Okay so I don't have any cracks
or splits in my plastics (not yet, LOL)
But my nephew has a BAD crack
on list right fender, spans from the
rear seat to the middle.

I bought this strong glue stick from
Home Depot that claims after its application
you can then drill thru it?

I would like to know when you all don't
replace them and fix it, what do you use.
Some post thoughts are heat gun? Melting
the crack seam back together (Little hokey,
bad cosmetics but will hold). Opinions, and
thoughts?

R'

 

I've had good luck with PC7, it's a 2 part epoxy. I removed the plastic, drill a small hole where the crack(s) end, sand the backside thouroghly, clean it good and apply the epoxy. My explorer has a repaired front fender and foot well this way. They have both held through ice season and the summer. Back when we got snow in MN and I owned sleds I'd repair the sled hoods by drilling the tip of each crack, drilled in several places along the crack on both sides, found a old hood and made straps and rivited them in on the back side. That was on real bad cracks though...cracked right in half, ugly but worked.

 

i always use zip ties, its the easiest and fastest way and it doesnt look too bad if you get them in the same color as the plastic, just dont forget to drill holes at the ends of the crack so it will not crack anymore

 

have a plastic welder doesn't work to bad .

 

Heat gun won't work very well. A solder gun would work better but the plastic never actually fuses together.. it's more just stuck together and a good smack will tear it apart.

Best most solid way I found was to use rivets. I just did it on my xplorer on the left side. I took an aluminum plate and drilled some holes in it. Then I just placed it in the back of the fender and drilled through the plastic into the holes and put some rivets in there.
[img][/img]
You can see on the rear right fender some rivets holding the plastic together with an aluminum sheet in the back. This one was done about 4 years ago. You can always paint the rivets black afterwards.. personally I don't care because I dont ride to show off my ride. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

you can get a plastic welder at harbor fright for like $100 but you need an air compressor

 

takes some practice but can do a decent job