JGD8430ADB14 Jenn-Air Cooktop - Instructions

My mother is a great cook that is always in a hurry ... and I know that she is not always pushing those plastic knobs DOWN before turning them. Frustrated with reordering these expensive plastic knobs,I decided to get smart. I reordered 6 knobs (this is the 3rd time in 2 years). These knobs are designed to break. I decided to reinforce the plastic that goes around the knob shafts. At first, I thought about using some rigid metal bird bands like on a parrot. I second thought that this would be too difficult to find the perfect size to fit the outside diameter of the knob, so I decided to buy slightly smaller diameter, tightly coiled, sturdy, steel springs to fit around the plastic that fits onto the shafts. I manipulated each spring to become slightly larger to fit over the plastic by twisting the spring in the direction of uncoiling it. Not permanently unbending it, but just enough to make it grow in diameter to fit around the outside. I clipped the excess wire from the spring with wire cutters and reinforcerd everything with a coat of good strong epoxy . It seems that the metal spring and epoxy bonded to the knob became SOLID AS A ROCK. I figured, if the plastic can't split from the D- SHAPED shaft, then we have a knob that is as good as if it were made out of metal.

Screws holding burner base and ignitor were plain steel. If they had been stainless they probably would not have rusted in so tight. One in the base broke off, and the one holding the ignitor could not be removed, even with heat from a torch. I ended drilling it out and re-tapping the hole. If I wasn't mechanically inclined I would have had to give up and order a new burner base.