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My A pillar trim has busted clips for the third time but now, with no warranty, I didn't want to shell out $90 for a new piece. So I bought a $120 tool to fix the problem 
I did the repair a the same time that I was running the wires for the Rigid lights and thought I would include a few pics as I know Timgco has brought up the A pillar wiring to a few members.
First, I removed the wires from the looms then laid them flat, securing them with duct tape. I left loom on each end so the transition to open areas would still be clean.
To get the loom under the pillar trim I did notch the trim on the side, about 3/4" x 1/2" to give room for the wires to run without being crimped and without bending the trim
Because all three tabs on the back of my A pillar trim (tabs that were to fit into those white female clips) I decided I wanted to secure the pillar trim with screws. I didn't want to just do sheet metal screws as those would wear out after time and this trim has been removed for a few replacement windshields.
I chose to use "nutserts" aka "rivet nuts". These work like rivets in that you insert the nut into a hole, use the tool to compress the nut and it flares out and grabs the sheetmetal from underneath. Here's the kit that I got off eBay with a sample of different size nuts with the appropriate mandrels and other tools.
For the 10/24 nuts I used I needed to drill a 9/32 hole. From there I put in the nut, used the tool to compress it and ended up with two secure nuts. I put one in the middle and one up top. I did at a bit of RTV around each nut to keep out moisture.
I used 3/4" long black machine screws with washers to secure the pillar trim. It is a tight as it ever was!
So it isn't flawlessy pretty with the exposed screws but I really want to minimize having to replace these pieces every now and then.
I did the repair a the same time that I was running the wires for the Rigid lights and thought I would include a few pics as I know Timgco has brought up the A pillar wiring to a few members.
First, I removed the wires from the looms then laid them flat, securing them with duct tape. I left loom on each end so the transition to open areas would still be clean.
To get the loom under the pillar trim I did notch the trim on the side, about 3/4" x 1/2" to give room for the wires to run without being crimped and without bending the trim
Because all three tabs on the back of my A pillar trim (tabs that were to fit into those white female clips) I decided I wanted to secure the pillar trim with screws. I didn't want to just do sheet metal screws as those would wear out after time and this trim has been removed for a few replacement windshields.
I chose to use "nutserts" aka "rivet nuts". These work like rivets in that you insert the nut into a hole, use the tool to compress the nut and it flares out and grabs the sheetmetal from underneath. Here's the kit that I got off eBay with a sample of different size nuts with the appropriate mandrels and other tools.
For the 10/24 nuts I used I needed to drill a 9/32 hole. From there I put in the nut, used the tool to compress it and ended up with two secure nuts. I put one in the middle and one up top. I did at a bit of RTV around each nut to keep out moisture.
I used 3/4" long black machine screws with washers to secure the pillar trim. It is a tight as it ever was!
So it isn't flawlessy pretty with the exposed screws but I really want to minimize having to replace these pieces every now and then.
