Missing drivers knee panel fixing - how to repair?
 

For some time now I have known that, during previous ownership, my S8 had been subject to some "uninformed" (brutal) trim removal. The amount of wiring etc. found lying hidden related to a non-OEM mobile phone installation gives me a clue as to who. :angry2:

As I go around working on things I'm slowly rectifying as best I can. Today's topic is the drivers knee panel.
As far as I can tell it has five (5) fixings in total:
- 2 * T25 bolts, one each side of the steering column
(behind ends of curved trim strip below column that just clips on/off)
- 2 * 8mm hex head bolts, bottom left and bottom right, upwards in shallow recesses.
(left into metal clip on plastic lug on transmission side panel trim, right into metal clip near bonnet release handle)
- top right upwards in deep recess into fixing below/behind air vent to right of steering column.

The bottom left fixing is pretty frail and was damaged and useless; I've actually removed the lug on the side panel for convenience of other jobs as it adds very little useful support being close to the top left one.

The top far right one however is important as it helps support the stowage tray.
Mine had been completely ripped out, no bolt/screw, no retaining clip/socket above and just a ragged hole in the bottom of the dashboard trim where the fixing should be secured. :angry3:

I'm going to try and reinstate some sort of fixing, as close to OEM as is feasible. So can someone tell me what is normally there please?

I presume there is some sort of screw or bolt going upwards and some sort of threaded bracket or clip fixed to the dashboard lower edge.
Is this a typical metal bolt and clip setup or a plastic post pushed and turned into a slot or something else?

I'm going to fix something rigid across the ragged hole to provide a basis for attaching, but what attachment is used will influence the material I use and how to fix it.

Hmm not sure about this audi don't show much detail on the removal in ELSAWin -

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1426185820

Sergey may know the answer to this as he's had his panels off a few times under there but I'm not sure - thought perhaps it was a clip on metal clip that slides over the other parts of the trim then a threaded bolt through those to each fixing point?

That would be my guess, the two lower ones are that type.

I've some ideas on how to do this, but the geometry is pretty critical.

If someone has the knee panel off (RHD preferably) could they take a photo of that area from below, it's just under the rightmost air vent, to the right of the steering column.

Well, it's done, not perfect, but solidly fixed. T25 bolt into a metal clip on a new piece of plastic.
I cut a strip of tough plastic (ABS probably, from spare car trim) about 70mm by 20mm and 2mm thick to bridge the hole.

Removed the soft surface trim beside the hole (plastic leather-textured surface and crumbly backing) to make a recess to hold it and fixed it to the (thick plastic) dash structural backing material with three very short self-tapping screws (through drilled guide holes). It's all hidden with the panel in place.
Test fitted the threaded clip over the new strip from behind and found I needed to trim back a bit more of the original material to get it in the right place.
After refitting the strip I offered up the knee panel and squirted a burst of silver spray paint up through the bolthole to mark the fixing spot. Drilled through the plastic there, slid the retaining clip for the bolt over the edge of the new strip and fixed the knee panel back into place. Nice and sturdy now. +++

BUT refitting wasn't as easy as it should have been as the strip and clip are not quite in the right place. There also should be another hole to give access to a retaining bolt recessed above it, probably securing the back of the air vent.

But now I have a template, so making another strip of the correct shape (and fitting it) will be easy. I just need to know what the original looks like, so:My final version, if I ever make it, will be glued into place as well as screwed.

If the weather is kind at the weekend, then I might have a go at fitting the radio clock, so I'll take a photo with the knee panel off.

Thanks Jim, it is just the top right fixing area/clip that I'm interested in, looking upwards under the vent.

It took me just a few minutes to fit my clock, the socket on the back of the cluster is easily reached with the knee panel off, and I stuck the receiver behind the trim just left of the steering column, with blu-tack! :o
Since doing it whenever (over a year ago?) I think I've only twice seen the signal lost, and then very briefly.

But now, having secured the top right one, I'm wondering if the bottom left one can be done more sensibly. ;)

Looking in that area there's a small (20mm square?) ventilation duct immediately behind the bottom left corner, and it's very solid. I'm pretty sure I could fix a small bracket to that to hold a threaded clip to receive the securing bolt for the knee panel. I'll report back if I get anywhere....

Here's some piccies of the knee panel attachment points.

The middle one is the the one immediately below the far right air vent. Hope that helps

Many thanks Jim, it's the middle photo I wanted. +++
Nothing like I expected but mine has been totally ripped out. :tuttut:
Based on your photo though I think mines pretty much in the right place now, to a mm or two. :D

The plastic "strut" from the transmission side panel trim (3rd picture) I've removed anyway, but the square vent you can see behind it is what I'm considering using as a base for a bracket to secure the bottom left corner. Though it's pretty stable without it.
The bottom right one (first photo) is onto a metal bracket so very strong.