# A pillar trim removal - roadster?



## Zelgin (Dec 7, 2013)

First, yes, I did a search for this. I came up with several resuts. All for the coupe and dealing with the air bags and such. Nothing for the roadster. I know there are snap in clips on the lower section of the trim and I need to pull the screw for the sun visor, but how does the top clip detach from the windshield frame?
I haven't had the best of luck dealing with 12 year old German plastic. I seem to need super glue to fix it, after I get it removed from it's mounting place. I want to do a pillar gauge pod, so, I'd like to get this off the car and do it right.
Thanks


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## NotAVeTTe (Jan 2, 2014)

I'll pull mine off in the a.m. I can afford to have more broken parts on my car at the moment.:laugh:


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## Zelgin (Dec 7, 2013)

NotAVeTTe said:


> I'll pull mine off in the a.m. I can afford to have more broken parts on my car at the moment.:laugh:


Hey, great! Let me know how it goes. I'll try mine, after you break yours.:laugh:


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## NotAVeTTe (Jan 2, 2014)

Inadvertently, inevitably, yet unregretfully: 

Held in by four clips and the sun visor screw








Strange ovular hole








Insert for strange ovular hole








Examples of the 4 clips (top two I broke)








Broken rear side A-pillar fittings for clips








And lastly, broken random plastic stud that fits through the strange ovular fitting











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## Zelgin (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks for posting the pictures. Sorry that didn't go as hoped for. What do you think the purpose of the strange ovular fitting is for? Some kind of anti rattle spacer? I'm going to pull mine this week. I'll try and make a pry tool to slide in under the trim, to pop the metal clips loose. I destroyed a few of those on the rear panel behind the driver seat, whe I replaced the CD changer. If all else fails, I'll screw the A pillar trim back on. Maybe, I can hide the screws under the gauges. Thanks again for the pictures.


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## NotAVeTTe (Jan 2, 2014)

No worries. I glued it together and it's as good as new. I think that insert might be a filler for cars with phone integration(microphone location) but I'm not certain. I suggest some very thin needle nose pliars and you should be fine. It can take some decent torque before anything wants to break.


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## Converted2VW (Apr 8, 2009)

This is great info! thanks for the pics guys.
I've been considering a gauge mounted in the A pillar as well


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## Zelgin (Dec 7, 2013)

Im going to pull mine this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes and what I did, should I be successful. I found a pillar trim on EBay and ordered it. I'll have an extra, if I get the old one off in one piece. My confidience is not great.
The manual says to remove the top windshield trim first. I can't see why it would matter. Just one more piece to break, while getting to where you want.
If I manage to remove mine in one piece, It'll be available. Its black.


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## NotAVeTTe (Jan 2, 2014)

It's not really going to ruin the structural integrity of the part if the clips break. I wouldn't hesitate to 'cautiously' rip the thing out. I glued mine overnight and reinstalled it without issue or effort. Btw, did not have to remove the entire overhead plastic of the window frame. I took out both screws of the sun visor though. It may have helped with flexibility, but the conjoining corner wasn't an issue regardless once the furthest left screw was removed. Good luck, but don't turn it into a laborious struggle!


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

I'm looking at gluing my clips back in as well. Did you just use super glue? I was thinking I should use epoxy, but I'm looking forward to getting my headliner back in.


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## NotAVeTTe (Jan 2, 2014)

I use superglue and put it on excessively. Chemically, it implements flexibility into the plastic for a short period of time when its cured but not quite dry. Epoxy would work the same but might be overkill for something with neither form nor function. 

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## Zelgin (Dec 7, 2013)

*A Pillar r & r and gauge pod in place*

Ok, I'm finally getting around to posting the results from my project. First, the service manual says to remove the center trim section, that holds the sun visors and interior light, before removing the A pillar trim. I decided to skip that and pull the A pillar trim anyway. Turns out there are a couple of lugs on the center trim, that lock into the pillar trim. I broke the slots off the pillar trim while pulling it out from under the center section. I also cracked the center section, near the visor attachment area. Old plastic is not very flexible. Luckily, the fabric covering over the ABS is pretty tough and hides a lot. I had only one of the metal spring clips break out. I used 15 minute epoxy to attach it back onto the trim.








This is the back side of the pillar trim, with the two slots near the center of the picture. The one closest to the metal bracket is supposed to have a retaining bar, at the outer edge. I'm not sure about the other slot. I bought a spare pillar trim off EBay and it was broken, too. The small locating pin, near the bottom of the picture, really isn't necessary. Must be there for factory assembly purposes. This is the EBay piece I bought. I reused my old one, as It was just as good as this one.








The center trim section cracked from front to back, between the rubber bumper where the visor sits, and the screw hole for the visor (windshield is at bottom of picture, visor at top). You can't see the crack through the fabric. Since the pillar trim needs the center trim to hold it in place, I added a screw, with cover, into the windshield frame. It doesn't interfere with the visor and keeps the trim tight against the frame. The "fabric' covering the plastic trim is tough. Almost like wetsuit rubber.








The gauge pod was an EBay special. Ad said "Heavy Duty". Yea, on what planet? It worked out ok, just really hard to get it shaped to the pillar with my heat gun, without melting it. I test fit the pod to the trim, before taking it all apart. I was going to mark the position of the pod on the trim with some 3m Fineline tape, which usually sticks to most anything. Wouldn't stick. Cleaned the pillar with Dawn dish soap, Windex, then alcohol and it still wouldn't stick. I finally used a silver Sharpie and marked the position inside the intended mounting area.
After the problems I had getting the tape to stick, I figured it best to remove most of the "fabric" under the mounting area and glue the ABS pod directly to the base plastic. This comes of in little pieces, as they did a good job of gluing it on. I used big ol' gobs of black RVT silicone to, glue on the pod. I held it in place with close pins and electrical tape, wrapped around the pillar. When it was set up the next day, I ran a thin line of flexible CA (super glue) around the edges. They make a flexible CA for fabric RC aircraft hinges. I figure it would be my best option for the Audi wetsuit fabric. It seems to have stuck pretty well. I masked off around the pod and quickly (before the masking tape fell off) sprayed a coat of low gloss, flexible automotive trim paint on the ABS pod portion. It looks a little glossy in the photo, but dulled up to match the original interior, after a day of drying.








I carved the openings out from the back side with my Dremel tool. The wiring and vinyl tubing were run in wire loom. There are some sheet metal "obstructions" on the pillar (you can see these in the post by NotAVeTTe ) , that the trim clips don't snap into. I removed these with my trusty tin snips, so I could get more room to run wires and tubing.








The rest of the hook up is pretty much as described in other threads on here. I used a fuse tap in the side fuse box, for my gauge power and a wire off the headlight switch, for lighting. The gauge lighting is LED, so, I might install a resistor, to dim them a bit more. Oil temp sender is in the drain plug.
Since I was under the dash and hood, I also ran another spare wire for a future water temp sender. I plan on using the oil temp gauge and just switching the two sensor runs, with an indicator light to tell me which is active.

Thank you to those of you that tried this before I did.


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## Krissrock (Sep 10, 2005)

I need to remove my a-pill to tap the wires to the dome light...this is good info. 

maybe ill pick up some trim tools prior to attempting this..


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