Side Cover Repair

[BA80]

I found the stuff for ANY repair for side covers.

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/3m-a...9-p-16149.aspx

I had 2 bad side covers for the E I just got last fall and I've been looking around for some good ones and they are scarce and the ones I could find are PRICEY.

Here's some pics of the partially repaired covers. (sorry, no before pics).

The tab for the left cover was completely broken off along with a triangle piece of the bottom about an inch either way. You can see it in the pic. The lft cover had the lock tab completely destroyed. The pic shows it roughly shaped.






This stuff sets up as hard or harder than what the covers are made of and can be easily shaped or smoothed. These tabs are stronger than they were originally.

The 2 part plastic,the gun, and mixing tips are going to run around $100 or so but still cheaper that a good side cover in most cases. And, it acan be stored unmixed indefinitly. Just install a new mixing tip and your good to go.

[crazy steve]

I looked at that a year or so ago, but choked on the price....

[BA80]

Yeah, like I said it is pricey. But, it's not like a one time use thing. It'll work on fairings, bags, trunks and a lot of other stuff around the ranch.

I didn't have to buy the setup because we use it here in the shop where I work. It didn't cost me anything.

Some people may be in a position where that's the best choice. Looks to me like a permanent repair option.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Good stuff

I found the stuff for ANY repair for side covers.

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/3m-a...9-p-16149.aspx

I had 2 bad side covers for the E I just got last fall and I've been looking around for some good ones and they are scarce and the ones I could find are PRICEY.

Here's some pics of the partially repaired covers. (sorry, no before pics).

The tab for the left cover was completely broken off along with a triangle piece of the bottom about an inch either way. You can see it in the pic. The lft cover had the lock tab completely destroyed. The pic shows it roughly shaped.






This stuff sets up as hard or harder than what the covers are made of and can be easily shaped or smoothed. These tabs are stronger than they were originally.

The 2 part plastic,the gun, and mixing tips are going to run around $100 or so but still cheaper that a good side cover in most cases. And, it acan be stored unmixed indefinitly. Just install a new mixing tip and your good to go.

That is good stuff, I have used it for cars at my body shops for years and have recommended it to members on here many times (not without getting much crap from some members) and like you say, you can keep it for many other repairs that come up on your bike, car and many other things

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

$$$

This will work also and save a few bucks. The 3m stuff I used 30 years ago came in two tubes and mixed like you would an epoxy glue, but stayed flexable and was tough enough to fix side covers, bumpers ect as well, It cost a lot less, (about 10 bucks) but so did everything else back then

http://www.google.com/shopping/produ...ed=0CGUQ8wIwAQ

[mikubuilder]

hey Greg, I got one cover that needs to be fixed...how much??? I will cover shipping both ways

[BA80]

What's broken on it?

[mharrington]

Gentlemen I have an additional option. The plastic on our bikes is ABS. You need to take a piece of ABS- wether its a spare chunk clipped off a non essential area of your part or buy a product- toy- pipe - utensil made from ABS and file or sand to produce dust. Add MEK- drops at a time mixing with the ABS dust to make a slurry. This slurry is a bonding adhesive that is as strong as the parent plastic (and the same). Let dry for 30 min and reapply if you must. I repaired some GS1000 components and the repair is not noticable. The cured slurry can be filed and sanded to shape- and because ABS is a paintable plastic it can of course be primed and painted. This is the under seat component for a GS1000N. They are hard to find in usable condition and can be very $$$$. This one was missing a 1" by .75" chunk. I cut a piece of ABS from a toy to fit the missing area and bonded it in with the slurry. I built it up higher than the surrounding area- sanded down and then applied a filler primer. Wet sanded the primer with 600 until near perfect. The paint guy took it from there. You must make a dust when you make your slurry. I tried shavings- and the MEK would not completely melt the chunks resulting in a chunky unusable concoction.

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8813a33d.jpg

[CaptonZap]

. You must make a dust when you make your slurry. I tried shavings- and the MEK would not completely melt the chunks resulting in a chunky unusable concoction.

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8813a33d.jpg

If you aren't concerned about the color of you "glue", you can buy ABS glue in the plumbing department of the Home Despot type stores. It's black. I have a can that I left the lid off of for a day or two, and after enough MEK evaporated, the glue thickened up to the consistency of yogurt. Now I can use a small spatula and build up what I need. It loses about a third of it's thickness as it dries, and takes a few days to get throughly dry, but if it ends up too small, like filling a hole, I just add more to it.
Good stuff. I filled some holes in a Vetter fairing, and stippled the glue before it dried, and you have a hard time finding the patch.

CZ

[old_skool]

Gentlemen I have an additional option. The plastic on our bikes is ABS. You need to take a piece of ABS- wether its a spare chunk clipped off a non essential area of your part or buy a product- toy- pipe - utensil made from ABS and file or sand to produce dust. Add MEK- drops at a time mixing with the ABS dust to make a slurry. This slurry is a bonding adhesive that is as strong as the parent plastic (and the same). Let dry for 30 min and reapply if you must. I repaired some GS1000 components and the repair is not noticable. The cured slurry can be filed and sanded to shape- and because ABS is a paintable plastic it can of course be primed and painted. This is the under seat component for a GS1000N. They are hard to find in usable condition and can be very $$$$. This one was missing a 1" by .75" chunk. I cut a piece of ABS from a toy to fit the missing area and bonded it in with the slurry. I built it up higher than the surrounding area- sanded down and then applied a filler primer. Wet sanded the primer with 600 until near perfect. The paint guy took it from there. You must make a dust when you make your slurry. I tried shavings- and the MEK would not completely melt the chunks resulting in a chunky unusable concoction.

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8813a33d.jpg

+1, and kids leggo's are abs, shouldn't have to make dust, most good acetones will melt chips.

[BA80]

This certainly seems to have gotten complicated from the simple repair I posted. a simple 15 minute repair has turned into an all day operation.

Just sayin'

[old_skool]

This certainly seems to have gotten complicated from the simple repair I posted. a simple 15 minute repair has turned into an all day operation.

Just sayin'

Not everybody has a 100 dollars to throw at a bike, but a lot of people may have acetone and some abs laying around, Your idea is great, but with any how to, there are always others chiming in with additional solutions, options are always good.

[bikerphil]

I've heard of fellas grinding up the back cover to those old type of TV sets that everyone now is throwing away for the ABS plastic dust.

[mikubuilder]

Sorry Greg, looks like I'm melting kids' Legos they got pounds of them...

[mharrington]

This certainly seems to have gotten complicated from the simple repair I posted. a simple 15 minute repair has turned into an all day operation.

Just sayin'

Well I repaired a plastic side cover that cost $90 new. That cover now looks perfect. The under seat moldings for a GS1000 are not available new- in fact the only ones available are used and broken- and still command $30-$50 in that state. I fixed them both with about $7 in materials and 4 hours of my time. As an the owner of an old bike Im sure you have figured out that MANY of the parts we need are not available and the used parts available are in crap condition and $$. Many great options in this post. Just sayin'

The one on the left was a candidate for the trash.