You can modify your own column trim or buy a spare on EBay pretty cheap.
These gauge pods are 3D printed out of Nylon PA12, on an HP Jet Fusion 4200 printer. It’s like a quarter million dollar machine, I soooo want one, lol. It is heat stable up to 347°F, unlike hobby grade 3D printed parts which will sag in hot sun.
Shapeways is handling all the ordering, manufacturing, shipping, and customer service, so after their cut I’m able to offer these for sale to the group at $65 plus shipping, which I think is a pretty good deal! I promise to squander all the proceeds on cool stuff for my car. If there are any players in the house, I can have them made from 14K gold for $13,000 or pure platinum for $26,880.
These are manufactured to-order. They typically like to fill the machine with a bunch of different types of parts using the same material before they run it, and there is some manual processing afterward, so it takes a few weeks between when you place your order and when it is shipped. Your patience will be rewarded.
I designed and tested this on a LHD car. I think it would fit a RHD car as well, but don’t have one to check. Roll the dice or research the trim part numbers.
I can also make a matching right-hand pod. It looks like Aeroforce might support dual gauges but you’d have to check with them to be sure. The right-hand pod would block a little portion of the speedo. The first person who wants one will need to buy it from me directly, after you give the thumbs up, I can add it to the web store.
Installation instructions:
Step 1 – Gather your parts and tools.
Parts:
Gauge Pod – Order from Shapeways.com https://www.shapeways.com/product/UZPDQGGYY
Gauge - Order from Aeroforce https://www.aeroforcetech.com/produc...r_audi_vw.html
4x #6-32 x 1/2” long machine screws - https://www.amazon.com/Available-Mac...dp/B07ZH52LGJ/
4X #6-32 set screws - https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-91.../dp/B07FG236LF
Optional – Spare steering column trim 8K0-953-515-A. Check eBay, sometimes it gets sold as a package with 8K0-858-345 flexible trim.
Tools:
Ultra Fine Sharpie
Masking tape – 3M #2093 or equivalent (needs to be 1 7/16” or 1.41” wide) https://www.amazon.com/ScotchBlue-Sh...dp/B004DEJ6XG/
Screwdrivers
¼” Socket
#6-32 tap - https://www.amazon.com/Irwin-80213-6...dp/B0006V6MNW/
1/16” Allen wrench
Drill bit for 5/32 and 7/16” holes
Step 2 – Remove the steering column trim
Unlock the adjuster under the steering column and move the steering wheel all the way back and down.
Turn the steering wheel 90° to the left.
Use a small screwdriver to gently push in and disengage the locking tab.
Rotate the steering wheel the same amount to the right and disengage the tab on the other side.
Lift the column trim off the column.
Remove the flexible skirt from the column trim buy pushing the tabs at the end of the retainer outward, and working your way to the barbs at the center.
Step 3 – Drill holes for the screws and wire in the steering column trim
Line up a strip of 1.41” (1 7/16”) wide masking tape along the edge of the trim. 3M #2093 was the perfect size.
Use a #6-32 tap to cut threads in the pre-printed holes in the pod. A drill can be used if you go really slow, but be careful not to go too deep or you will poke holes through the side of the pod, especially in the corner shown.
Remove the nuts and washers from the back of the Aeroforce gauge.
Temporarily install the gauge in the pod using the nuts and washers that game with the gauge. Tighten the nuts by hand only, just enough that you can still rotate the angle of the gauge by hand.
With the column trim and the gauge face on a flat surface, test fit the pod by aligning the corner of the pod with the edge of the tape. The pod should fit nice and tight against the contour of the column trim.
Insert the 6-32 set screws unto the threaded holes using an Allen key. Adjust them so that they are just barely sticking out past the surface of the pod. We will use the set screws to transfer the position of the holes to the column trim.
Align the corner of the pod with the tape mark as you did during the test fit. Gently rock/wiggle the pod against the trim to mark the position of the set screws. Use a sharpie marker to make the marks more visible if necessary. Use a slip of paper folded in half to make an additional mark halfway between the back two markings. This will be a location for a hole for the wire harness.
Drill the four screw holes out to 5/32, and the wire hole out to 7/16”. A step drill works great for this. The one on top is a stupidly expensive cobalt-chromium one that can cut Titanium. The one on the bottom was just a few dollars on Amazon. Both get the job done fine in plastic.
Remove the set screws and install the pod on the trim with four #6-32, ½” long machine screws.
Sit back and admire your work.
It’s a perfect fit to the OEM trim because I 3D scanned the original part.
I built a homemade 3D scanner from an old Xbox 360 Kinect sensor and an iPad mini. The software was Skanect for the scanning, and Spacedesk Server for the remote display on the iPad. 3D surface reconstruction and solid modelling was done in Dassault CATIA V5.
I was prepared to sand, prime, and finish the pod but I think it’s actually a pretty dang good match as-is. If you want to go nuts, I recommend sanding, high-build primer, wet-sanding, and then top-coating with Ultra Flat Black Camouflage paint from either Rustoleum or Krylon. It’s a near perfect match to Audi trim.
Step 4 – Install the modified trim
You will need to temporarily remove the gauge from the pod so you can install the wire harness.
Snap the flexible skirt back into the steering column trim, starting at the outside tabs and working to the center.
Route the wire harness from the OBDII port to the steering column, then into the gauge pod, and connect it to the gauge. Install the gauge in the pod and secure with the nuts and washers, being careful not to pinch or disconnect the wire. It’s snug but it will fit, take your time.
Install the steering column trim by first hooking into the tabs at the back, then carefully engaging the tabs at the front.
I was careful to design these so that they do not block the adjustability of the steering column at all, like some other pods like this do. From my seating position, it doesn’t block the DIS display or any important parts of the tachometer either.
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Originally Posted by 5moremins
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