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Hey all, I have had good luck using 3M SMC Repair (part # 05883A / 05883B) on bumper covers and body panels, however I am not having any luck with my headlight cover tabs. I have 1 broken tab that keeps breaking off and it's very aggravating indeed.
It need to be laminated back on. Using two part adhesives will not work....or let me re-state that...it will work but the prep and using a grid tape to keep it in place and not want to split again.
I have repaired many JUST LIKE THIS...and when the fibers of the SMC have been distressed and fatigued...something needs to take the place of these structural fibers again.
For me.... it is a process. Getting the broken tab screwed to the housing again and then getting the outside door to meet it and then bonding it in position and letting that set up so the tab is where it needs to be...then removing the door with the tab attached after it has cured and CAREFULLY doing my body work so the crack does not come back.
Dub thanks for the response. How does one laminate it back on? I'm well versed in fiberglass repair, as I'm always doing ding repair on my surfboards, so I'm confident if I get the right materials I'll be able to fox this. I know this headlight cover is not fiberglass, but what I mean is I know I'm capable if I can get the materials and procedure. I actually fixed that tab the first time around successfully using the 3M 2-part mixture, and it lasted for months. But then I made the mistake of unplugging a headlight bulb with the lid up, so the motor closed the assembly down on my hand and cracked that tab again. This time around I want to fix it as well as possible.
If and when you take it off. I need to see the manufacturer marking on the underside that will tell me what type of plastic it is made out of. I have dealt with SMC headlight doors for this era..and was not aware that they made them out of plastic. Or at least had not had one to attempt to repair that was made out of plastic.
The markings will be in raised capitol letters. Such as ABS, PPO, PP, PUR,etc and often times these letters are inside an oval circle.
Dub I am just getting around to fixing the cover, do these pics show anything? You can see my first attempts at repairing the tab. I'm an avid surfer and have done considerable fiberglass work (repairs) on boards and I was thinking that some variation on resin/catalyst and fiberglass cloth could be used. I'm dead set on repairing this lid instead of replacing it as it actually doesn't affect the lid's ability to stay affixed to the headlight assembly and most importantly the paint is a perfect match. But it makes me nervous to only have 2 out of 3 mounting points 100% secure.
Last edited by Chris Edwards; 06-12-2016 at 08:44 PM.
This is a fairly straight forward repair.....grind and prep...apply the mat and resin for SMC and finish out. The 'trick' may be in how it is laminated so it does not effect the installation of the part when completed....and the prep so the lamination will hold.
Well I must have chosen the wrong SMC mixture. This stuff dries kinda squishy, I was expecting something more rigid to hold the small piece of SMC I cut from another panel I had laying around. I covered the small piece then I lay a piece of cloth over it and smeared that with another layer of the SMC mixture but there's no way this is gonna hold its way too soft.
01-28-2016, 03:30 PM
Need Help Repairing Headlight Cover
