Plastic Repair

[Huggy]

I have been busy repairing cracks and broken tabs so I thought I would post some pictures of what the PO had done. The first two are the left upper fairing back corner the last three are inside of the trunk. Lots of fiberglass. Obviously the bike was dropped on the left side. I don't know what he did to the trunk but it was cracked from left to right across the back at the bottom.

 

[Marcarl]

Before you do any repair, make sure you clean the coating off first or things won't stick very well, it also helps with adherence to roughen things up.

[Huggy]

Taken care of Marcarl! I'm debating on weather to replace the left upper fairing or not. I'll make my mind up on that when I get to the point when I have to decide on painting. But all the mechanical, brakes, hoses, electrical and tires have to be taken care of before I make my mind up on that.

 

[Huggy]

Marcarl I passed along the information on using Plastifix and boy what a bunch of close minded people. They jumped all over me about how mixing ABS and MEK and using crazy glue and ABS solvent other things they can buy off the shelf anywhere are just as good. Well my point was Plastifix is MADE to do these types repairs. I guess that's what I get for rocking the boat over there!

 

[maknak]

I just fixed all of my plastics with plastifix that stuff is great! It’s great for repairing broken off tabs and repairing broken mounting points. I ordered the professional kit for 80 bucks and I'm glad I did it comes with 300mg of plastifix (150 white 150 black) and 3 moldable plastic bars that you can use to recreate tabs. make sure you buys some metal duct tape so you can fill in any broken pieces then use body filler to make them smooth (fill in gaps from the inside out).

[Huggy]

I just fixed all of my plastics with plastifix that stuff is great! It’s great for repairing broken off tabs and repairing broken mounting points. I ordered the professional kit for 80 bucks and I'm glad I did it comes with 300mg of plastifix (150 white 150 black) and 3 moldable plastic bars that you can use to recreate tabs. make sure you buys some metal duct tape so you can fill in any broken pieces then use body filler to make them smooth (fill in gaps from the inside out).

 

Ya that's the one I got! Thankfully Aircraft Spruce has an outlet at the Brantford Airport here and its only a 1/2 half hour ride from my house. I mentioned Plastifix on the XJ forum I'm on and holy cow. Did those guys jump all over me about it.

They went on about mixing ABS and MEK and using ABS solvent/adhesive also buying crazy glue at the hobby shop. You would think I had attacked their way of life and burned the American flag and was screaming "DEATH to ALL AMERICANS".

They went on about why should we use something that's made for aircraft and on and on. I never said their bikes would fall apart or that they had to use it or anything like that. I just said this is what I'm using it great stuff no mess no fuss and that its really made for what we are repairing. And it was a alternative to what was being done to repair the plastics on the bikes.

 

[stickhandle2]

My 2 Cents....... I have used the ABS / MEK mix alot and it can be a pain to get it to the right consistency. It has been used on both my 86 Standard and on 2 Apache camper trailers, at Marcarls Meet n Eat afew of the members told me about the Palstifix and how easy it is to work with.

 

The Plastifix sounds great to use and a lot easier then playing the mixing game with the ABS and MEK. If you are near to Brantford I would grab the Plastifix.

 

The MEK can be pretty nasty stuff and you have to go across the border to get it, at least I couldn't find it here in S Ontario.

 

Good luck with the repairs, if you decide you want to go the MEK way, let me know and I can give you some of mine.

 

Mike.

Edited August 7, 2013 by stickhandle2
some really bad spelling

[JohnT]

I got real stuck in my ways on this after I once tried G-Flex. It is the wonder fix for almost any material to almost any other material. Strong, flexible, and idiot proof. (I am living proof of part 3)

[Huggy]

My 2 Cents....... I have used the ABS / MEK mix alot and it can be a pain to get it to the right consistency. It has been used on both my 86 Standard and on 2 Apache camper trailers, at Marcarls Meet n Eat afew of the members told me about the Palstifix and how easy it is to work with.

 

The Plastifix sounds great to use and a lot easier then playing the mixing game with the ABS and MEK. If you are near to Brantford I would grab the Plastifix.

 

The MEK can be pretty nasty stuff and you have to go across the border to get it, at least I couldn't find it here in S Ontario.

 

Good luck with the repairs, if you decide you want to go the MEK way, let me know and I can give you some of mine.

 

Mike.

 

MEK is sold at Spruce Aircraft I picked up a liter just in case.

 

[Huggy]

I got real stuck in my ways on this after I once tried G-Flex. It is the wonder fix for almost any material to almost any other material. Strong, flexible, and idiot proof. (I am living proof of part 3)

 

 

Well that's the way I see Plastifix it idiot proof! If I did it with the ABS MEK mix I would do it wrong and I'd be going down the highway like a Harley. Parts falling off all over the place.

 

[JohnT]

I've still got some work to do to my fairing. I have GFlex and cloth left so that is what I plan to use to make mounting tabs and such. Right now I don't have the "lowers" on. But, it is time to ride more and work on it less. Summer is fading and winter is long.

[Huggy]

JohnT that's why I'm glad I have the XJ to ride!

 

[Wizard765]

Richard:

 

Looking at your pictures.. I'd be wanting to grind out all the fiberglass and fix it right.. I really like the plastifix (or plastex) Have done a bunch of repairs just recently.. With a little practice it's amazing what you can do with it..

[Huggy]

Wizard I'm thinking of grinding it out. If you look at the last picture just after where the fiberglass ends. You will see a black line across the trunk that's where I made the Plastifix repair. I ground it down then did the normal repair then I reinforced it with fiberglass cloth and Plastifix. The rest of the fiberglass you see is excess fiberglass from the PO's repair of the same area.

And how's your trip going Wizard?