Fibreglassing panels?

[Padmei]

SInce I have cracked a front faring panel I was wondering if anyone has had any luck laying some fibreglass under their panels to strengthen them up? Any issues re flexibilty etc?

[Waihou Thumper]

I have a touratech headlight guard for the KTM. Does anyone have any access to perspex to cut a shape from my template? It has cracked and I am using the other ones, the Ventura sticky ones....

Nor hijacking, just making the most of combining our resources....

Thanks...

Padmei, my mechanic was putting this wiring stuff on the back of a fibreglass panel for a BMWRT that took a very nasty spill. It needs heat and it melts behind the crack, sort of like chicken wire with black film, holds it and fixes it, then you sand it and paint it I guess...

[junkmanjoe]

yip i made a new top fairing for my cbr600 out of fiber glass.

old was was toast, we made a mould and went to it.
came out good as.
painted stickers...as good as new.

[aff-man]

Depends.....
And I know that sounds silly but it does. I have repaired many a fairing in this manner so a few tips.
Fairings are not made to be flexible, or if they are is is only ever so slightly. Fibreglass on the other hand is flexible yet very strong but it's flexability can be changes with the amount of resin. Use the minimal resin for the amount of matting and you'll get quite a bit of flex... make a puddle of resin on the inside of your fairing and it'll be stiff.

Where abouts is it cracked? you'll probably not even need to worry about this but...
1. Sand fairing right back to the plastic in an area about 5cm all around the crack.
2. Rough up with some 60 grit odd sandpaper.
3. VERY IMPORTANT wip down with IPA or meths or some high alcohol content cleaner to get rip of residual greases and dust.
4. Lay down single layer of matting and use a paintbrush to soak with resin. Then use brush to remove any air bubbles under matting. Repeat while resin is still wet, More layers = less flex but more strengle.
5. If you still need to strengthen the are grive a v over the crack and fill with resin.
6. bog sand, paint and your done.

[JATZ]

Can you use polyester resin or is epoxy the way to go and would cloth be better than chopped mat ?

[CrazyFrog]

Padmei, first plastic weld the crack to strengthen the wound, then go see Pierre, yes the fibreglass resin (or carbon fibre resin in Pierre's workshop) will adhere to plastic panels..... best to sand the surface first to aid with adhesion. There's a plastic welder right next to AMK's (Pierre"s workshop).
Might pay to take a good coffee with you....

[Padmei]

Padmei, first plastic weld the crack to strengthen the wound, then go see Pierre, yes the fibreglass resin (or carbon fibre resin in Pierre's workshop) will adhere to plastic panels..... best to sand the surface first to aid with adhesion. There's a plastic welder right next to AMK's (Pierre"s workshop).
Might pay to take a good coffee with you....

Trying to stay away from plastic welding as I don't want to damage the face of the panel just strengthen the back then if need be, replace the panel if I ever sell it. I do want to strengthen the other panels though.

I have done a bit of glassing in the past but am more interested if anyone has stengthened their existing panels before they get damaged & if it worked.

Luckily Pierre owes me for work round his place

[CrazyFrog]

Yep, the resin and some fibreglass matting (or carbon fibre from you know who) will still strenghten it. Try and force some resin into the crack first .... no, not your crack, the crack in your fairing.

[CookMySock]

Can you use polyester resin or is epoxy the way to go and would cloth be better than chopped mat ?

Polyester will melt some plastics whereas epoxy will not. Also polyester is all over the place with its' gell time depending on temperature, so if its a cold day you will be trying to hold everything in place with one hand, and trying to set up a heat tent with the other. Epoxy will take x time to cure and that is that ish, so you know in advance that it won't go off quickly (unless you mix up a whole cup of it and it exotherms.) So polyester can be good if you want it to go off real quick, and epoxy is good if you want to take your time.

CSM is easier to mold around things, but cloth makes a neater job if you can get it to lay down properly. If you cut the cloth on the 45 degree angle it's easier to lay it down over curved parts.

Steve

[marks]

no, not your crack, the crack in your fairing.

particularly if Igor is popping round to the lab

you don't want to seal off his only avenue of pleasure

[Padmei]

particularly if Igor is popping round to the lab

you don't want to seal off his only avenue of pleasure

Hey Marks We'll have to stop the Igor jokes as there is a member here that goes by the same name & don't want to create any animosity. My lions tho are another story...

[pete376403]

I asked on ADVrider if anyone is making aftermarket plastics for the new KLRS - answer no and no one makes stuff for the old shape either.

I've got a mint top fairing which could be used to make a mould from, if someone has good side panels to make moulds from as well.
There could be a market for these things, given the price of new parts (right side lower shroud, $250, decals andother $180)

[hayd3n]

you can get it all plastic welded with out any damage to exterior paint work
i also vacuum form and can make abs ones with a mould

[Padmei]

PLease elaborate & whats the cost? Is it only worth it if you make a few? I was thinking of making a mould & making some up just in case however if you can do it easilier it may be worthwhile making a mould of the front panels as there are a lot of 08s out there.