Fabricating plastic tabs with JB Weld

I agree with Wingman02. I used to have a shop where I refurbished old Goldwings. Honda used ABS plastic for the Silvewing fairings just like they did on the Goldwings. The strongest adhesive I've found is the Black ABS cement sold in hardware stores. You can make putty out of it if you need to build up an area as well, just grind or file a piece of black ABS pipe fitting and mix it with ABS cement to the texture of a stiff putty. This putty works well to beef up a worn part of a fairing. Just be sure you sand off the paint on the fairing part your want to cement to.

ABS cement works because it is accomplishing a chemical weld with the ABS substrate. I've experimented with several types of adhesive, plastic cement, epoxy, and a couple others by putting a blob of each on a piece of an old fender and then trying to pry it off after 24 hours of curing. All pried off except the ABS putty.

For extra reinforcement if needed I used fiber glass mesh, used in drywall finishing. A couple of layers of that cloth and ABS cement is very strong. Just trim a piece large enough to span a crack or break, give the plastic a thin coat of ABS cement lay the reinforcement over the mesh and give it another thin coat of ABS Cement. You can add additional coats of ABS if you want a nice smooth surface. Just let each coat cure before adding another. Otherwise your piece of fairing might melt in the patch area.

One thing to be careful about is don't put a lot of ABS cement on a piece of ABS, especially a thin piece. The ABS cement can soften the substrate if it's applied too thickly. Just use several thin applications allowing each to harden before adding more.

Thanks to all. I do appreciate how the gurus of this website always find time to answer all the questions we ask. I am going to buy the Plastex. I see no reason to drill holes and screw anything I can't see

ABS glue and buy an ABS pipe fitting, grind up the fitting to make a coarse powder and use the glue to make a thick paste, form your own tap or post. I used this on a lot of G'Wing panels owners just yanked off carelessly. Just make sure the area to be reworked is very clean.Use this on larger areas with cracks and mesh, it work well at stated in the previous post.

johnd wrote:

It is time again to remake and reglue the tabs on the scoot.
For years I have used the ABS and drywall tape. last time I tried plastic epoxy glue. I don't know yet what parts failed but I just watched something on using aluminum mesh and professional epoxy with a hardener.
Anyone tried this method yet and had good results?

John, Have you used Plast-Aid? The stuff is great, and/but there is no reason why your aluminum mesh or Tinman's copper wire couldn't be used as the base for Plast-Aid tabs as well. Unnecessary, but it could be done that way too.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1YGzjWeK-nY. Available on eBay.

Tim

It is time again to remake and reglue the tabs on the scoot.
For years I have used the ABS and drywall tape. last time I tried plastic epoxy glue. I don't know yet what parts failed but I just watched something on using aluminum mesh and professional epoxy with a hardener.
Anyone tried this method yet and had good results?

tinman, I think remember the video you'r referring to, and I think I found it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7GRNvPSf7k
Is this the one?

2 years ago there was a video on using 2/14 copper wire U clip to reinforce broken tags and using a tie rap as a filler. I did not find it , but there is a lot more that using a powder and a liquid urethan to make missing peaces . There is a wealth of information that was not there a few years ago.

I've said it before Google can be your friend.
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+weld+motorcycle+plastic+body+parts&rlz=1C1AFAB_
enUS448US449&oq=how+to+weld+motorcycle+plastic+body+parts&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The black tie straps are compatible there is a video on U tube that show how to weld motorcycle plastic body parts .Its a very good demonstration on how to do the repairs.

Tinman,
Any Videos? I have been cutting/shaping old plastic parts from my swing into tabs and using the ABS pipe cement to melt and glue the pieces to form a tab. I reinforce it with adhesive drywall tape, then applying ABS cement over it. I have not thought about using tie rap straps, but might give a try. How do you determine if the tie straps are abs plastic?

You can also make a cooper wire tab shape it like a tab clean the broken tab of the melt haft way in ,the with peace of ABS pipe,melt it over for stiffening ,A tie rap melted with heat gun will work.

My tabs are missing. Can I use JB Weld to fabricate the tabs?

I am a plumber by trade and when we use Fiber-cast pipe we have a kit that is some super strong fiberglass that we use to make up the joint. I have used it to repair plastic fairing and side covers on other bikes. Seems to work real well.

I fixed the plastic tabs on our Helix's leg fairings with JB Weld And fender washers. All the tabs weren't completely broken and I was able to JB Weld the washers right over the spot the original holes where and use the original screws, and then the foot padding covers most of the washer. Looks fine. Make sure you scratch up both surfaces to be glued so you get a better purchase with the glue.

Anyone know how to use JB Weld to replace missing plastic mounting tabs? I've tried searching without any results.