Door lock pins, Shift knobs on Automatic

[encrypta7]

I just bought a new 2006 PT Limited in Black. I love it!

I got some different accesories for it and am running into a few problems that have been sort of discussed on here, but i haven't seen resolutions....

the door pins i got went in fine, but are smaller circumference than the hole in the door. I'm looking for basically a chrome or even rubber grommet (ring that goes around the door lock pin) to purchase to cover up the open hole area, or at least make it look NOT like a hole in my door with a skull popping out of it....

My PT is automatic. I bought a skull with the button on the head shift knob. I got the PT knob off with a #7 set screw tool. The new shift knob is supposed to be 'universal' and has 3 hex screws in it. I set it on and the hole in the skull knob doesn't meet up with the shaft hole on the shifter, it sets about a quarter inch above. Inside the knob, there is a screw which keeps the spring in the knob in place. If i remove the screw, the button locks up randomly because of the spring unsetting. If i take the spring out, the button still gets stuck. Am I missing something, or are my only options:

-get a new knob
-file some of the shaft tip off (but how?)
-find a replacement screw that has a thinner screw head to go in the knob.

Thanks!

[quicksilverdon]

I had the same thing with the door lock pins. Go to Lowes, Home Depot, etc, and get "electrical Grommets" - I believe the size is 3/8". You'll need patience and a small, flat screwdriver to get them in - with pins removed. In my case, the grommets grabbed the pins too tightly - use a drill on high speed and make the hole in the rubber a bit bigger. It still grabs, then a shot of silicone spray made things perfect.

Can't help with shifter...

[jimmirehman]

on the 06-07 cruisers, do the door lock pins just unscrew? Mine are like a plastic rubber and they dont seem unscrewable...

[soonercruiser]

Got a 2006 Touring, and mine simply inscrewed. But, don't expect them to come out easy. They are a tight fit, and required some force.

[prettybluewoody]

I had a really hard time getting the door lock pins off my 2003; they unscrewed about halfway off, then didn't do more than turn in place. I ended up so frustrated that the next time I was at the dealer for a service call, I handed them ny new lock pins and paid 'em to do it. Don't know how, but they somehow did manage put the new ones in. They gave me back the old ones; looking up the shafts, I couldn't see anything more or less than screw threads: no visible reason for the things to give so much trouble.

I hate to say it, but are you sure your new shift knob is compatible with your car? For instance, in my case (2003 automatic), very, very few after-market knobs would fit. Good luck!