Fairing repair

Technical stuff specific to the V and Xtra raptors
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Dapper dan
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Fairing repair

Post by Dapper dan »

Hi..This might have been covered before..If not it might be useful info.

If you have a cracked fairing etc..normal practise is to get the fibre glass out which I've always found a crabby old experience and really identifies a repaired area.

I discovered Plastex a few years ago when using it on some kawasaki zxr750r h2 fairings to repair lugs that had broken off.

Basically plastex is really fine, almost a dust granulated plastic which then gets a solvent mixed in with it and then becomes solid plastic.

If a panel is just cracked I use a soldering iron to run down the crack. This then melts the crack together and creates a groove. You then fill the groove with plastex add the solvent and let it cure. Then repeat on the other side. You then basically have a panel as strong as it let the factory, 100% plastic so no mismatch with material strength.

I've recently done my xtra raptor panel which had a nasty split and section completely broken off. Just a tiny bit off filling now required and it's ready to paint!

You can also mould complete missing areas and missing lugs with the moulding bars you get in the pack...packs are about £25 from eBay.

Hopefully this might help somone who is unfortunate and suffers some damage as getting replacements is pretty impossible.
You can always earn more money, you cant earn more time! :thumbsup:
nickst4
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Re: Fairing repair

Post by nickst4 »

Hi Dan,

Your description of Plastex makes it sound exactly the same as Q-Bond which I've used for a couple of small repairs, the longevity of which remain to be seen. I don't know what the infill powder is, but it must contain a catalyst for the cyanoacrylate (super-glue) fluid because the repair becomes hot very quickly. Probably the heat plays a part in fusing the panel edges and the infill together. Your use of a soldering-iron sounds good too, because it may freshen the edges and also form a bit of a trough with higher sides that the bonding material can then fill right up.

How many miles have you put on a Plastex bond, and have you added any backing for stress-relief?

Nick, in Norfolk
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shebee
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Re: Fairing repair

Post by shebee »

:thumbsup: thanks for the info guys
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Dapper dan
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Re: Fairing repair

Post by Dapper dan »

Hi Nick.

I've never experienced any heat coming from Plastex, I think it's more solvant based than say a two part catalyst heat cured type thing... (talking out of the top of my head).
It's very potent smelling!

I've never encountered any cracking or breaking especially forming new panel lugs etc from the moulding bar which also comes in the pack. I found when I was restoring couple of zxr750rh2's you can buy panels alot cheaper, or go for panels with more damage confident you can basically renew pieces, create missing portions or at the bare minimum create a scaffold to add filler upon.
Strength wise I've never felt the need to add any backing to support a fix.....it doesn't glue pieces of plastic together, more like it creates new plastic and that plastic then merges into original plastic........best thing to do is youtube it....probably explain it 100x better than my ramblings! It's a really useful little kit! :D
You can always earn more money, you cant earn more time! :thumbsup:
Dapper dan
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Posts: 126
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Location: Barnstaple, Devon, U.K.

Re: Fairing repair

Post by Dapper dan »

Fyi....the fluid used with the plastic powder isn't a glue....but it really smells like one drop would kill your goldfish!
You can always earn more money, you cant earn more time! :thumbsup:
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