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Oct 17, 2021 16:22:18 GMT
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Need some advice on bonding a carbon fibre front lip/splitter onto my stupid car. Bought a splitter for my RX8, one made for the car, not a universal jobby. Made some aluminium mounts to hold it onto the undertray/bumper and made some fixings inside the wheel arches. It's incredibly solid, takes two people to man handle it off the car, not worried about it falling off. Where the top lip meets the bumper, I could see a little bit of daylight through it. So decided to try and seal it with the smallest bead of Silkaflex EBT+ I could get away with. Left the car with some pressure pushing on the bottom for 2 days. A day and a half of driving later, it's peeled away and the gap has returned. Move on a week, peeled the old sealant away and pumped probably double the amount in, far less happy with how it looks, left it with no pressure on. Test piece also done, so I can cut into it and make sure the centre has set. After one day it looked perfect. Car hasn't been touched, next day it seems to have moved by itself. Would I have more success with TigerSeal as opposed this Silkaflex stuff? I was under the impression they were the same? I think it's the elasticity of the EBT+ causing it to move and peel away... Help please?
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pictures would be good here.
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Oct 18, 2021 15:16:52 GMT
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There are many types of Sikaflex, you might not be using the correct one. Depending on temps it can take a few days to harden off - especially if no air can get to it.
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mk2cossie
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,937
Club RR Member Number: 77
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TigerSeal vs SilkaFlex EBT+mk2cossie
@mk2cossie
Club Retro Rides Member 77
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Oct 18, 2021 16:32:03 GMT
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How heavy is the middle of the splitter itself? As if it requires two people to fit it, it sounds like it needs something fairly substantial to hold/support it in the middle. If driving it causes it to deflect, that means there is a lot of air pressure build up there, and any kind of bonding schmoo alone won't hold it...at least not without breaking the lower part of the bumper off Some pics of said offending item would help out massively tho
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Oct 18, 2021 18:48:50 GMT
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It's carbon fibre, weighs next to nothing. Requires two people to fit as it's an awkward shape with the bits going into the wheel arches requiring some outwards pressure to slot in without scratching the bumper to pieces. I could probably have placed it on without the addition mounts or fixings and it'd still be on the car now. It actually slots around the existing bumper extremely well, I literally just want to seal the top edge to the bumper. The exact version of Sikaflex I'm using is called EBT+. Was told its identical to TigerSeal, seems it's not. No idea how to get photos on here with photo bucket being dead now. On the advice of a friend that works with Carbon Fibre aero parts a lot, going to try some CT1.
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,226
Club RR Member Number: 160
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TigerSeal vs SilkaFlex EBT+Rich
@foxmcintyre
Club Retro Rides Member 160
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Oct 18, 2021 18:51:33 GMT
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No idea how to get photos on here with photo bucket being dead now. Use the built in forum image host. If on mobile switch to desktop via the link at the bottom of the page and the uploader is useable.
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Oct 18, 2021 19:04:27 GMT
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No idea how to get photos on here with photo bucket being dead now. Use the built in forum image host. If on mobile switch to desktop via the link at the bottom of the page and the uploader is useable. Thanks Rich, I searched a bit and did exactly that as you were writing haha.
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Oct 18, 2021 19:22:10 GMT
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If it's to fill and neaten the gap/join and not to hold it on, would maybe some rubber wing beading or edge moulding be better?
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Can you actually see that when you're standing up next to the car? Is it a major issue?
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Oct 19, 2021 11:49:51 GMT
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Can you actually see that when you're standing up next to the car? Is it a major issue? Its peeled away a lot more since that picture. Yes, it's an issue.
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I would use double-sided foam tape. 3M makes a wide range of sizes and thicknesses. Alternatively, Wurth MS3 windscreen sealant will do what you want. Put it in between the joint and put painter's masking tape across the front to hold the two pieces together. 3M 401+ painter's tape is excellent.
Are there two flat surfaces mating there, or is it more like just the edge of the carbon fibre touching the panel? If it's not sitting flat, then no adhesive will work. You would need an angle bracket behind it, bonded to the splitter.
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Ring Sika reps are excellent helped me with my stick on solar panels
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Badger
Part of things
Posts: 250
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Oct 21, 2021 14:47:58 GMT
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I've used both Sikaflex EBT+ and Tiger Seal; I'd say Tiger Seal may be marginally better, however I'd have thought EBT would be fine for that - I've used it for the joint between the aluminium roof panel and roll cage on my kit car and it's been absolutely fine. What I will say is that it can be extremely fussy about three things: cleanliness, contamination and curing. The joining faces must be as clean as possible, and ideally a little keyed. A good going over with acetone or IPA is best in my experience. The PU stuff in general does not react well to contamination from acetone (it never sets properly) or other solvents, such as found in aerosol paints. As I found out when I painted my roof. As said above it can take a surprising amount of time to cure, although apparently the PU ones cure from moisture in the air. For that size though it should be OK in 2 days max, I'd have thought. Looking at it, it may also be worth using something like a coin or similar to run over the bead after applying it, just to make sure it's got really close contact with the surfaces. As an alternative to all that, try tadpole trim (link below) - it's what I used in the joint between my rear wheel arches and the chassis: www.woolies-trim.co.uk/product/1805/rubber-extrusion
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