side panel repair??

[Ghostdad]

I managed to break one of the tabs on my side panel, is there anyway of fixing it or where would be a good place to look for a new or used part?

TIA

Dave

[bmweerman]

I would like to know the answer to that as well.

 

FWIW, and in the meantime, I saw several of those on sale at ebay recently

[SWB]

I managed to break one of the tabs on my side panel, is there anyway of fixing it or where would be a good place to look for a new or used part?

TIA

Dave

Check out this posting, and references to plastex.

 

 

Photo's of how to mode a new tab.

[RFW]

I managed to break one of the tabs on my side panel, is there anyway of fixing it or where would be a good place to look for a new or used part?

TIA

Dave

I just finished some REALLY major repairs to my K100RT's tupperware (one part was completely broken in half), so here are a few suggestions.....

 

Tupperware is generally made from SMC (Sheeet Molding Compound), that is basically a doughy mix of polyester resin, chopped fiberglass, talc, and (this is the problem) release compound to allow easy release from the mold.

 

Do NOT use polyester resin to repair it. As a result of the internal mold release in SMC, polyester will not adhere well.

 

Instead, all repairs must ne done using epoxy resin. And that means "proper" epoxy... the type purchased at a fiberlass shop, NOT the "2-tube" stuff found in hardware stores and ABSOLUTELY NEVER use 5-minute epoxy.

 

Saturate glass mat or cloth with the epoxy after cleaning, sanding and prepping the base tupperware you are applying the repair to. Epoxy is very thick and gooey, so heating the tupperware over a hotplate to (say) 50°C or so will make the stuff nice and runny and it will penetrate the glass mat much better. It will also speed up its normal 24 hour cure to something like a couple of hours.

 

Be sure to spread the repair over as great as area as practical for maximum bonding. But don't go overboard by building up a thickenss of glass cloth that is vastly thicker than the adjacent tupperware. The weakest link is the adhesion of the glass/epoxy to the existing tupperware, not the strength of the glass/epoxy itself. So maximize the contact area!

 

Bob.

[Les is more]

Here's a link to another repair we did with Plastex. This was to fix a large hole put in my belly pan. This repair was done about 60,000 miles ago and there's been no hint of a problem.

[SWB]

Here's a link to another repair we did with Plastex. This was to fix a large hole put in my belly pan. This repair was done about 60,000 miles ago and there's been no hint of a problem.

 

I think you and Jamie go out of your way to bust plastic just so you get the chance to fix it with plastex.

 

Did you buy paint and respray the bottom pan, or did you just have a local shop do it?

[BMT]

Older K-series fairing panels were made from different material. I don't know offhand what the material is, that R11xx panels use, but it's a homogeneous mass, not a mixture.

 

From memory, the R-RT side panels are ABS mouldings.

[keithb]

There are two good places to find used parts for K bikes and R bikes. The first is www.partshaus.com and the other is www.beemerboneyard.com.

[bartster]

Hello Dave, I know this sounds unconventional but it works great. Cut the tab off cleanly, smooth out flat surface that it attaches to. Apply commercial velco to both surfaces. I tried it and have not had a problem. Just my two cents worth. Ride Safe. Detroit

[PatML]

I just posted a reply at the end of the thread SWB mention ed earlier, instead of here. Still getting the hang of these computer thingys. Long and short is that if you kept the broken off tab, you can screw it back together. Good luck. Pat

[K^2]

Hello Dave, I know this sounds unconventional but it works great. Cut the tab off cleanly, smooth out flat surface that it attaches to. Apply commercial velco to both surfaces. I tried it and have not had a problem. Just my two cents worth. Ride Safe. Detroit

 

I did exactly the same fix >20k miles ago. Works great. No rattles and it's firmly attached.

 

K^2

[Bob_Minor]

After hitting a deer a few years ago I had to replace a number of pieces but was able to repair some others. One that I repaired was a side panel tab. I used JB Weld and fours years later it's still holding without a problem. I love that stuff.

[Ghostdad]

well after reading all the replies I see that I am not the only person to ever do this..lol

Since the side panel is made of ABS, I think Plastech or ABS cement should would work fine. I have both pieces of the tab and the breaks line up good for easy fixing I hope..

Thanks for all the info, this place never ceases to amaze me for all the helpfull people.

Dave

[RFW]

Older K-series fairing panels were made from different material. I don't know offhand what the material is, that R11xx panels use, but it's a homogeneous mass, not a mixture.

 

From memory, the R-RT side panels are ABS mouldings.

Actually, I did wonder about that. Older K-bike fairings and many others as well, are made from SMC as I stated. This is the same tyoe of material that Corvette bodies are made of.

 

I can well believe that newer bike fairings are made of ABS, although I'd hate to be the guy that has to buy the mold! SMC molds are low pressure molds, and hence relatively low cost. To mold ABS requires a high pressure injection mold, and an injection mold that large is REALLY expensive!

 

As an example, the pager that I just fnished the design of, is made of an ABS/Lexan blend of plastic and fits in the palm of one's hand, and yet the mold for each of the parts cost something like $25,000. You can imagine what the cost of a fairing-sized injection mold costs!

 

If newer fairings ARE made of ABS, then the best way to repair them is probably Solvent Welding, where a solvent like tetrahydrofuran, or methylene chloride is used to dissolve into the mating parts. When the stuff evaporates, the result is a single, welded piece of ABS. This is how ABS water pipe is welded.

 

Bob.

[Penrod]

PLASTEX! I found it at the SEMA show in Vegas several years back. In fact, I too broke my side cover and repaired it three weeks ago. I've seen it do amazing things.....

[Jeff from Massachusetts]

Are you talking about the small black panel? If so I broke one of the tabs in the first year of owning my RT. The trick is to always put a finger inside and push the tab thru the rubber grommet. That said, my fix has held since and is stronger than new. I drilled a small hole down thru the tab and put a stainless screw in thru the bottom of the raised tab support. This gives it a back bone, then I used epoxy cement to fill the cracks and incase the whole base tapering to the base of the tab. I can post a pic if you need one.

[Ghostdad]

Are you talking about the small black panel? If so I broke one of the tabs in the first year of owning my RT. The trick is to always put a finger inside and push the tab thru the rubber grommet. That said, my fix has held since and is stronger than new. I drilled a small hole down thru the tab and put a stainless screw in thru the bottom of the raised tab support. This gives it a back bone, then I used epoxy cement to fill the cracks and incase the whole base tapering to the base of the tab. I can post a pic if you need one.

 

Yes I'm talking about the small black side panel.

My mistake was that I read the Haynes manual: it said to turn the release screw (thumb screw ) and gently pull up. I didn't realize that there was the push tabs on it. A lesson earned is a lesson learned I guess...

Thanks for the info I'll take a better look at it tomorrow and decide which way I'll go to fix it.

Dave

[KMG_365]

Did you buy paint and respray the bottom pan, or did you just have a local shop do it?

Actually, Signman had some silver RT paint and he hit it for us--a perfect match! There was a problem with the curing of the clearcoat we applied after the paint and after a few 1000 miles the clear coat got beat to hell from all the sand in the deserts we routinely have to cross to get anywhere fun!

 

Leslie ended up re-painting the belly pan with a "rattle can" of that cheap spray-on truck bed liner type stuff you can buy at the hardware or auto parts stores. Resistant as heck and looks slick in black below the bike. The bonus is that it is a breeze to touch up as the texturing blends in so well you can't tell. I tell her it's her "poor-woman's carbon fiber"!

[PPDGene]

Quick Fix.

 

GS

 

Just a little more expensive.

[Jeff from Massachusetts]

Here is a pic of my pin fix. I drilled the pin then installed a stainless screw up thru the base and screwed the pin on. The last turn is harder but a little patience and needle nose pliers brought it up tight and then epoxy. Has held for four years so far.

[motorman54]

I was able to repair mine with good old JB Weld...Nothing fancy.....Just use plenty and let is set a long time before putting back on the bike. It has lasted over 3 months and several thousand miles.......Much cheaper than a new or used one.......