I'm trying to install gauge rings on my a6 and when I got in there one of the 2 screws that the dash was totally stripped. I have a screw extractor kit laying around somewhere, but I remember trying to install a pilot hole was a FPITA because the screw was so hard. I didn't get it out and now I'm looking for tips.

 

tips? uhhh, don't install gauge rings? if you really want you could break the little tab on the cluster that the screws go through, i don't think there's much else you can do if you aren't going to attempt to get the screws out

 

I think gauge rings look good. I want to replace all the wood trim with either chrome or brushed aluminum so it would be a nice match to put gauge rings in.

 

oh haha, i wasn't bashing ya for that - it's just not going to be easy to get it out

 

how totally stripped is it?

Have you tried the rubber band trick? Sounds stupid but it has worked for me in the past. Never removed the gauge cluster but I can't imagine that the screws are very torqued.

 

ya, I tried the rubber band first thing but it was too far gone already. you would think they wouldn't be in that tightly but I was certainly surprised. I might try a different drill bit, I have some titanium dioxide coated bits that are supposed to work for everything but maybe I something specific.

 

Try using a cobalt drill bit or grinding the screw head off.

 

Try using a cobalt drill bit.

 

Speaking from experience... one of mine was also stripped, and in the end it ended up destroying the plastic tab holding the screw. Anyways, what I did was I proceeded with a 1/16" drill bit to drill out the bolt. Bolt is made of some sort of hardened steel. So instead of drilling through the bolt head, it got hot enough where it actually melted the plastic tab around the bolt head. Eventually I got it out but one of the tabs now has a big hole in it. But it really doesn't matter since the bolts will be covered and the cluster seems to be held fine with one screw.

 

I'm surprised that audi decided to use hardened steel for interior screws. It seems so unnecessary.