Replacing door card trim/insert 997 Carrera S

[asilva]

Hello friends:

I'm in a bit of a pickle here, my driver side door trim is worn out specifically around the power window switches. After looking at the parts catalog I found the part and purchased it (997-555-351).

After removing the door card  I found out that this part is somehow riveted against the door card (see attached pictures).

What is the proper way to remove this part and "rivet" the new one? Is there any plastic melting/riveting device that I can purchase that can replicate the process?

Is riveting the right term? is there a name for this specific  procedure?

Thanks in advance

[thomasshawn]

one of the carbon suppliers, I forget which one macarbon or guy out of Europe. have a good tutorial. basically you melt the weld with soldering iron and replace with a screw, washer and nut.
check YouTube or search for carbon inserts and tlook at their replacement instructions

[Brainz006]

I've done this, but unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share.

Removal: Use a drillbit the same diameter or slightly larger than the plastic posts on the new trim piece and drill out the center of the "donuts", aka plastic welds. You dont need to drill much, probably only 1/4 inch deep and the weld will break free.

In my case, I was repairing my trim, not replacing it with a new piece, hence I left the extra donut weld material on the door card as it provided extra plastic for me to melt during reassembly. Since you are replacing the trim piece with a new one, you may need/want to use a razor blade to scrape the remaining donut off the door card so that it's flush - - but I wouldn't bother unless there's a clerance/interference issue.

Reinstallation: With the old trim piece removed, your new one should slip right into the holes and the posts should protrude through the back of the door card.

Since you have good plastic on your new trim piece, I would first recommend trying to find some screws and washers to thread into the plastic posts as per the suggestion above. I expect the posts may require some trimming if you use this method as they come long so they can be melted down. The screw/washer method is likely your easiest approach, but if you want the factory style weld, read on.

Branding iron method: I have a small hobby lathe and made a "branding iron" with which I melted the posts down and recreated the donut shaped plastic weld. You might be able to fashion one similar to mine without the lathe using a drill and/or file and some parts from the harware store.

Essentially what I did was make a brass disc, about the diameter of a dime, and maybe 5mm thick. The face of disc was grooved concave, to create the inverse the donut shaped weld. I drilled a hole in the center of mine and tapped it to fit a soldering iron I had, but you could also put it on a metal rod and use a torch to get it hot before you brand/melt the plastic. With this setup I was able to replicate the factory look almost perfectly.

If you dont have a lathe or access to one, you could probably get a similar result by using a large nut and bolt (~3/8" diameter). Slightly sharpen the end of the bolt with a file, and then thread the sharpened bolt into the nut until the point is even with the outside of rhe nut. The resulting shape would approximate the donut branding iron I made. I hope that makes sense.

With your trim piece held tight in the door card, use the branding iron to melt the plastic down. You dont want the iron too hot or the plastic may burn or get stuck to the iron. You just want it hot enough that it melts it down into the desired shape. You may have to experiment a bit with the technique. Start colder and work your way up, its easy to remelt the plastic if your iron wasnt hot enough.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

[ThunderRolls]

You will want to snap off the "buttons" you have circled.  It's going to make you cringe, but you have to.  Second, fit the new piece through the holes and clamp or hold tight. Some of the new posts will stick up much too high, so it will make life easier if you trim some of these.  After you do this on one, you will know how much to trim.  The third step can be done one of two ways:  1) take a torch lighter and melt the plastic posts down over the holes just like it was when you looked at it with the old piece; or 2) take some self tapping screws appropriate for the holes in the posts, and use them and some washers to tighten the surround onto the door card.  The later method is more reversible, but even if you do the first one, the second method with the screw is still available if you screw it up.  Good luck!

[asilva]

Thank you folks, I appreciate your answers.  I'm going to take my time and evaluate the options.

I will let you know how it goes!

Thanks again!