Fairing repair

[argonsagas]

My Vetter Windjammer IV has split just where the right side cover goes on, behind the instrument panel. The crack is about 1/8 inch wide at the top and runs down about 4 inches. It cannot be closed completely by pushing the fairing, so I am pretty sure the split was caused by stress.

To be able to ride the bike without doing more flex damage I rivetted in two strips of metal across the crack, inside the pocket, and at the top only as I could not get a drill behind the panel.

There is a printed warning under the cover that says not to use epoxy.

Any recommendations for repair?

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if you can plastic weld it? I have only seen plastic welding kits at Whitewater Kayak stores. Places like the NOC "www.noc.com" could find one for you in just about any color.

 

[argonsagas]

I wonder if you can plastic weld it? I have only seen plastic welding kits at Whitewater Kayak stores. Places like the NOC "www.noc.com" could find one for you in just about any color.

Thanks for that hint. I called them and they said they need to know the type of plastic used, which I don't know. They suspect it was made of styrene, but their product won't work with that as it works only on the HDPE-type of plastic currently used on a variety of things, including kayaks. (high density polyethylene)

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, let me do some checking. I have some Vetter Fairings laying around and can possibly come up with a process for welding it using old fairing material. I can't promise anything, but may come up with a good solution. Epoxy in my experience melts and destroys the material. Fiberglass resin may work as well if you can keep it pulled tight enough for the repair to heal.

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

Stress cracks

Stress cracks

Hmmm! I too have a crack in the very same place on my Windjammer. I too pop-riveted a strip of aluminum across the crack from the inside of the pocket. But my fairing (I got it from eBay) looks like it was dropped at least once. To stop your crack from progressing more. Stop-drill the end of it. Drill a hole about 3/16 inch at the very end of the crack and this will releive some of the stresses. Also, for an adhesive, try some of the industrial CA glues. These glues (Crazy Glue) are amazing. But watch out, you can glue yourself to your fairing in a heart beat! 8O
Check out www.pacertech.com
GY

 

[argonsagas]

Re: Stress cracks

Re: Stress cracks

Hmmm! I too have a crack in the very same place on my Windjammer. I too pop-riveted a strip of aluminum across the crack from the inside of the pocket. But my fairing (I got it from eBay) looks like it was dropped at least once. To stop your crack from progressing more. Stop-drill the end of it. Drill a hole about 3/16 inch at the very end of the crack and this will releive some of the stresses. Also, for an adhesive, try some of the industrial CA glues. These glues (Crazy Glue) are amazing. But watch out, you can glue yourself to your fairing in a heart beat! 8O
Check out www.pacertech.com
GY

Thanks for that stop-drill tip Gerry. I tried the Pacer link. The site does not give full descriptions of their many products so I tried to download their catalogue. Unfortunately there were repeated errors in the process, so I ended up with blank and black pages.

My experience with CA glues is limited to the home-type and I have had only poor luck on plastics. Sometimes it gets brittle and breaks off and other times it just pulls apart, probably because it doesn't have the same expansion rate as the plastic

My bike was clearly dropped before I got it and I did it as well, on a side-sloped road, with some spilled gravel on it. It's really embarrassing to fall over at a stop sign, especially when you're my size, because people stop to see what I will do with such a big bike

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Stress cracks

Re: Stress cracks

Thanks for that stop-drill tip Gerry. I tried the Pacer link. The site does not give full descriptions of their many products so I tried to download their catalogue. Unfortunately there were repeated errors in the process, so I ended up with blank and black pages.

Send me a personal email message and give me your mailing address. I'll send you a bottle of the stuff I used. it is thick but will run. You can use it with FG cloth or by itself. I'll also send you some "Kicker" glue accelerator. it makes the glue fire off instantly. But keep it off of clear coat. Don't ask How I know :?
Cheers,
GY

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if JB weld would work, at least to fill in the crack. If you can draw the crack together and rivet a strip of metal, then the JB weld can be used as a filler, sanded and painted. I've done this with my side covers with good results. But, they dont have the same stresses as a fairing.

 

[argonsagas]

Gerry: I have sent you a PM. Not sure if it went through, as it is my first.

Robert:
I am not sure, but I think JB weld is an epoxy that uses a metal filler.
I agree with the epoxy on side panels, in fact, that's what is holding them on right now.

On the side panels I tried Crazy glue. It cracked and died, so I tried the 2 part fiberglass resin, and it broke away. I had sanded the surface in both cases.

The first time I used epoxy it also broke away, so I sanded it again then drilled several 1/16 inch holes about half way into the plastic to give the glue more to grab onto, and that seems to have worked.

I was concerned about the fairing because of the printed warning not to use epoxy. It's already strapped/riveted together, so nothing is moving now, but there is a small gap at the top of the split that has to be filled.

 

[jpaul]

The type of plastic used on Vetter fairings is ABS. I used a repair kit from Vetter on a fairing about twenty years ago, and as of two years ago, it was still fine. If you are unable to find a repair kit for ABS, e-mail me and I will send you some experimental adhesive I've been working on. It has much better flexibility than CA types, which in my opinion are way too brittle for any application where the bond is subjected vibration. If you would like to try this, I can send a sample along with instructions as to how I would approach this repair. All I would ask in return is a couple of pictures, and a report on how everything worked.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerry: I have sent you a PM. Not sure if it went through, as it is my first.

I got the message... I sent you a little care package with a couple of different glues. You can experiment with a scrap piece of plastic first but I am sure that any of them will work fine. You can also use a patch of fine fiberglass cloth (or two layers) over the crack and saturate with the glue. When dry, sand the edges smooth and prime and paint. Works great. I sent the package airmail so hopefully there will be no duty on your side of the border. if you do have to pay, I am sorry but there is about $30 worth of stuff. it was free samples I got at a trade show so enjoy!

And for the rest of the group, please doen't ask for free glue, I don't have any more If I did, I would gladly share though
GY

 

[argonsagas]

fairing repair

fairing repair

Robert: Don't know how to express it better. Thank you.

John:

After seeing they are made of ABS I went to a bikesite to see if they had anything to say, and found an article on repairing ABS saddle bags,

They have two suggestions, one with a commercial product that may work on fairings as well. I called Home Depot here and asked about the Oates glue and they told me it must be a USA item, as they don't have it.

The other suggestion with methylene chloride requires good ventilation because that stuff is a known carcinogen. I've only used it as paint remover.

http://www.webBikeWorld/Motorcycle-technical-articles/repairing-abs-bags.htm



BTW, I got onto that site for tire info, but it has all kinds of information on it.

 

[Anonymous]

fairing Repair

fairing Repair

I have heard of using Oates Black plastic repair glue as well and will give it a try soon. Also I have in the past used Methylene Chloride to glue plexiglass together and would highly recommend it. Use it well ventillated area and work quickly, but practice on some scrap first.

caballo

 

[Anonymous]

Last week, I fixed my ABS frame covers using thin strips cut from ABS plumbing pipe that I bought at the hardware store.

I bought all of the solvents/cements that they had in the plumbing section and tested each on the pipe and a corner of my cover. The primer/cleaner worked amazingly well. It is very thin, like water and melts the plastic. After it dried, I couldn't tell that the plastic had ever been altered.

I applied the solvent to the strips and to the location where I was going to attach them and then pressed them together. Unbelievably amazing fix :!:

The primer/sealer cost me $2.50 and I returned all of the other products that I did not use. The short piece of ABS pipe that I used cost me $0.75. I fixed $125 worth of bodywork for less than $4.

Good luck.[/quote]

 

[silverhorse47]

fairing/sidecover repair

fairing/sidecover repair

Hi all,
I used something called 'modelling plastic' to repair the locator pins on my sidecovers and the mounting tabs on my fairing. It comes in thin slabs and seems very similar to abs pipe. You heat it in the microwave or in hot water and then mold it with your fingers into the shape you want it in. It welds itself to the underlying plastic part and within five minutes is part of the base material, hard, and strong. You can shape it with a dremel after it cools down.
I haven't tried just melting down abs pipe instead of buying the 'modelling plastic' but having heard about the success of the abs solvent cure, I sure am going to.
Take care.

 

[Anonymous]

Where did you find the 'modelling plastic' and how much did it cost? It sounds like a good product.

 

[silverhorse47]

modelling plastic

modelling plastic

It is a shepherd hardware product...:
Shepherd Hardware Products LLC
Three Oaks, MI, USA 49128 (616/756-3830)

I got mine at Princess Auto in Canada, but I would imagine that you can get it at the hardware store above. Also it says on the package that Select Hardware carries it.

Good luck...it really is worth playing around with.