repairing cracked side covers

[headsbikesmopars]

What is good Epoxy to repair a crack in the plastic side cover on my sons '81 GS750EX. Thanks for any input you can offer.

Terry

[bwringer]

The epoxy for plastics, available about anywhere, works well.

Depending on where the crack is, it's a good idea to reinforce the back side with a piece of screening (the kind used in a screen door).

[78550Detroit]

I would recomend using an SEM or 3m plastic repair product. You should be able to get this at an automotive paint supply store like Painters Supply. When you repair the crack V it out so that it is more like a gouge. This will allow the repair material have more of surface to stick to. You will want to repair from the front and back side of the crack. hope this helps.

[posplayr]

Plastic Weld

http://paint-and-supplies.hardwarestore.com/50-272-epoxy-adhesives/plastic-weld-5-minute-651856.aspx

There are seveal "plastic wld" epoxies on the market several are avaliable at your local hardware store.

This stuff is pretty tough and bonds well. The strongest is a 24 hr cure though. I used this to bond aluminum L bracket to the back of a side cover to replace a broken tab. Worked well on the ED.

I reinforced any stress points with some stranded fiberglass filled bondo product. You could do fiberglass mat but that is probably overkill.

I would not try plastic weld with heat. Very tricky and easy to melt the whole peice. If the plastic doesnt want to flow then U R screwed.

Pos

[rustybronco]

There are seveal "plastic wld" epoxies on the market several are avaliable at your local hardware store.

Also "available" from your local hardware (if you can find it, maybe order it?) Oatley abs cement, to repair those pesky cracks with.

http://www.oatey.com/Plumber/Shared/ProductGroupDetail/167/ABS+Medium+Black+Cement.html

[tkent02]

Take some used dryer sheets and put them on like fiberglass. Strong and a little bit flexible, you can use epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue.

[twistedwankel]

What is good Epoxy to repair a crack in the plastic side cover on my sons '81 GS750EX. Thanks for any input you can offer.

Terry

Or you can just buy new ones from BikeBandit.com
They come only in black but can be painted if desired.

[Planecrazy]

New product I saw at the Housewares show this week looks perfect for this sort of repair, as well as reattaching and reinforcing broken studs on the side covers.

Insta-Fix (The only U.S. distribution right now - eventually it'll be in hardware stores, etc.)
Insta-Fix Pro (The inventor's site, with .pdf spec sheets, etc.)

I saw demonstrations of this stuff that I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't seen it in the flesh. I met the inventer (nice guy), and I hope to have a sample of the stuff very soon. Of ALL the things I saw at the show (out of many thousands) this was the single most impressive product! One of the most impressive aspects of this product is that it has been tested for over a year straight in gasoline with no breakdown, it sets instantly, can be used with a special filler to build up repairs, can be used to instantly seal high pressure hoses and pipes, and is non-toxic!

If you search around the sites (especially the "how to" link on the "pro" site) you'll find various videos demonstrating some of the things this stuff is capable of ... VERY cool!

Regards,

[jpaul]

The Insta Fix Pro is a cyanoacrylate. I prefer an epoxy for repairs on ABS. Use screen across the back as was suggested for a good reinforcement. Any standard 5 minute epoxy will be more than adequate for what you're doing, but there's no harm in looking for one that's marketed for plastics. There may or may not be a difference between them and any of the other epoxies sold by the same company.

I'm currently prepping a Vetter fairing to repair a crack, and a Don Vesco fairing for some cosmetic dings. This is the stuff I plan to use.

http://www.systemthree.com/p_u_cartridge.asp

For reinforcement, I plan to use screening, plus a piece of PVC sheet. Both PVC and ABS will soften around 200°F. I cut a piece to roughly the size I need, then put it in an oven for 10 minutes at 105°C. Then while wearing gloves, I took the piece and pressed it to the spot I want to adhere it to. It cooled and hardened back up in about 2 minutes. A little work with the Dremel, and I have a custom shaped piece to help make the repair stronger.

[Planecrazy]

The Insta Fix Pro is a cyanoacrylate. I prefer an epoxy for repairs on ABS.

Normally I'd be in complete agreement with you and, in fact, I have ALWAYS used a good two part epoxy to repair and rebuild side covers (without EVER having a subsequent failure). Epoxy is ALWAYS a good choice for this kind of repair.

Having said that, however, I'm anxious to give the Insta-Fix a try, both because it acts so quickly (especially if you're at the side of the road), and because the special filler they include gives this "super glue" some amazing capabilities I've never seen before in this class of adhesives. I don't know if you checked out the "How to" video on the "Pro" site, but if you haven't you should, if only for the entertainment value, hehe!

Regards,

[jpaul]

The special filler is baking soda. Try some with any super glue type of product. I repaired the tabs on my sidecovers using superglue and baking soda. It works really well, and lasted about twenty years before I noticed any degradation of the bond. Cyanoacrylates are great adhesives, but they do have their limitations. The main one to keep in mind is shelf life. I would be surprised to see the same performance from a batch that is more than six months old or more. The other limitation is impact resistance. Super glue a penny down to a concrete floor, and you can't pry it off to save your soul. Give it a good smack with a hammer, and pick it right up.

[Planecrazy]

The special filler is baking soda. Try some with any super glue type of product. I repaired the tabs on my sidecovers using superglue and baking soda. It works really well, and lasted about twenty years before I noticed any degradation of the bond. Cyanoacrylates are great adhesives, but they do have their limitations. The main one to keep in mind is shelf life. I would be surprised to see the same performance from a batch that is more than six months old or more. The other limitation is impact resistance. Super glue a penny down to a concrete floor, and you can't pry it off to save your soul. Give it a good smack with a hammer, and pick it right up.

Check out the .pdf specs on this stuff. The shelf life is three plus years and you can leave the bottle open without it drying out (unlike most conventional superglues). Interesting point about the baking soda - don't know if that is what their "filler" is made of, but I'd be interested in doing a comparison between superglue/baking soda filler and the Insta-Fix to see if it was comparable. Also, unless I'm mistaken I was under the impression that conventional superglue breaks down in gasoline ... this stuff doesn't. Did you watch the video? I've never seen anybody successfully stick rubber to brick with superglue but they manage it here.

Good conversation ... learning a lot about conventional superglue!

Regards,