Topic: Fix side cover cracks

[Big Cobra]

anybody have any advice on how to repair cracks in a side cover?
Thanks

[Industrial Cafe]

there's a good thread on this somewhere, but as far as I remember, it involves using MEK and pieces of plastic as a brace on the back.

[MCRider]

This works pretty well.

http://expertplasticwelding.com/

Seriously I used him great price and result.

If you want to DIY, there is/are a couple of great threads. Search "plastic welding" or some such.

[cb750k77]

i used some fiberglass matting and a thin layer of resin worked really well but wear gloves it was messy! but its super strong! i like it and who ever see's the back side anyways!

[Raul CB750K1]

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=55855.0

[westondc]

JBWeld? i glue everthing with it.

[dewjantim]

i used some fiberglass matting and a thin layer of resin worked really well but wear gloves it was messy! but its super strong! i like it and who ever see's the back side anyways!

That is how my painter did my CB550F side covers. They are strong and look perfect from the outside. JBWeld works well sometimes, but seems to pop off the part when the weather turns cold. My painter also tried the plastic welding method.... he didn't have any luck. From what I have seen, plastic welding is probably the best but it sure must take a hell of a lot of practice to get it right......

[scottly]

It seems that most adhesives don't bond well to these kinds of plastics, kind of like trying to glue something to a Teflon frying pan. The last time I did this type of repair, I sandblasted the repair area first, using coarse sand. It really roughed up the surface, giving something for the glue to hang on to. Then I used a few layers of fiberglass cloth, thoroughly impregnated with J B weld. Been over ten years and still holding. BTW, I DO NOT recommend the "quick" version, just the good old let-it-cure-24hrs stuff. 

[domer]

being as poor as i am, i pulled out the abs cement and purple primer... sets pretty quickly making it so i didnt have to try and clamp the 2 peices of cover together... then i flattened a bunch of heavy duty staples in the vice, layed them across the glued crack and held an old soldering iron to them untill they were buried/melted into the cover. the pic only shows 2, but i ended up doing it every inch or 2. its held up better than i thought, even had to remove them a dozen or so times with out any issues... oh i filled the outside with spot putty, sand, paint...voila.

[Really?]

I have used the method and stuff on my bike in the link below many times since my plastic is brittle.  Never breaks where I fixed it, just outside of it, yanno, the brittle aged and weather beaten plastic.

http://www.angelfire.com/oz/tes/Plasticfix/PlasticFixSite.html

The VersaChem resin is awsome and is easily found at AutoZone, O'Reilly's and such.  The only recommendation I have for this stuff is do not buy too much becuase after about 6 onths on your garage, it is useless, even if unopened.  Well, it gets really hot in the garage during the summer.

[shizzomynizzo]

JB bumper epair kit, comes with little mesh patch. The JB sand suprisingly smooth and can't tell it was done unless you look in the back. Cheap, quick, and permanent!

[Nikkisixx]

I vote fiberglass mat, on the whole doggone thing.  Tried to "weld it" only to have it break in another place.

[fmctm1sw]

There's a post here where someone melted down a PVC pipe or something.

*edit* can't find it.  had photos too and mentioned cutting a "V" into it and pouring the solution into it..