wdm80

Hi all - how you recommend reinforcing lexan bodies to prevent cracking along the front of bumper?

I ask because I've been running a mazda 6 body for about 4 weeks now - it has a crack running almost 3/4 the width of the body under the headlights. This has happened to me before, and I'd like to be able to avoid this with future bodies.

Will

etzkev

The best reinforcement method I have seen is someone taking this mesh tape, (the kind taht is used to put at the bottom of flower pots to hold in dirt, but let through water) and sticking it over the crack, or wherever. He then used Shoe Goo and put a good layer of that over the tape. When it was done, the thing was very hard, and obviously not going to break, even in a hard crash. Over all, it worked really well!

-etzkev

sdb

I use shoo goo on its own at the front on the inside of the bumper and then around the wheel arches. Since using this I have had no problems with cracking. All I do is put a couple of coats on, it does not need to be too thick.

Still Bill

iTrader: (16)

Make sure that your bumper is right up against the backside of your body's nose. That way, the bumper can prevent the body from flexing back in an impact...which causes cracking. Even an 1/8 of an inch is too much of a gap.

If necessary, also try to contour the bumper material to conform to the shape of the nose.

Hope this helps...Bill

P2

iTrader: (15)

I use Tamiya aluminum reinforced tape. Works great!! All you do is cut it into strips and tape it to the wheel wells and front of the car. I got this package in Japan for only $3.50 and it can do 3 bodies. I'm not sure why this product has not hit the US yet. Everyone in Japan uses this type of tape.

Baguhan

Trick mounting of body clips

Here's a small trick we do to prevent the cracking of our bodies... When putting the body clips on the body mounts, don't put it snug to the body.. We usually put it a hole or two above the body... This would give the body some play on the chassis... so whenever you hit something, the body would just rise on the body mount... This is also good whenever you get brushed, the body just moves and it doesnt upset the handling of the chassis...


Hope it helps...

the dirt

One of the best ways to prevent cracking on our bodies is to take boat tape which is a fibre glass material and then take some shoo-goo and put a lite coat over the tape and let it set for a day and u will be able to use the body for a much loger time

vtl1180ny

Go to your local hardwar/home improvement store and pick up some fiberglass mesh drywall tape... Cut yourself pieces to fit and shoe goo or slicone in place... 1 roll of tape will last you close to 100 bodies....

John Fontaine

iTrader: (2)

I use reinforced strapping tape than shoe goo...ran a body for a year and never had it crack.

Jared Kirkwood

All these methods adds weight to the body but if you don't mind the added weight then go for it. I've used the shoo go and fiberglass mesh drywall tape before and it works great.

N4S

iTrader: (8)

UUUUHHHHHH Dont hit stuff !!!!!!!! My bodies crack alot less if i dont smash them into things......

NightKidZ

After you see a crack on the shell, immediately "capture" it by drilling a hole at the end of the crack. It works by stopping the crack from propagating.

Cheers

GTO2

Shoe Goo + Fibre mesh...
After applying the goo, even / thin it with plastic card.
the goo thickness will be the same of mesh thickness, that way you wont add too much of a weight.

James35

iTrader: (1)

I don't understand how Shoe goo will help since it's flexible. Wouldn't it be better to use some real fiberglass epoxy (no clue what it's called), so that when it dries, it's hard like fiberglass?

stiltskin

iTrader: (103)

Something has to give. Either the body flexes and returns to its original shape or it breaks. If you use regular fiberglass, it will break. (if the body holds up to the heat of the catalyst)