Author Topic: Fairing repair  (Read 663 times)

Offline dxhall

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Fairing repair
« on: January 26, 2022, 02:53:49 PM »
While I’ve got the fairings off the VFR, I’d like to repair the cracks.  Has anyone used one of these kits to repair a fairing?  I’ve read the “How to repair plastics” book and this process seems like the best for ABS material.

https://www.plastex.net/

Offline twowings

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2022, 03:27:12 PM »
I just used the Plastex kit to repair some attachment points on my Norge.  Fairly easy but it really helps if you have a matching tab to use for the molding material.  They have several colors to choose from.  It can be sanded or worked with a Dremel tool after it cures.
So far my fabricated tabs are holding up against the shudders of nine miles of washboard dirt road between my place and the nearest pavement.  YMMV
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Online bmc5733946

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2022, 03:52:06 PM »
If the fairing is ABS, acetone is the proper solvent and ABS sheets are available on Anazon for cheap. I repaired a Rifle fairing by cutting some small pieces of ABS and liquifing them in acetone then spreading that on the pieces as filler and glue. I also got some small syringes and squirted it between pieces that were harder to get to. Worked fine.

Brian
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Online pehayes

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2022, 04:30:50 PM »
Many moons ago I installed a Vetter fairing onto an Eldorado.  That required special cutouts  for the crash bars to pass through the fairing.   I cut the fairing and installed a half-pipe of ABS plastic.  The whole thing was sealed up with several applications of an adhesive HOTCHA kit.  IIRC those were special made kits directly from Vetter.  The whole thing was solid as a rock for many years.  Not sure where that fairing is now.  I wonder if we can trace the materials used in the Hotcha kit?

A quick Google found that it is probably no longer available.  Meanwhile, this report does a good job of showing how it works.  See those half-pipe tunnels for the crash bars?  That's what I duplicated.

http://craigvetter.com/pages/Vetter_Fairings/Repair%20Windjammer%2045966.html

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2022, 04:30:50 PM »

Offline spaghetti

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2022, 06:48:24 PM »

I have used plastex a lot over the last decade to fix all kinds of ABS fairings. I give it the highest rating possible. I have fixed some things that I did not think I could pull off.

I used to tell young guys who had crashed their crotch rockets, if you pick up all the pieces off the pavement you probably can piece your original parts back together and use it again.

Plastex is not the cheapest product (snap red suspenders here.) but, it is much cheaper than new fairing panels.
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Offline Canuck750

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2022, 06:53:12 PM »
Great product, a friend of mine repaired a badly damaged Kawasaki Concourse fairing with this product, he made several passes, let 1st cure then go over the filled area again.
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Offline wymple

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2022, 11:36:58 PM »
I hate to be the cheap guy in here, but unless the cracks are at fastener points, I've had very good results with plain old JB Weld. Plastex is better.
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Offline averb

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2022, 03:42:15 AM »
If the fairing is ABS, acetone is the proper solvent and ABS sheets are available on Anazon for cheap. I repaired a Rifle fairing by cutting some small pieces of ABS and liquifing them in acetone then spreading that on the pieces as filler and glue. I also got some small syringes and squirted it between pieces that were harder to get to. Worked fine.

Brian
I'm pretty sure this is what plastex is - solvent and filler, so yes, your solution is just as good and probably cheaper. One thing to note, you should drill a small hole at the end of any cracks to reduce the chance of further propagation.

cheers

Steve

Offline speedyg

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Re: Fairing repair
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2022, 11:39:47 AM »
I used Plastifix on my side panels. www.PlastiFix.com. Worked out great.

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