Gauge/rocker switch panel removal 305 express

[teaklejr]

Some of the screws on our 2007 305 Express that hold the rocker switch panel and gauge cluster do not want to come out and a few are broke off. I assume the nut inserts are just spinning inside the fiberglass. How the hell do you get to the backside of them? Do you have to remove the entire tilt up helm display to get to the backside or drill them out?

 

[Sparkdog118]

That looks like quite a dilemma. It’s a long shot, but I would try carefully prying up the panel under the screws with a thin flat head screw driver. This will put up pressure jamming the nut in the cavity behind the panel. Then without pressing down too hard, try to loosen the phillips screw at the same time.
if no luck with this method, you may have to dremel off the heads or drill them out. Needle nosed vise grips and a drill to drill them out. If you have someone else hold the screw still while you drill it may make it easy to drill out without the screw spinning with the drill.

 

[wspitler]

Agree with Sparkdog. Also if you can get a grip with needle nose vise grips and pull up on the screw head while unscrewing might work. Good Luck!

 

[drbatts]

I went through this with my previous Grady. I ended up having to drill the screw heads out. The good news is that when I called Grady they sent me new screws and inserts at N/C.