Topic: Got me a broken side cover

[Badger 5]

So the guy who shipped my side cover to me thought that FedEx was going to treat it with kid gloves so he didn't bother to us any packing material at all, in fact he didn't ever write fragile on the box.  Needless to say I got a 3 piece side cover.

Question: Does anyone have a great product to get this thing back together or is crazy glue the best I can do.  I want to get it pieced together until I get my other set painted so it doesn't have to be perfect, just enough to get me by.  Thanks

[moduleum]

To to O'reilly's and buy a fiberglass kit that says "Fiberglass jelly" on the outside of it.  It shoud have everything that you need to mend them.  I just got through repairing some cracks on mine and they appear to be holding up well.  Mine weren't fully broken into separate pieces though.

You can apply the fiberglass sheets on the back side, so you won't have to sand them down much, if any.  Remember to apply some resin along the connecting surface as well and maybe smear a little on the outside for good measure.  You can then sand off any excess (with care of course) and then paint as needed.

Don't use glue.  It'll break when you induce stresses by installing them.  Hope this helps.
-Keith

[goon 1492]

I work with plastic alot (lexan[polycarconate], abs, sintra[expanded pvc sheets], and we use all kinds of glues. I'm thinkin that the side covers are abs and many different glues will work, weld on 4( thin watery consistency) will work but  THF (tetra hydra furan) will work too if you can get a hold of some, but above all don't use super glue it will scorch the plastic and make it brittle, hope this helps take care...

[winston]

I also work with plastics and I've often wondered why sidecovers aren't made of HDPE instead of ABS...because as ugly as the Maier aftermarket ones are, they're made of HD, which is far more flexible than ABS...then again, the whole idea of a clip-on part exposed to the wind and weather is kinda dumb anyway...

[Tim.]

One of the guys I know reinforced the back with about a gazillion zip-tie strips glued in place.  Flexible to conform to the curve of the cover and very strong.

[Gregorymoto]

This is how to do it.

Make sure all the parts fit to gether snug you might need to do some filing. After that Use good old JB weld. You might need to do it PART BY PART HOLDING IT TIGHT BY HAND TELL IT sets but it works, and you can sand JB weld.
If the cover is old a brittle from the elements it is then good to lay some fiber glass on the back to help protect it as a whole.
I do restoration work for a living
I have tried everything.
let me know if you have a question

[Otto]

I have a right side cover from my 76 parts bike that is in better shape than what you have. . If you can use it, you can have it, I'll ship it to you for the cost of shipping.

I had it on ebay during Christmas. Not going to repost it..

Here is a pic from the completed Auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300183205612&ssPageName=STRK:MEUS:IT&ih=020

Let me know.

bc

[Red750K1]

Has anyone tried to use PVC pipe cement?

[mark]

I use jb weld reinforced with some of that bulletproof fabric(kevlar?) cut from a blown airbag.

More recycled auto junk. The guys at the yard might think I'm a little strange...... What the heck is he going to do with broken headlights and a used air bag?

[Gregorymoto]

Hay Red 750K1

Yes i have tried to use PVC Cement.
it does not work.
It sort of works but is is week.
PVC cement only works when you have 2 parts that have a reasonable amount of surface area under compression when the cement sets.

Also the use of the word Cement is not quit right, the stuff is not as much of a binder as it is a solution that brakes down the PVC temporally along for the 2 sides to sort of mix together and set into a bond.

Kind of like melting 2 plastic ink pend and pushing them together, but that is more a mechanical change, the PVC Cement is more chemical but you get the picture.

[UnCrash]

I've used "plastic weld" from Napa and it RULES!  I'll post more info tomorrow.  This stuff fused my Windjammer turn signal lens back together like I woulda never guessed.

[fuzzybutt]

I've used "plastic weld" from Napa and it RULES!  I'll post more info tomorrow.  This stuff fused my Windjammer turn signal lens back together like I woulda never guessed.

glued the passenger side mirror back onto my saturn with that stuff too!

[Gregorymoto]

ya it will work on parts that are not being pulled on or pushed on, my point is it has no strength in the bond that would bring a broken side cover back to its stock strength.
After a few pulls and pushes to get it off or on it would brake.

I would love to know more about the NAPA goop.

Thanks G. Mountain

[Red750K1]

The rocket scientist that packed my pipes and sidecovers together didn't do a great job and go figure the one that gets busted is the battery side (the one i needed)  Doh!

I'll try the NAPA stuff today and see how it works. . . .

[Red750K1]

Update!!! The "plastic weld" stuff (got it from autozone) worked pretty well. Its gels up FAST so work VERY FAST! I smeared it in the cracks with a toothpick and taped the thing back together for about 2 hours. It seems solid, although I didn't jump on it or anything. I'm guessing since the left sidecover gets put on/off the most I'm going to cut a sheet or two of fiberglass and reinforce the back with it. 
My friend said he alaways repairs his cracked plastic whatever with his soddering iron. . . I tried it on a K0 (yah i'm nuts) sidecover I got with a little crack on the lower mount tab area, it seemed to work nice. You get the thing nice n' hot and melt the plastic then swirl it around the crack then sand it smooth.

[Gregorymoto]

Red, that sucks, good luck.

[c_kyle]

Grind the crack into a V shape on both sides, and drill a small hole at the end of the crack.  Plastic weld it, grind it smooth, prime, paint, done.  Mine has held up for about 2 years now.  The Harbor Freight plastic welder is cheap and comes with welding rods that will work with the side covers, use the white one.  Here's a crappy diagram of what the crack should look like before welding:



Doh!, I should have read the entire post.

[Donzon]

Yet another option.

I used fiberglass cloth for strength, but instead of the usual glass resin, I used 5 minute epoxy.  It's held up well so far even after some good flexes.

Don

[Red750K1]

ya but then you have a nasty patch on the back side. . . I like the "groovy" (cut a groove with the dremil) and plastic weld technique I've used. You can prime over the repair and it looks bone stock. I guess it matters to me

[Terry in Australia]

Get a little bottle of liquid (not gel) superglue and a packet of baking soda.

"V" out the crack with your dremel too, and make sure the repair area is as clean as a whistle.

Pour some baking soda into the v'd out crack, just "proud" of the crack, so it looks a bit like a bead of weld .

Drip some superglue onto the baking soda. (just enough to soak the baking soda thru)

Sand it back with 280 wet and dry sandpaper. (wet)

Paint it.

Send me beer.

It won't break at that crack ever again, and you won't end up with 5 pounds of bondo, fibreglass, zip ties or JB Weld hanging off the back. Cheers, Terry.  

[Red750K1]

Baking soda? Hmmm . . . I think mine's in the fridge    I guess that would work but the whole reason super glue is bad is it's brittle and doesn't bond very well to the plastic. Read my lips: PLASTIC WELD!   Its freakin $4 a tube and I fixed about a dozen sidecovers with one tube already. It holds up when flexed, sets up super fast and sands very easily. Just guber it in the crack, dry, knock down with 80 grit then 220. Perfecto!  I'd be afraid of someone squirting lemon juice on my sidecovers if I used baking soda can u say 1st grade volcano project?

[Terry in Australia]

Ah, out of the mouth of babes................. I've been repairing motorcycle sidecovers for over 30 years mate, and I've got a real plastic welder in my garage, (not a tube of glue.......) but this method works better. Can you say "I'll try it before I knock it"?

[troppo]

Get a little bottle of liquid (not gel) superglue and a packet of baking soda.

"V" out the crack with your dremel too, and make sure the repair area is as clean as a whistle.

Pour some baking soda into the v'd out crack, just "proud" of the crack, so it looks a bit like a bead of weld .

Drip some superglue onto the baking soda. (just enough to soak the baking soda thru)

Sand it back with 280 wet and dry sandpaper. (wet)

Paint it.

Send me beer.

It won't break at that crack ever again, and you won't end up with 5 pounds of bondo, fibreglass, zip ties or JB Weld hanging off the back. Cheers, Terry.  

Good tip terry, remote control plane builders have been using this method as a filler for years, you can buy speciality stuff called micro baloons that is even lighter than bicarb and also a hell of a lot more expensive, i didnt even think of this as an option, too long since i flew lol
cheers
troppo

[Gregorymoto]

O come on, does this look like 5lbs pf JB weld, and that is smooth as a baby but and ready to paint.

[Terry in Australia]

Sorry Greg, I can't see the pic due to my Defence Department computer blocking the link to your pic, but I'm sure it looks fine.

My only reservation with JB Weld (wonderful product that it is for repairing aluminum) is that they recommend thicknesses of no less than 3mm, which is about the thickness of your sidecover, so if you coat the whole inside of the sidecover to get a uniform surface so as not to detract from the aesthetics, you've got quite a substantial pool of the stuff there, or just fat "spider webs" all over the back, depending on how much damage you had and what method you used.

No doubt it works fine, but adds a bit of weight and bulk. Just my opinion of course, I used to repair them with epoxy resin, fiberglass etc etc, but once I discovered the superglue and baking soda method, I never looked back. Cheers, Terry.