.

PB308
Aluminium Allen Bolt M3x(0.50mm)x8mm

 

Did you powder coat yourself or have a shop do it? If a shop did it how much did they charge you?

 

oh wow, i feel foolish, I have taken apart a dozen or so of these doing restorations since doing mine and have never known that!

 

I'm assuming because they know it's going to break is why they kept it separate. If I could just find that piece (hoping it's some universal part), then we are in good shape. I know I'm going to over-torque it one day and have to replace. Trying to get ahead of that. Plastic bits seems like a weird choice here...wish it was 3d printable. Probably going to have to fabricate something at my buddies shop and use aluminum. Just not sure how to do the threading and all that, so will need his help. Going to take a while but not in a rush while my plastic is still good (knock on wood).

 

a quick search I found these

nuts | McMaster-Carr

the M8 have all the same specs as the original nylon toyota part, the only thing is that the one I linked is opened ended so you would be torquing the handle until the shifter bottoms out against the plastic leather part of the shifter.

 

Ty for linking that. You could plug the end with something or weld an end on and it would be fine if doing a full rebuild.

 

I had some one do it. I’ve use him regularly he did it when he was doing other stuff for another customer charged me $20

 

Just got this tomahawk shifter back from powder coating. Unsure what color leather I want to go with. Black or Red is where my head is at.
Going to post it for sale soon.

 

If selling, go with black. More universal.

 

@brando.graves is looking for this shifter. Maybe you guys can talk before you pick a leather color and you can work out the details of sale.

 

Is everyone installing back to stock height or counting turns? I found the instructions (for an FJ, but the same shifter) and it said to install to 1/2" height above the shifter gate. It's seems to be how both of the ones I got were installed, and they were both 15-17 full turns to remove.

Dropping them both off for "brushed aluminum" Cerakote tomorrow. Have an upholsterer friend helping with the replacement leather. Fun little project. One of them was nearly perfect, the other has some putting and needs blasting.

Thanks to all for blazing the trail.

Edit: place called it brushed aluminum but maybe they meant satin aluminum (Cerakote name). I now need to look at it vs battleship grey (Cerakote name). Regardless, keeping it classic.

 

Progress. Went with one of each color, and while this photo washes the tungsten out a bit, they both came out great. New polished aluminum heads for the silver (factory look), I got black bolt heads for the tungsten. Both will be getting new leather, which I'm hoping to get done this week.

Thanks to @RainMan_PNW for his build thread. Following his lead, my local firearms shop turned them around in just a couple of days.

 

If you run them down too far they will hit the shift gate trim in park and mark it up. I’ve had it happen in the 08 and the 21 - both times when a service tech twisted them down to a full bottom out.

 

Finished the shifter restoration.

 

Looks great!! That would go nicely with a blacked out interior.

 

Interested in purchasing...

 

message me an offer

 

Just finally got around to doing my first leather replacement. Went surprisingly well once the adhesive cured enough for install. Zip tie marks have all relaxed with time and after being used.

The silver one I'm debating doing the smooth leather on since I'm selling it, but curious as to everyone's thoughts on the "diamond" I put on the titanium.