Sv: Statusoversikt

[Poppe]

Last week I started to hear a rattling noise close to my left ear while driving.
A few days later I was surprised by someyhing pushing on my head from the left. As you can see from the picture it was the panel at the seatbelt that have come loose at 2 out of 3 fasteners (snap-in).

I have tried to glue with superglue (3 second glue) but it did not work, I tried with some kind of plastics glue I had laying around and the last try was with Biltemas Plastic Weld. At least that stuck for 24 hourse before dropping on my head again.

Anyone out there that had a similar problem and can recomend a suitable glue ?
I will probably try silicon glue or PL400 if I dont get any better suggestions.

[cra]

I'd go straight for the PL400. In my experience that will stick rather well. (I was removing some window frames from a building a few years ago, and they were fastened with PL400. When forced out, the window frames took with them the metal profile they were fastened to!  )

I don't know how it fastens to plastic, but I think it should work. Just make sure to clean the surfaces thoroughly before applying the glue.

If this was my Think today, I'd try Sugru for fixing; they say they can be used to fix anything. It's a silicone putty that can be molded. Useful for a number of things, and I recommend having some available in the fridgefor those quick fixes at home. (http://sugru.com)

Also, Biltema has some epoxy putty (http://www.biltema.no/no/Bygg/Kjemikalier/Epoksylim/Epoksykitt-361301/ I used the marine type) that I fixed my Think with a while back (http://www.elbil.no/wiki/Think:Forbedringer)

[Poppe]

Thanks for the feedback Cru.

Never heard of Sugru and I'm not sure it will work.

It forms a strong bond to aluminium, steel, ceramics, glass, wood and other materials including some plastics like perspex and ABS and rubbers like silicone and butyl rubber.

I'll order a few packs and meanwhile I will test PL400.
I need a quick fix since the panel is not removable unless you also remove the seatbelt and its quite annoying when it drops on my head all the time.

[cra]

Good luck with your fix! Not sure if the Think is a plastic that will work with Sugru, but I've made quite a few fixes using Sugru already, including heat-proofing lids on some pots, Repair a chipped ceramic bathroom counter, fixed the vent on my heatpump and a few other minor things. Really handy for quite a few things. A round in the galleries should give you an idea and perhaps conjure up some inspiration!

[Poppe]

I glued them with PL400 yesterday and it seems that did the trick.
I let the panel lay flat untill this morning and it installed just fine. There was a concern that I would not get the fasteners in the right place if I glued them with a loose panel but that was not a problem. There are a few mm's adjust possible at each fastener and that seem to be enough.
I will update this thread if something goes wrong again.

[Poppe]

PL400 lasted a little over one week. This morning something was tapping my head again.
It seems pl400 does not bond  well to polystyren.
Going back from work I picked up a bottle of  Pattex 100% (glue, meaning no solvent). It is supposed to glue polystyren and most plastics.
Next step is probably a long screw. 

[POSi411]

It seems pl400 does not bond  well to polystyren.
Going back from work I picked up a bottle of  Pattex 100% (glue, meaning no solvent). It is supposed to glue polystyren and most plastics.
Next step is probably a long screw. 

I think that the foam is Polypropylene (PP). From my memory I remember that Think got a price for "recyclability" for the B-post assy because all the parts are from the same material (PP). This should also be indicated on the back of the part, often as >PP<; or maybe >EPP< when it is a foam.
I also remember that I heard that this problem occured on several of the pre-production parts, mostly on the A-pillars, and the adhesive was changed for the production cars.

[Poppe]

You are right about the marking. I was looking for a much bigger mark, readable from at least a meter away but I found a very small print with a lot of other information "EPP".

We'll see in a couple of days of the 100% glue is good or not, then I'll go hunting for a long screw.

[Poppe]

So, the 100% glue was not 100% good.
Now I'm trying "No more nails".

After that it will be the long screw.

[Starfox]

Fuse it together using a soddering iron. Sorry bad english

[Poppe]

No problem to understand.
Fuseing together is an alternativ, but I have very little experience from it. I think I remember from experimenting when I was much younger that PP or PPE plastic is very heat sensitive and have a tendeny to, when getting too hot, just schrink to nothing. Similar to welding aluminium which also is very critical temperaturewise.

The "No more nails" did not even survive the mounting process.
I will buy myself a long screw on the way back from work today.

[POSi411]

I would try a 2-component acrylic.
For example 3M DP 8005.
Make shure the parts are clean and try to rough the surface with some coarse sandpaper.

[Poppe]

I installed the long screw before going on vacation. Problem solved (I hope).

[elektrolux]

The "No more nails" did not even survive the mounting process.

I still have to find a place No more nails actually works. Great name, but unfortunatly not so great product.

[cra]

Take a small sample of the plastic from somewhere it won't show, and see if it dissolves in Acetone. If it does, you can melt some LEGO bricks in Acetone and make a paste that will "melt" the parts together. When the Acetone evaporates it should all have melted into one solid piece. I did this to fix a broken cover on the rear hatch lock on my Think Classic. That part is still in one piece.