|
SIDE COVERS ARE SOMETIMES
CRACKED OR EVEN BROKEN IN TO MORE THAN ONE PIECE BUT USUALLY THE PINS ARE
BROKEN OFF. THIS IS AN EASY REPAIR WITH THE RIGHT EPOXY (SEM VINYL REPAIR
EPOXY), MASKING TAPE AND FIBERGLASS CLOTH, ALL AVAILABLE AT THE AUTO PAINT
STORE.
FOR CRACKS
FIRST ROUGH UP THE AREA ON THE BACK SIDE COVERING AN AREA 2 INCHES ON EITHER
SIDE OF THE CRACK. I USED A SOFT WIRE BRUSH WHEEL ON MY GRINDER BUT SAND
PAPER WILL WORK. CUT THE CLOTH TO THE SIZE OF THE ROUGHED UP AREA. NOW HOLD
THE CRACK TIGHTLY TOGETHER AND APPLY MASKING TAPE ON THE FRONT SURFACE TO
HOLD IT IN PLACE WHILE THE REPAIR IS DONE. MIX A SMALL AMOUNT OF EPOXY AND
APPLY IT EVENLY ALONG THE CRACK ON THE BACKSIDE AND LET IT CURE FOR AN HOUR.
THIS WILL STABILIZE THE CRACK. NOW MIX UP ENOUGH TO COVER THE ENTIRE AREA
ABOUT 1/8TH OF AN INCH DEEP AND THEN PLACE THE FIBERGLASS CLOTH ON LOCATION
AND PRESS IT IN SO THAT IT IS SOAKED WITH EPOXY. lET IT SET UP AND THEN APPLY
ONE MORE 1/8TH INCH LAYER OF EPOXY TO SEAL IN THE FIRST AND HELP STABILIZE
THE WHOLE REPAIR. YOU CAN ADD AS MANY LAYERS AS NEEDED BUT I FOUND THAT 2
IS ENOUGH. I ALSO MIX BOTH LAYERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REPAIR AREA AND THEN
JUST SPREAD IT AROUND. THE EPOXY SETS UP PRETTY FAST SO MIXING THAT WAY SAVES
SOME TIME. FOR SOMEONE THAT
WANTS TO ALSO REPAIR THE CRACK SHOWING ON THE FRONT YOU CAN USE A DREMEL
TOOL TO CUT A TRENCH THE LENGTH OF THE CRACK AND APPLY THE SAME EPOXY. AFTER
IT COMPLETELY CURES THE EPOXY CAN BE SANDED TO THE SAME LEVEL AS THE COVER
AND PAINTED. I ALSO PUT A SMALL
DAB ONTO EACH OF THE EMBLEM PINS TO INSURE THAT THEY DON'T VIBRATE LOOSE
AND FALL OFF. |