Got a 2002 so stiff ride and today the two ridges going across the rode caused the trunk latch to break the inside trunk plate on the latching side(right side). The epoxy holding it all to the trunk is intact but two big cracks need to be glued back.
is this thing ABS or PVC or what?
Thanks.
I turned the latch around so at least I can still drive around with the trunk lid shut.
I’m still looking for a way to repair the other side as it will help provide strength. And knowing how to glue it might allow me to add some reinforcement.
Boy, I really have to get those shock bushings for the front and shock bushings for the Honda GoldWing air shocks I have sitting in a box…
Can you post a photo of the damaged area? I have a truck model, so I don’t know what the area you are talking about looks like, but plastic is plastic, fiberglass is fiberglass and glue is glue (resin)…
I’m thinking a fiberglass repair kit with some cloth would give you the reinforcement needed but might be ugly if it’s on the outside. Other option is a solvent glue, like for PVC pipes, I believe there is a clear primer available.
I’m sure any 2 part Epoxy would do the trick.
Make sure to scuff the aera where you wish to glue. So 80 or 120 grit will do the trick. Most places like Home Depot sell a 2 part epoxy that will mix and harden with in 30 mins.
I would glue the part in place and then ya some duct tape to hold it while the glue sets up.
Butt welds are a tough one for most adhesives unless they melt and bind the broken parts. I don’t see epoxy doing that.
I might have both PVC glue( irrigation pipes ) and ABS glue( sewer pipes ) still usable and will have to do some tests on the side of the plate to figure this out.
If one of them binds/melts the material, I’ll know if it’s one of those materials and will try gluing the part back in place.
But I like what Bolanger showed and may add the corner bracket using epoxy as reinforcement.
I’ll post a pic to show others(future) what’s happened.
I have also found it useful that if you drill holes in the part that’s to mount into the trunk, and when you add a health dab of glue and press the part into the glue that the glue go’s threw the holes you drilled and works as a hook you can also then smooth out the glue mound and allow the glue to work from both top and bottom of the part. Gem factory uses a 2 part epoxy, NOT a pvc or abs cement. I’m sure the reason the factory epoxy fails is because it’s not scuffed on the back side
I’ve seen rivets on the pictures of the newer GEMs but don’t know if they use a different material inside(metal instead of plastics?) maybe.
The original epoxy mounting points did not fail and was the first place I looked after seeing the big crack on the most inward edge. Interestingly, even Bolanders post shows he attached to only the remaining inside part which is epoxied only in the center and the latch would be putting a lateral force but it seems to be holding for him. The original has 3 epoxied points so the latch pulls on 2 points normally, depending on what side the latch interfaces with.
I agree with what holes can do but I think I’ll skip putting holes in the latching surface so not to weaken the original material any more. I will take a dremel to the surface where the angle bracket and epoxy will be going so there’s good contact to what ever type of plastic that is.
BTW, I added a pic to my previous comment.
The fix I posted has been effective for about 4 years.
Originally only placed an angle on the latch side but the lid would slide and pop open. The latch nub is to small to provide any movements The other angle prevents the lid from sliding by acting as a bumper on the non latch side of the lock.
Hey, did you ever get a chance to test the PVC and ABS glues, see if either was able to solvent weld the plastic?
I tested PVC glue and I don’t think it’s PVC. The glue ate off the clear layer on the first test but easily scrapped off. The second time I used the purple PVC cleaner and then another dab of PVC glue and after 5 minutes i could scrap it off with only minor amounts of white material in the glue. I could not find my ABS glue so I have not tested for that yet.
Can I reopen this thread?
I have a 2005 e4 in worse than average condition, with several cracks in the plastic bodywork as well as pieces missing. In my garage I found I have a plastic welder; this requires a compressor and the welder heats the blown air. In a way it is like stick welding, but the “stick” is plastic. However I need to know what type of plastic Chrysler used. My choices of “stick” are PVC, nylon and ABS.
I have never used this welder but want to try. But no idea which material it is.
Trying to answer my own question I found this site https://www.polyvance.com/identify.php
I am way out-of-my depth, but the Typical Uses column looks helpful.
I was just at Home Depot and saw the ABS glue and almost purchased a can just to test it out.
