Beltline Trim Removal and Installation Shortcut Method

[S4tranquility]

DIY B5 S4 / A4 Piano Black (or CF, etc) Trim Installation Shortcut Method Write-up (I modified golfrsi's instructions - link may be broken)

Tools Required:
* Phillips head screwdriver
* Ratchet
* 10mm socket
* 8mm socket
* Flat head screwdriver
* Thin, long flathead
* Ratchet extension(s)
* Thin pry tool (butter knife works or 45 degree pick ideally)
* Needle nose pliers
* Pry tool (wide pry surface to remove the last clip in the long dash piece - screw driver is too narrow). See pic below.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...y/pry_tool.jpg


Step 1: Front Doors... There are 3 phillips head screws that need to be removed from the outside (marked with red arrows). Once the handle screw is out, the plastic trim piece it holds can be moved down - no need to remove it entirely - just enough to expose the screw(s).
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1092.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1100.jpg


Step 2: After you have moved the plastic trim down (note: the pic shows it removed, but you don't have to completely remove it), you will see 2 brass screws (1 in the rear doors). Undo these. The door card is now free to remove. Pull up and out. Do not remove all the way out as the handle cable and wires are still connected.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1101.jpg


Step 3: Once you have the door card away from the door you can lean it in place by resting the lower plastic guides into the holes. With it leaning in place, it's time to remove the trim clips. Pull the foam back and find the 5 clips (4 in the rear doors). Make sure all are removed before you try and pull the trim out. Forgetting one can result in cracking the wood. The easiest way to remove the clips (for the wood trim, aluminum is different - refer to step 10 to see those) is to insert a small flat head into the open end, pull it down or over, and remove it. Once all the clips are out, you might need to manually push the trim out as the vinyl on the door cards will hold it fairly snug. From that point, re-install is the exact opposite. One key point is to remember to feed the lock pin (next to the alarm LED on the top left (on the drivers door) back through the door card when you are sliding it down into position.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1106.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1110.jpg


Step 4: The rear doors are almost identical to the fronts except there are 4 trim clips and only 1 brass screw behind the plastic trim piece in the door handle. It's even easier to get at this screw without entirely removing the plastic door handle trim piece.

Step 5: Drivers side lower dash removal... Remove the fuse panel door - this is just clipped in place and your thin pry tool or flat head will get it off very easily being careful not to crack it. Remove the 2 bolts located on the bottom (no pics of these). There are 2 more bolts located on the underside of the lower dash, one on either side of the steering column. These are hidden under rectangular plastic covers that just pull straight off - using a flathead screw driver you can stick it in the lower end of these and slide it till you feel a notch - this is the easiest place to pry from and you will be less likely to scratch anything. There may be a 5th bolt down on the lower right (near the driver's right foot). Once all out, the lower dash just pulls and falls away.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_5221.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_5222.jpg


Step 6: Passenger side lower dash removal.....
Start off by pulling the end cap off the end of your dash board. This is just clipped in place and your thin pry tool or flat head will get it off very easily being careful not to crack it. This will expose 2 screws that need to removed. They are marked by red arrows in the pic.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1094.jpg


Step 7: Open the glovebox door. Remove contents. There are 2 tabs (marked in red) on either side that stop the door from opening a full 180°. pinch these together so the door swings down like shown here.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1118.jpg


Step 8: There are 2 screws located to the left of the lower dash. These connect the lower dash to the center console. See the picture. It is taken as if you put you head in the glovebox and looked towards the drivers side of the car. Be careful not to let the left one drop into the abyss. Once these are free, the entire lower box will drop down enough to get at the trim clips.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_4567.jpg


Step 9: Hazard trim piece... This needs to be pulled straight out. There are 6 clips holding it. Here is my shortcut - Being very careful with a wide flathead screwdriver or butter knife (maybe better), insert into the top edge and carefully pull outwards working along the top till it is all evenly out a little bit. Then work in by the cupholder and buttons to pop out there, too. That should do it. See the pictures to understand the clips.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_5233.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1121.jpg


Step 10: Small dash piece... Contort yourself so you can see the clip you are attacking. You might be able to see it through a hole near the fuse panel. Using your butter knife or picker, work the 2 clips off the post. Once you get it a little way off, you can use needle nose pliers to get it the rest of the way. It can take some patience depending on how good your tools are. Keep these clips because you will need for the new pieces. once both are free push the posts through the vinyl and remove the trim piece. The pictures show an intact clip and one removed.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1128.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1127.jpg


Step 11: Long dash piece... Now that you know how to remove the clips, you will need to be patient to remove 5 of the 6 here. As you can see in the picture below, the second one from the left is the one that isn't directly accessed using this method. Once you remove the 5 you can reach, it's on to getting the last one off. Using the large pry tool, work it in from underneath right where the clip is shown to be. Pry away carefully. You will likely turn on your hazards and depress other buttons or the cupholder during this process. That's okay just keep working it free (an alternative method is to insert a couple zip ties on both sides of the last clip and pull those). This method is better than prying away and bending the trim from the sides because you may ruin the piece by doing this. Eventually it will pop off and the clip will go off to never never land. That's okay. Just install the new piece with the other 5 clips. It will be fine. Picture is to illustrate where the clips are. You will not remove the center console, etc for the shortcut method.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_1129.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...rybar_spot.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...ool_action.jpg


Step 12: Shifter surround... Directions are for a 6 speed since I've never worked on a TIP... Unscrew the shift knob. Reach inside the surround and pull straight up from the front. It will unclip from front to back and than slide forward out from under the ashtray. Install will be the reverse, but you will need to unscrew the shifter boot and bend the aluminum tabs to remove the shifter boot and trim - you'll see I hope.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/IMG_5230.jpg


Step 13: Ashtray... Open the ashtray. The trim piece just pops off. I have seen these tabs broken, though, so just take care. I grabbed mine by the top corners and it just popped off without too much effort. Snap on new piece.


If you haven't already, bolt the dash, glovebox, and everything back together. Grab a beer and admire your new interior.


Here is how mine came out :)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...y/DSC_1420.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...y/DSC_1416.jpg

[Mattgfx]

now this looks like a more manageable job. i cant wait to do this.

[tgiblin]

this was actually one of the easiest things ive done so far on this car. it took no more than an hour.

[HotSauce]

One of the best writeups I've seen in a while.

Great work - it came out awesome.

Here's some more incentive for everyone else to do it...Just painted silver. Pre Alcantara.

[S4tranquility]

One of the best writeups I've seen in a while.

Great work - it came out awesome.

Here's some more incentive for everyone else to do it...Just painted silver. Pre Alcantara.

Very nice. I thought about trying a set similar to that, except doing the 3 center console pieces in plastidip.

[Mattgfx]

any write up 's on how to paint your trim like that?

[HotSauce]

any write up 's on how to paint your trim like that?

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50805

And yea, I thought about plastidipping. I'm really glad I did the shift surround in silver, but I think the ashtray and hazard would be better black. Just too lazy to change it up, and it's grown on me.

[kbjy11]

i actually did this recently...

For the 2 trim pieces on the dash.. i just used a prybar similiar to the one pictured to pry the trim off..

I managed to take them off without any damage to the trim or car... Then on the reinstall i rolled tape on the metal studs and they went back in nice and snug.. Probaly not the best way to do.. but I didn't feel like taking the radio, glove box, etc out.

You cannot pry the doors off though.. the clip system is different than the fronts... so I had to take the panels off..

[Dirty(30)v]

....

[scottb2240]

some of those pieces by the steering wheel are just bitches to get out ... but def a good writeup!!

[imapwnu]

Just wanted to say thanks for the thread i did this method yesterday to swap to the silver interior. Also plasti-dipped the hazard and shifter surround .Really nice look!

[awdjunkies]

Nice way to bring this back ^ lol ... But you know what, I too, can benefit from this

[11bravo]

very cool. i'll be doing this next week for sure

[Corbett]

This DIY was almost perfect! Thanks a lot! My beltline is out for paint as well speak! Will post pics in a few weeks.

My only suggestion is that for step 9 I ended up just using the radio removal keys and was able to pop the hazard surround off by hand. I wouldnt want to take a prybar or butter knife to that part to get it off


Oh, and the zip tie suggestion worked perfectly for the front long piece above the hazard/foglights.

[hallvardr]

Awesome work. Helped me a lot when I fixed up my interior. I used matte 3d carbon foil on the trim.

On the final clip over the stereo in the front. I just made one loop on each side out of zip ties and pulled straight out.

Here are some before and after shots.

[S4 00 2.7]

Best instructions out there.

[Gdlaszako]

Very nice write-up.

[JnormS4]

Awesome write up. Definitely my next project.

[olmarthi]

How do I get out the ashtray?!? It's so fn annoying, please can someone help me?

[Das General]

How do I get out the ashtray?!? It's so fn annoying, please can someone help me?

It snaps out, just give it a good yank.

[olmarthi]

It snaps out, just give it a good yank.

I've tried that several times... In wich direction should I pull?
Can someone make a tutorial with pics?

[Jupiteraudi]

The clips are on the bottom, be patient. You also have one of the best DIY instructions at your fingertips. Consider removing the shift surround then removing the ashtray, it might help.

[sqitis]

I've tried that several times... In wich direction should I pull?
Can someone make a tutorial with pics?

Open the ashtray and take the insert out and there will be two little push down clips on the bottom, shine a flashlight in there and you will see them. Gently push them down and the cover will pop right off.

[olmarthi]

Got inpatient... Ripped it out, but im going out to see if I can get it back in.. But I got the damn piece off!

[Tec_Nine]

do work

[Dorny1]

One more thanks man this helped tremendously.

[ontheedge56]

[wyoa4b7]

did those seats come in your car?if not where did you get them? they look way better than what i have in my car!!

Awesome work. Helped me a lot when I fixed up my interior. I used matte 3d carbon foil on the trim.

On the final clip over the stereo in the front. I just made one loop on each side out of zip ties and pulled straight out.

Here are some before and after shots.

[QuattroBCinco]

I am going to reupload this post with an image host that doesn't block embedding photos. I'll provide my own pictures. I will cite you as the author of the write up.


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[Teck09]

I am going to reupload this post with an image host that doesn't block embedding photos. I'll provide my own pictures. I will cite you as the author of the write up.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Please do, I and I am sure many others would really appreciate it.

[wpfahl]

Thank. Very helpful.


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