Reverse sounds and fun with the shifter knob

[apstguy]

I have a new question - When I shift in to reverse, it makes a "metalic" noise for about a second. I can't really explain the noise, maybe I'll make a video on the borrowed digital camera to show you the noise.

I had tons of fun trying to get the automatic shifter knob off. Took me about an hour!!! I first tryed to pull it off, but it didn't budge. I took a razor blade to it and cut it all the way down the side. Didn't work. Took a dremel with a cutting wheel to it. Cut it all the way to the metal (oooouuhhhh sparks) and used a screw driver to pull it off.

My observations: It is a vinyl outer piece with a plastic inner. I took the vinyl part off and it had grease like stuff in it. WTF was that doing in there??? This thing is NOT held on my glue. The shaft has splines on the end of it which the knob locks on too. Not fun I tell ya.

Next I installed the billet knob. Push on shaft, turn set screw, then sit back and admire.

Question for all with auto trannys: on the underside of the truck where the shifter connects to the tranny, there is a plastic bearing by where the adjustment bolt is on the shaft that goes into the bracket on the frame. My plastic thinggies won't stay in. It makes it so the shifter can never be calibrated correctly!!! It makes the main shaft loose, is making metal rub on metal, and make it very noisy when I shift. How do these plastic bearings stay in??? Can anyone help me? I may just have to epoxy them.