plastic threaded hole repair

[Leeztruk]

Several of the holes for my dash bezel hold down screws are stripped from previous owners. Is there a fix for this? I've been thinking on using a moldable epoxy to fill the holes and then run the screws in (after coating them with some sort of release agent) but not sure if this is a viable way to do it. Anyone have some other suggestions, or think this idea won't work? Thanks

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

Try this-I haven't done it but looks awesome and simple.

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[johnckhall]

After an epoxy filler, I’d drill a pilot hole a little smaller than the dash screw diameter and then screw it in.

 

[Leeztruk]

Cool video on the super glue and baking soda. Too bad that the dash holes are vertical, not horizontal. I'm afraid the glue would run out before the baking soda could be applied. Same with a mixed epoxy. That's why I was thinking of a moldable epoxy.

 

[Leeztruk]

This is what I'm thinking of using (because I already have the stuff), and the reason I want to fix the plastic. I found a "unicorn" gauge cluster for my '89

 

[Leeztruk]

Just a follow-up; performed the fix, which was actually quite easy. The bezel screws enter into a cavity for each screw that is about 3/8" deep, with the screw only seeing plastic at the base. i guess that's why it's so easy for them to strip out. Anyways, after kneading the epoxy dough, I packed the cavities and tamped it down with a blunt nose punch to ensure the cavities were full. I let the epoxy set for about 4 hrs. so that it was drillable but not fully hardened, using a 9/64 drill. This left enough material for the screws to bite into. I then re-installed the bezel, turning the upper screws (the two that were stripped) into the epoxy, but not fully tightening them. After curing for 24 hrs. the epoxy will be hard enough to fully tighten the screws