Plastic repair advice?

**marks** · 3rd April 2010, 13:43

I had a close encounter with the Devils Staircase yesterday and as a result I have a nice big crack through one of the DT's soft white plastic side covers.

I'm sure these things will be made from unobtainium so - as the plastic hasn't yet separated completely - can I fibreglass a patch on the inside - or will the fibreglass resin make the plastic go all funny?

**That looks like fun** · 3rd April 2010, 14:38

Take it to a plastic welder, cheaper in the long run. Get them to weld on the back, then you don't need to worry about colour matching

**p.dath** · 3rd April 2010, 15:13

Originally Posted by That looks like fun

Take it to a plastic welder, cheaper in the long run. Get them to weld on the back, then you don't need to worry about colour matching

+1. I've had several things plastic welded so far. Usually costs me $40 to $50.

**marks** · 3rd April 2010, 16:31

Thanks for the replies guys

The nearest plastics welders are 50km away and I have some fibreglassing bits and pieces lying around - hence my question

**Crisis management** · 3rd April 2010, 16:40

Mark, I think the problem with fibreglass is that it doesn't bond well with the plastic, IIRC there are a couple of different epoxies you can use and one of them is better than the other. I suggest you try a bit and see what happens but don't expect to much success.
If you have some spare plastic compatible with the side cover and access to a heat gun it may be worth trying plastic welding yourself, it isn't that hard to do but you need a few practice pieces first to obtain a neat weld, too much heat gets ugly really fast.

Something worth remembering, the plastic part may be cheaper than paying to get it fixed, certainly with some of the KTM parts I have shredded it worked out cheaper than the plastic welders.

**hayd3n** · 3rd April 2010, 16:42

i repair for beer in dunners

**mrchips** · 3rd April 2010, 17:17

Fibreglass matting + 2-pot Epoxy & Resin to the underside of ABS fairing works a treat. Just good prep to the underside of the fairing first ie, pull off the previous owners shitty attempt at repair, drill a few small holes / Sand off any paint & roughen up the surface with course sand paper to provide a good key to the plastic.

fwiw. You can buy the 2-pot plastic weld stuff from supercheap auto for small cracks etc, works a treat.

**junkmanjoe** · 3rd April 2010, 18:40

Mark i did a repair on dave trans-alp fairing using fiber glass matt.
its holding very well.

just make sure you give the inside a good scruff up with a heavy grit paper to give good grab with the resin.

dont just patch the crack part, go out side the damaged area to give good support .

JMJ

**Pampera** · 3rd April 2010, 18:58

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

Mark i did a repair on dave trans-alp fairing using fiber glass matt.
its holding very well.
JMJ

OK..............what happened here then?
Michael

**dino3310** · 3rd April 2010, 18:58

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

Mark i did a repair on dave trans-alp fairing using fiber glass matt.
its holding very well.

JMJ

wondering how long before something needed doing

Glass is good mark if its done right, plus you can do it yourself.
Plastic weld is even better when done right but if they fuck it up it can fook it

**junkmanjoe** · 3rd April 2010, 19:54

ummmmmmmm i no nothing....give me beer i talk

**CookMySock** · 3rd April 2010, 20:59

Google superglue and baking soda.

Steve

**dino3310** · 4th April 2010, 13:25

Originally Posted by junkmanjoe

ummmmmmmm i no nothing....give me beer i talk

beers in the fridge......... now Talk

**Paladin** · 4th April 2010, 14:47

Did you not hear about that already?

I put it down on the RHS on a steepish loose stoney descent when Jatz took JMJ & I up to the radio towers on top of some hill nr Denniston on our New Year SI trip!
Needless to say crash bars are on the menu!

JMJ's patch job is holding up nicely, plus I get to get high on the fumes once the engine has heated it up! The RHS fairing has since had another brush with death when I was unceremoniously dumped on the deck on a slow speed turn in the centre of Welly whilst commuting to work - still don't know what happened there; presumably one of those smooth metal man hole cover type thingamajigs decided it needed breakfast that day and bit me!