iS splitter fooked - now unfooked!

Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:15 pm

Is there any way that a splitter with serious cracks can be mended effectively? I bought one from a zoner thinking it could be fixed (nasty crack on the nearside bend - but much worse than was shown in the pic), but even my body shop guy can't get anything to stick

He's right-royally pi**ed off with it and I'm about to lose a brilliant colour-matcher and bodywork fettler all over a scrap of ABS

Do I throw in the towel, accept that I bought a fooked-up dud and get a new one, or is there some magic 'fix' that that is known only to a few?

Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:24 pm

The last three days, I've been re-fitting a bath, and have found fibreglass tape to be a wonderful thing. Even if it doesn't stick to the splitter, you can bind it round to stick it to itself. Not exactly cutting edge engineering, but if you sand/grind a recess around the cracked areas, you can fill the recess with tape so that you don't get any lumps or bumps in the finished surface, paint over some waterproof, and spray on colour. That's how I'd do it, if I were on a very tight budget.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:34 pm

Well I see where you're coming from, but I think I'll give up on it and put it down to experience. Budget ain't that tight, but it seemed a reasonable deal at the time. A few quid more and I could have bought brand new from Paul K. Lesson learnt.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:38 pm

Wise choice.
The new one will pay for itself in resale value.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:40 pm

new one me thinks chap !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:51 pm

It's OK buying stuff you know to be broken/damaged - especially if you get it at the "right" price - but you have to be prepared to give-up on it.
If the lad who's doing the job knows what he's about and can't get anywhere with the lip then it's time to give-up. Here endeth today's lesson.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:44 pm

Yeah I know Stu

I was given the impression that the damage was only on the underside and could easily be fixed. The reality was that it was severe enough to need fully stabilising and was very visible. What I never realised was that this type of plastic is so difficult to fix when broken. Ah well, live and learn and all that. I've already paid for it to be fixed and painted so at least all I've got to do now is get a decent one from Mr. King.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:54 pm

DavieP wrote:I was given the impression that the damage was only on the underside and could easily be fixed. The reality was that it was severe enough to need fully stabilising and was very visible.

That's only happened to me once. Boils my p155 when sellers dumb-down damage/imperfections.... Seen it loads of times on eBay.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:02 pm

I'll have it, drill holes in it, and cable tie it back together. Send it to me

Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:04 pm

Mjg showing his true drifter nature there.

Anything can be fixed with zip-ties

Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:22 pm

Have you asked some one who can weld plastic? a lot of euro styled cars resort to plastic welding when smoothing bumpers and blending in ABS kits as it won't end up cracking or coming away from the plastic like fibre glass or filler.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:58 pm

superglue, "filler primer" (yellow stuff in a spray can from halfords) and cross fingers? worth a try if you have tried everything.... unless you are travelling at supersonic speeds i doubt it would matter anway? an iS lip would stay on even in 2 pieces as plenty of mounting points.

are you sure someone didnt use the wrong paint stripper on it? cos bugger all will stick to it then even if you do sand it and sand it cos it gets into the plastic.

Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:59 pm

oooh i don't half waffle

Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:30 pm

cut up an old number plate and silicone it to the back to give it some strength where the crack is and the one the front cut a v into it and fill it with some fibre glass mixed with filler and you should get a nice finish to it. i had to repair a nasty merk bumper years ago had about six cracks in the front one came out nice with the way i just said

Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:35 am

Something a paint touchup person told me about repair work...

On the back side of the panel (splitter in this case) drill holes along the length of the split on both sides of it, then sand back with coarse paper the surface around these holes and over the split. Apply fibreglass resin then fibreglass in a few layers over the whole area. When finished the holes will help anchor the fibreglass to hold the two sides of the split together and you can just sand back the front face to remove the bubbles of resin that came out of the holes. You could drill holes then put tape over the front side of them if you have trouble keeping the resin in there. With a splitter you should tape up the front of the holes and lay it face down so gravity lets the resin fill the hole.

As for plastic weld, the same repairman told me he saw someone "plastic welding" something, it just involved a heatgun or whatever, and a bic biro! Apparently they work well so just melt the biro onto the material. I wouldn't leave the ink in there like, but just the casing apparently does the job and resulted in a good finish too.

My current splitter was a result of a kerb excursion from it's previous owner. I got it, did a few blue/green alternating stitches (looked pretty, and my car is grey) in cable ties and now it's good as new and tbh you can't tell since my car has other "distinctive features" that distract you lol.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:37 am

Well, in a strange turn of events, I've just taken the car in for a quick diag. on a worrying noise that has developed recently. Thankfully nothing serious, but the body shop is next to the garage that I use. While I was there, the 'miracle man' popped his head round the door to tell me that he'd fixed the splitter and it would be painted up and ready next week. I'd told him to bin it a while back, but he refuses to give in that easily.

Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:53 pm

what was his final method to fix it?

Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:42 am

SCOTT325SE wrote:what was his final method to fix it?

Sorry, missed this. Pinned, welded, filled and sanded so he said. It's been coloured, but I've not had a chance to go and get it - hopefully this weekend.

Next thing will be SE skirts which are sitting in the attic and a Breyton rear apron that I've promised myself for Christmas

Fitted it today (11/10) - very sound job done and it's been re-inforced with metal as well to help it to cope with a whack.