Mod Description
The heater controls are a bit boring and snap too easily.Mod Details
PremiumNo Difficulty
Mod ID352
CreditEvilution
Cost££2 - £30
For
Linkhttps://www.evilution.co.uk/mod/heater-control-sliders.htm Copy to ClipboardThe Easy Way
The first option is the easiest and cheapest, go to Ebay and buy some aluminium caps that push over the original knobs. They aren’t particularly pretty, look a bit big and don’t stop the stem from snapping.
The Expensive Way
Go to Smart R Us and look at their Michelak replacement sliders, £28.49 (at time of writing) gets you a set of 4 metal replacement.
The replace the entire slider, have smaller knobs and unlikely to snap.
The Custom Way
I asked about having custom slider replacements made but at over £100 for 4 that plan soon went out the window. I started looking at how they could be made at home for a lot less using bits that can be bought from the local DIY shop.
The sliders will be easier to make in 2 parts, the tang that slots into the dash and the knob that is seen on the dash.
The Tang
Very easy to remake, I went to B&Q and bought a length of aluminium strip. 15mm wide by 2mm thick, 1 meter long. Barcode 3232630508909 if you are interested.
The bar is a touch thinner. I cut off 4 sections about 2 inches long using a hacksaw.
Using a thin tip marker pen I drew around the shape of the tang onto the aluminium.
I then roughly cut around the outline and finished off with a small file. Do with all 4.
Test fit them to the car and adjust accordingly with a fine file.
Sounds time consuming, any easier way?
Actually yes, there is no reason that the outline couldn’t be cut on a key cutting machine. They are designed to acurately follow a line and can cut brass so aluminium will be easy.
You will have to cut apart one of the originals to get the plastic tang out. Persuading a key cutter to knock a few out shouldn’t be too hard with a bit of cash.
Luckily I have a key cutting machine at my disposal so using this little beast…
I cut out 4 very rough copies from the aluminium shims.
They are actually a bit rubbish because I didn’t take my time and didn’t think about what I was doing. I’m sure with a bit of time I could recreate the tang pretty well.
Any Other Ways To Do It?
Don’t tell me you don’t have a key cutting machine! some people. Go and buy a scroll saw, it will make light work of the aluminium and are easy to control.
The Knob
This can either be the easiest or hardest part, you now have to find, buy or make something suitable that can be glued to the end of the tang. Stalk end caps, guitar knobs.
Drill a hole through the tang to give the glue something to bond through. Make sure you allow the glue to dry properly, I would recommend using quick steel or chemical metal.