Repairing hard bags

[Walküre]

Did a search, didn't find anything conclusive. Also google, just to please the "search police"...

Has anyone here repaired actual bolt holes in their stock saddlebags? I am removing the M/C Ent racks off mine, in anticipation of ever finding the 4-bar type. The main reason I'm doing it soon, there are small cracks around a few of the holes. I'm getting ready to paint the bags in the next two weeks, and figure I might as well just do it once!

I'm thinking the ABS welding method, with a flat-blade soldering gun tip, and ABS rod. Since I won't be using the same holes over again, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll probably take my pencil tipped soldering iron, and put small holes/divots in at the end of the cracks, to keep them from extending. Make some v-grooves the length of the cracks, then fill them. File/sand as needed, primer, and hopefully, good as new.

Anybody see any problems with that?

The ones leaving:



The ones I hope to replace it with - matches the fender:



STILL looking for another of the 2nd one!

Roger

[98valk]

just use a two part epoxy which is designed for ABS. they harden like steel whereas it can be drilled, tapped and sanded.

http://www.pcepoxy.com/our-products/paste-epoxies/pc-7.php   sold at most HD's, lowes and ace's.

[Warlock]

Mine also started cracking. Had a local fix mine and didn't like the looks. Ended up getting 2 new lids.
David

[gordonv]

I tried to fix my bags crack using heat & plastic weld, and all I ended up doing was making it worse.

The simple answer, find another set of lids, either with the racks you want or plain. Swap them off to someone who wants lid rails, for theirs without, this should be fairly easy.

If you decide to try to fix yourself with heat, get some plastic (ABS plumbing pipe) and practice.

I posted a while ago a link to a Goldwing forum, where the poster melted a piece of ABS pipe so it would be flat, and used it as a washer under his mounting of the trunk rake, to give it more strength and support over a larger area. Something you may want to look at before you do the repair and the new mount of the racks.

[Dodis]

Here are two links I saved about repairing plastic. I think I got them from here on VRCC somewhere...   

http://hondashadowacetourer.yuku.com/topic/13392
Description of the process from HondaShadowCrusier forums

http://www.urethanesupply.com/plastifixhowto.php
Supplier for the materials.

Haven't tried it for myself, not a customer, etc., etc. Just saved for myself for future reference.
Gotta get some hardbags before I'll need it...

Mike "Dodis"

[gordonv]

I had forgotten about that post of mine, but not the product. This wasn't really a repair, more of a means to re-fill the holes.

I like CA's suggestion of the epoxy for plastic, to fill those holes.

Here's the other post about the rack to trunk mounting, in the GW forum.
http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=690

[Gondul]

http://www.oatey.com/Channel/Shared/ProductGroupDetail/167/ABS_Medium_Black_Cement.html

Get a piece of ABS pipe, shred, and make a slurry...good as new.

[fudgie]

Whatta ya gonna do with those racks?  Looks like your tank is gonna fall off. 

[PhredValk]

This thread gives me some ideas on reinforcing my IS pods before installing the Baker Air Wings. Thanks.
Fred.

[GOOSE]

gondul has it right.....on the gold wing forum, they take a piece of abs black...shred it, then mix in (a little at a time) acetone to melt the shredde abs into a slurry....then apply.

[designer]

I've done this with abs pellets and powder. Make sure you mix some on the bag to get it liquid.  Your looking for a good chemical bond between base material and filler. Everything else is mechanical bond is only as good as the epoxy your using.

[Walküre]

Whatta ya gonna do with those racks?   Looks like your tank is gonna fall off.  

Thanks to all - I'll mull it over, and figure it out.

Fudgie - had the tank loose, so I could run the wiring for all the relays under the seat, for lighting, etc. Easiest way to do it...

As for the racks - need a set? I'll keep you in mind, if I ever find a 2nd 4-bar type. Seems to be hen's teeth, and maybe even harder to find just one!  I keep watching for one, though...

R

[Valkpilot]

This is a very useful article (just adding to the collection in this thread) http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Plastics_repair_with_ABS_cement

[Gondul]

gondul has it right.....on the gold wing forum, they take a piece of abs black...shred it, then mix in (a little at a time) acetone to melt the shredde abs into a slurry....then apply.

Yes, that is where I got my info from...missed the acetone...thanks!

[gordonv]

This is a very useful article (just adding to the collection in this thread) http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Plastics_repair_with_ABS_cement

Very nice read, I liked this.

One question I have after reading this. At least her in Canada (BC), my ABS cement is a yellow color, not black. I've never seen or heard of a different one, but the pictures in the articul seem to show everything as black, which is the color I always see ABS plastic pipes/sheets.

[fudgie]

Whatta ya gonna do with those racks?   Looks like your tank is gonna fall off.  

[As for the racks - need a set? I'll keep you in mind, if I ever find a 2nd 4-bar type. Seems to be hen's teeth, and maybe even harder to find just one!  I keep watching for one, though...

R

Yea let me know. I have the same set and always could use spares.

[gordonv]

STILL looking for another of the 2nd one!

Roger

Is this what you are looking for Roger? Seldom looked for, ones for the ACE Tourer, same bags as the Valk.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150641689268&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1123
Cobras for $150

[Walküre]

Is this what you are looking for Roger? Seldom looked for, ones for the ACE Tourer, same bags as the Valk.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150641689268&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1123
Cobras for $150

Gordon - no, not really. Those are really long, it looks like. And I know about the Ace Tourer - I've been looking for one, as a possibility for the wife. She had her 2nd total joint replacement on her other knee, so she's thinking about getting back on a bike. Have to find one, she can ride, to see if she likes it. She had a Sportster 1200 she sold, 4 years ago when she had the first one replaced. I had bought her an 1100 Wing, and she didn't like that - too big-feeling for her. I think the Ace would be just about right, plus, they look so good next to a Valk!

I finalized a deal with Leon, for his set, of Show Chrome ones. He took my M/C ones in partial trade, so sorry, Fudgie, no spares... :'(

These are the ones I ended up with, and that match my fender (thanks, Leon!!):



As for the repairs, I bought several ABS plumbing fittings, and cut 1/2" "plugs" with the bandsaw, and used the grinder to "fine tune" them, so they fit snug in the holes. Then I used the ABS glue, and glued it in, so it stood a little bit higher than the surrounding ABS. Sanded it down, and looks pretty good. I think I will have to put another coat of the glue, to fill any imperfections, but it's going to work out great.

Thanks, all. Hoping to get them painted this next week.

R