Gator's cracking

[LazyK]

Gator\'s cracking

It's an AMT 600 5-wheeler...at the hip-fender mounting points, shifter handle gate, foot step platform andfront fender mounting points the plastic sheeting is developing some serious cracks. I tried drilling a hole at the end of the fracture to maybe relieve the stress causing the cracking...to no avail. Has any one had the same problem with the plastic cracking?Is there any way to repair the cracks? I've re-mounted the fracturing parts thinking there was stress from over-tightening...no avail. Do these plastic components become brittle with age? This is a mature machine, so maybe there's no solution to skin ageing.

 

[Tractors4u]

Re: Gator\'s cracking

As an avid 3 and 4 wheel ATV rider I can tell you that that type of plastic does become brittle with age, especially if it has spent a lot of time outdoors. Drilling a hole at the end of the crack was the right thing to do, but if the plastic is sagging or has a load on it, it may continue to crack like yours has. It isn't pretty but you can stitch it with zip ties to prevent the crack from getting worse. Drill matching holes on each side of the crack and pull the crack together with zip ties. Short of melting the pieces together I don't know of any way to stick the plastic back together. Glue won't work, at least none I have tried.

 

[LazyK]

Re: Gator\'s cracking

T4u...Thanks for the insight and suggestion. It would be ugly but maybe plumber's tape strip with pop-rivits and washers to spread out the compression would fasten the flaps and stop the crack progress. Re. adhesive glues, I agree. Short of US Navy submarine gap-plugger voodoo goop, no glue will do.

 

[john_g]

Re: Gator\'s cracking

I have an old Apache camper with plastic sides. I have never tried this but posted on the web site (www.apachepopups.com) someone once mentioned a way to repair motorcycle plastic fuel tanks and other plastic parts on off road motorcycles. Use super glue to make a bead along the crack and then sprinkle baking soda on it. Aparently this make some sort of chemical reaction and heats up the plastic so it can be welded together.

 

[forestcreature]

Re: Gator\'s cracking

superglue creates the bond [heats up in the process].
the baking soda is used as a gap filler.
[i use this method when building r/c aircraft]