Stripped Tachometer/Speedometer post

[tmbr_wulf]

Hi all.  I've been wrenching on my GS lately to try to get it caught up on some over due maintenance issues and have run into a bit of a pickle.  After doing a fork oil seal job [I must thank everyone who contributed pictures and writeups] I decided to investigate a buzzing noise that I've gotten in my gauges from time to time.  So while I had some stuff out of the way I decided I would try pull the speedometer out to see what's going on.  Well wouldn't you know it, one of the asses that worked on my bike before I bought it had gotten there first, and during reassembly decided to force some Standard nuts onto Metric posts.  One of the posts became stripped, and I had to drill and pry the cap nut off of the stud because it was just spinning around the post and wouldn't move up or down it on the threads.  Between the mismatched nut and my efforts to remove it the threads on one of the posts have totally been destroyed, and are non-existent.  The other set of threads are in usable condition, but have been forced and mashed to fit a standard nut  .

So I'm calling out to anyone who has opened their gauges for maintenance and/or face replacement for a little information.  If I can open the gauges, is it possible to replace those posts with something similar [I've found an okay replacement at the hardware store], or would it be more worthwhile to pick something up from another user or eBay?

Also, before I buy a set are there any users that have a set of gauge "dampers", the large rubber rings that sit under the gauges?  The set that I have disintegrated and need replacing.