Cracks in fibreglass canopy.
- Thread starter countrryboy
- Start date
Something like this help?
Bargainstore Glass Fibre Kit Car Boat Caravan Repair Resin Fastglas Hardener Matting : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive
Bargainstore Glass Fibre Kit Car Boat Caravan Repair Resin Fastglas Hardener Matting : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive
amzn.eu
Your profile doesn’t appear to tell us where you’re located, but I’d find a yachting fraternity and ask them who does their gel coat repairs. There’s always a scruffy unassuming goat near marinas, who is a master at fixing screw ups! Plenty in north wales where scousers and mancs turn up weekly to try to remember how to use their powerboats and/or jet skis!
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Sorry been a long time since i added a photo 
Cracks werenae that bad or bad at all when i bought it.
Its the vibrating up forest tracks has made them worse.
Wots best way to fix them?
Ideally semi tidy but doesnae need to be perfect.
U cant really get to the inside without cutting away some plastic trim which i am happy to do if needs must.
I have drilled holes in the top off cracks and havnae spread any more since then.
Original idea was gum as much j b weld on the cracks ( which wont be an awful lot) and clamp it till it dries. Then fire some sort of expanding foam type stuff up into the column void from below. Ideally something that could take a screw, i can see me potentially needing to screw into it from the recess where door fits, if cracks reopen again.
It does seem to shouggle about a bit and i can imagine it will be getting rattled about on forest tracks.
My later idea is cut plastic away so i can get a bit of 2x1? timber in the column. Cake it in sticks like sh@t type adhesive so its well stuck in and most of the cavity filled. Then j b weld the crack.
Possibly that would give it more rigid support than idea 1?
Then if still some play and crack opens up i can screw it to the timber.
Is therr anything better than j b weld for glueing stuff luke this?
Wots the best type a foam filler if i got that route?
Will any take a screw?
Or has anyone got a better completely different idea?
Cheers
Cracks werenae that bad or bad at all when i bought it.
Its the vibrating up forest tracks has made them worse.
Wots best way to fix them?
Ideally semi tidy but doesnae need to be perfect.
U cant really get to the inside without cutting away some plastic trim which i am happy to do if needs must.
I have drilled holes in the top off cracks and havnae spread any more since then.
Original idea was gum as much j b weld on the cracks ( which wont be an awful lot) and clamp it till it dries. Then fire some sort of expanding foam type stuff up into the column void from below. Ideally something that could take a screw, i can see me potentially needing to screw into it from the recess where door fits, if cracks reopen again.
It does seem to shouggle about a bit and i can imagine it will be getting rattled about on forest tracks.
My later idea is cut plastic away so i can get a bit of 2x1? timber in the column. Cake it in sticks like sh@t type adhesive so its well stuck in and most of the cavity filled. Then j b weld the crack.
Possibly that would give it more rigid support than idea 1?
Then if still some play and crack opens up i can screw it to the timber.
Is therr anything better than j b weld for glueing stuff luke this?
Wots the best type a foam filler if i got that route?
Will any take a screw?
Or has anyone got a better completely different idea?
Cheers
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
I have got some fibre glass stuff but the problem will be getting it to grip i think.
Ideqlly i'd want to get some inside as well.
More i think about it, it might be the way to go
U can see on 1 side been some thin metal reinforcing in 1 off the corners so it must be a weaker spot.
Drill some 6mm holes either side of the crack like for shoe laces. Then push through from the back with some fibreglass filler. This should knit the cracks back together. Bit of rattle can paint in the appropriate colour.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
I'll have a look later its not so much the conopy thats rattling ( but i will doible check)
Buy the 2 inside bits where the catches are for the door/window and the rear door.
I think rear door vibratres rattles side to side and as those 2 bits are attached to the door that is causing the cracks to lengthen.
Thats why im thinking off trying to get something solid behind esp if i could screw to it to stop it reopening up.
It does look to be in a pkace that coild reopen and forest tracks are bloody murder for bringing out any rattles.
And the trqck were working up is worse than most everyone is complaining about it.
Hard on motors
Exactly this ^^^
Although I think I'd add a bit of glassfibre mat on the inside, where it won't show.
you need to get a good dust free "key" like a scratch coat on render they use a bit of wood with nails or a type of spring comb.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Cheers folks.
Some good ideas better than wot i originally thought.
Dunno why i never even considered fibre glass, althou prob to avoid a paint job.
Think going to drill a few holes and cable tie it together possibly add some fine tie wire too. For extra strength
Then fibre glass over the top ( after i grind down the nice finish 1st ) poking some strips into the holes.
And fire P for plenty fibre glass on the inside too
I originally hoped just some j b weld on top to avoid needing to spray it.
But if needing to spray it might as well go full hog and fix it proper.
Just wondering/thinking how/why cracked in the 1st place.
If the catches are badly set would that cause the cracks in 1st place?
Must admit 1st time ive had a fivre glass canopy for years, usually prefer ifor 1s.
Last ifor has been bodged and cut to fit my last 4 pick ups, not bad since it was originally fir a single door and all mines been doubles.
Cheers again folks
I have some VERY nice stainless steel wire 1.5mm on the vessel I am working on, if you would like some let me know and I will ‘appropriate’ some
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