[tomw]

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This is for an '83 Aspencade.The fairing is cracked on the right side.In fact the part that attaches to the fairing mount is "kaput".I epoxied some of the broken parts back in but I won't be suprised if it fails under pressure and vibration.

What options are out there for no fairing? I have a windshield Slipstreamer SO-5 that I could use but of course without the fairing there is no headlight or turn signals.

 

[William_86]

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its very possible, you just need ears for headlamp and turn signals.

 

[ob1quixote]

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3M makes a hard plastic parts repair epoxy. Check for it at an auto body supplies store. Get a piece of hardware cloth. This is actual stiff metal wire screen, openings are 1/4X1/4. Rough and area much larger than the actual crack. Cut the hardware cloth to shape, and bend to shape. Mix, apply and embed the H.C. into the epoxy. Wanna get serious, cut/bend a piece of sheet 1/8 sheet aluminum and place it on top of the fresh glue and clamp lightly.

Acetone clean up.

 

[tomw]

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Will I considered ears but I was tending towards something like ob1's idea.
I did not think of the hardward cloth.My thoughts went right to some aluminum angle iron and sheet metal as reinforcement.Epoxy and chrome bolts.
Here is a pic of the right side bottom where it bolts to the fairing mount

 

[tomw]

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Pic number two.Inside the right side.

 

[tomw]

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So I'm thinking a plywood floor with aluminum angle iron bolted to it on the bottom and some sheet metal along the vertical side of the aluminum and bolt it through the right side of the fairing with rubber grommets for suspension and chrome acorn bolts showing on the outside.Then I can mount the radio back onto the horizontal plane of the aluminum and get the fairing mounted securely.
Whadayathingk?

 

[ob1quixote]

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sounds workable!

 

[justagrinin]

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Mine was in bad shape even more than yours. I got some resin and heavy fiberglass cloth and put a layer on the inside of the fairing. Let dry and put a piece of aluminum plate with holes drilled for mounting on a bed of more fiberglass and resin. Then put a piece of aluminum on the bottom. with a bit of fiberglass. Sanded and taped off sprayed with paint on the bottom and no one notice it until I show them.

 

[Foosman(5)]

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I would not use wood or aluminum initially. Maybe strong, but sounds a little riggie.

I think I would try my luck with just ABS cement and maybe some cloth. I would cut out all crack lines and fill in with ABS. For the holes, I would use some type of backing tape and pour in the ABS. May require several layers and final sanding/grinding. If it were to crack again afterwards, then I may consider some other type of expensive repair with the 3M skin repair epoxies. But, the cost of the 3M epoxies, you may want to get the part off e-bay and repaint, $+$.

 

[MDKramer]

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If you'll look HERE, you'll probably find the reason for the damage to your fairing.

Mike

 

[slickster]

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My old 1100 had the same issue....probably worse..I cut a piece of 1/4 ply and fiberglassed it on the inside then used "plastic weld" stuff...from advance auto,to even out the outside....longer bolts...no issues now....

 

[Slimpickins]

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Another idea that will work is to pick up a can of short strand reinforsed body filler (kitty hair fiberglass)& a tube of hardener. For the initial coat put a layer of duct tape on either side then mix a small hot batch of kitty hair with a little extra hardener to make it set up quick. Lay it in with a putty knife. Once it is dry, which will be in minutes pull the duct tape & start from there building up more layers ( on either side )of kitty hair. You can grind out the cracks if needed with a dremel drill & fill with the kitty hair or bondo.

You can then sand prime & paint. It sets up as hard as a rock & can be drilled as required.

Good luck

 

[tomw]

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Foosman whats the ABS cement all about?
MD(doc)Kramer I read your thread.How did you fiberglass the inside with it being so cramped in there?When you say fiberglassed epoxied from the inside can you explain a bit how? You used fiberglass with resin and hardener and then did what with the epoxy?

 

[tomw]

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Slim.I like it.Don't know what short strand reinforced body filler is.Would I find it at a place like Advanced Auto or Auto Zone?

 

[tomw]

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O.K. did some research found ABS and ABS is good.

 

[Slimpickins]

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tomw wrote:

Slim.I like it.Don't know what short strand reinforced body filler is.Would I find it at a place like Advanced Auto or Auto Zone?

tomw,

Yes you should be able to get it at just about any automotive store. You can pick it up in a small can for under $20.00 which would be more than enough to do what you need to do. To me it's the easy version of using fiberglass matting & resin. I have used iton every thing from fixing rust holes in the floor boards of a 79 camaro that I rebuilt for my son to fixing the busted out pocket screw holes on the fairing of my 85 interstate. If you decide to try it just do a little test batch by spreading it on something else. The hardener usually comes in either a blue or red colour & it doesn't take much to do the job. The more hardener the quicker it will set up.

If you decide to give it a try & need a question answered just send me a pm

 

[exavid]

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ABS and some scrap ABS pipe would be a good thing to make the repair with. ABS cement is chemically the same stuff as the plastic the fairing is made of, the stuff makes a chemical weld bond to the original substrate which is much stronger than you can get with any fiberglass polyester resin or epoxy. Black ABS pipe you find in hardware stores is the same stuff also. You can cut and fit several pieces of pipe like a jigsaw puzzle, coat it with a layer of ABS cement, let dry and coat several more times to build it up. Use fairly thin coats and allow it to completely dry and harden before adding more coats. If you use too much at once it can melt the surrounding area and weaken the fairing and will take a long time to cure since once the top layer skins over it slows the evaporation of the solvents in the lower layers.

I use Weldon black ABS cement in the round can that has a dauber in the lid. I've made quite a few repairs on fairings, bags and trunks andrebuilt a couple of missing pins on side covers with the stuff too. Test it for yourself. Put a spot of the stuff on the back side of a side cover or some such, then do the same with JB Weld or another epoxy. Once both have cured well try to pry the spot off the cover. The epoxy will pop off but the ABS cement won't.

 

[tomw]

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Cool.Thanks Slim.

 

[tomw]

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Thanks everyone.I'll post some pics along the way.

 

[nobbie]

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Foosman(5) wrote:

I would not use wood or aluminum initially. Maybe strong, but sounds a little riggie.

I think I would try my luck with just ABS cement and maybe some cloth. I would cut out all crack lines and fill in with ABS. For the holes, I would use some type of backing tape and pour in the ABS. May require several layers and final sanding/grinding. If it were to crack again afterwards, then I may consider some other type of expensive repair with the 3M skin repair epoxies. But, the cost of the 3M epoxies, you may want to get the part off e-bay and repaint, $+$.

Just a caution.

I had a 1200 side box with a small bit of damage by a PO or possible sloppy mechanic. There was a melted groove in the box whereit looked like some brake fluid had run down it. It was tolerable but I replaced the box when I got the chance and then tried to fix up the original.

Aguy at a bike show sold me someABS based cement/filler and told me to use it like body filler. Unfortunately it softened the side of the box and it warpedit worse than ever. I would be very careful using anything with an ABS solvent base for a filler.

I'm not saying a proper technique wouldn't work. Just be careful before you go slathering the stuff on. I've used the box as an experiment and have restored it with lightweight polyester based automotive body filler. It seemed to workOK but it's not vibrating down the road.