How to?... Fix a fiberglass lip

[tht1guy]

I've got a cracked mugen rep lip that's cracked. I want to fix it and rock it until I get my new front end.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt...

[ep3jd]

Google that ish, theres a lot of good diys on this.



Then make your own for this site :mbiggrin:

[Kis4KEN]

I don't know if this will make sense to you.

- take the lip off
- sand the back, with 40-80 grit, we're putting in scratches for adhesion
- put a layer of fiberglass (FG) mat on there. I don't like FG cloth. So use the mat. Also with the FG mat, you can pull it apart and make it thinner if you want
- mix some resin
- apply resin to FG mat

- put a few layers of FG on there
- after its dry (when its not tacky anymore), start working on the front
- on front, smooth out the crack with 80-150grit sand paper. We're essentially making the crack a bit bigger.
- use bond-o or what ever body filler you want to fill in the smoothed out crack
- sand with 150grit, finish sanding with 220 grit.
- spray a few coats of FILLER primer

- then you should be ready to paint it.

Since you obviously have never done this before, it might take you 1.5-2 hours. For reference on fiberglassing, google "making custom speaker boxes fiberglass" or something like that. In regards to using bond-o... i'm sure you can figure out how to use by searching in google. If not, hit me up, and i'll try to go more into detail.

I also have some pictures of me fixing a poly-urethane bumper. Steps are pretty much the same, but just using slightly different material. If you do plan to attempt this yourself, i'll try to remember to post pics after work, if not, then I won't bother.

[tht1guy]

I'm definetly gonna fix it. Thanks again for your help. Where are you located?

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt...

[SmoothEPs]

Is that a VIS lip? Hows the fitment?

[talonXracer]

Fiberglas mat adds very little strength, mostly bulk and weight.

Two thin layers of cloth laid at down on the 45 bias will be far stronger, lighter and thinner than a thick fiberglas mat.

[SIisaLowRydaEP3]

i got a lip i need to repair also in for pics or diy

[talonXracer]

My favorite repair method is to arrange the broken fiberglas into as close to original position as possible. It may require tape and a few clamps etc. And then wick in some Ca glue(super glue available at a hobby shop). This will in some cases now be as strong as before, the majority will require additional backside support. Make sure the fiberglas is sanded down with 80-90 grit, wipe it down. Then apply two layers of glas cloth, one with the fibers running at 0 and 90 degrees, and the second layer with the fibers running at 45 degrees. Keep these patch pieces low on resin content unless you add a highstrength filler to the resin. I like to measure out the resin, but dont mix it up yet, then take the cloth and lay it on a piece of window glass, mix up the resin, and brush a thin coat over the repair area on the backside of the bumper, blot the resin with some paper towells untill the area looks damp with resin, not wet, then add the filler to the rest of the resin and then wet out the fiberglass. Put the reinforcement patch in place.

[tht1guy]

Never done any fiberglass work I'm scared lol

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt...

[Kis4KEN]

Fiberglas mat adds very little strength, mostly bulk and weight.

Two thin layers of cloth laid at down on the 45 bias will be far stronger, lighter and thinner than a thick fiberglas mat.

Ask Fepst3r... Phil. Find my members ride thread. You'll see that I have a usdm rear bumper, and I shaved the rear bumper lenses using only FG mat and body filler. I have kicked my bumper around that area decently hard. Probably harder than most kick their tires. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that I've been using FG mat for more than a decade now, I find it, one, easier to work with, and two strong enough. Not trying to get defensive, but I'm pretty sure I know FG pretty well. Of course, I'm not an expert. But I'll throw it out there that the shop I work at, that just so happens to do 90% or so custom work, we use mat.

[RedSiBaron]

cloth is significantly stronger than matt...theres no need to discuss fact

[RedSiBaron]

Never done any fiberglass work I'm scared lol

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt...

dont worry youll be fine, worst case you sand it smooth and start over, on the backside you can screw up as much as you want and should be fine because its not a cosmetic side

[Kis4KEN]

cloth is significantly stronger than matt...theres no need to discuss fact

Well, I won't argue, it's just my preference.

Hell, @tht1guy, if you want, I have a bunch of scrap carbon fiber if you want to use that. lol.

[RedSiBaron]

Well, I won't argue, it's just my preference.

Hell, @tht1guy, if you want, I have a bunch of scrap carbon fiber if you want to use that. lol.

no i got ya, itll work...

to do carbon right and obtain strength you need to vacuum bag it, and then depending on application you want to heat cure it...only problem with carbon and heat curing is that as you add heat, there is an exponential strength curve and and an inverse material deflection and memory before failure curve...also when proper carbon fails, it just straight shatters

[03Si757]

We use a Lord Fusor brand product at work on marine craft, jet ski's, kayaks, and what not, that shit is beast, also works as a body filler to get the curvs and edges you want. I cant remember the exact product number but its a Greay, slow drying product but we have never had work come back from it cracking over again, once we re sculpted a whole front end of a sea doo that ran under a dock.

[03Si757]

We use a Lord Fusor brand product at work on marine craft, jet ski's, kayaks, and what not, that shit is beast, also works as a body filler to get the curvs and edges you want. I cant remember the exact product number but its a Greay, slow drying product but we have never had work come back from it cracking over again, once we re sculpted a whole front end of a sea doo that ran under a dock.

Heres the Fusor...
http://www.amazon.com/Fusor-LORD-FUSOR-148/dp/B002FZLPQ6

Will need a aplication gun, and for extre security the fiberglass cloth aswell. Super super strong repair.
Gun - http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ACAW_enUS386&q=lord+fusor&biw=1345&bih=591&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&wrapid=tlif130459466773010&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=372336695336445603&sa=X&ei=9YjCTZDDHtCjtgeO062lBQ&ved=0CGUQ8wIwAQ
Cloth - http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=productsearch&cd=6&ved=0CHEQgwgwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-67261-24966-0%2F2%3Fipn%3Dpsmain%26icep_vectorid%3D263602%26mt id%3D691%26kwid%3D1%26crlp%3D1_263602%26icep_item_ id%3D200370206249%26itemid%3D200370206249%26icep_m eta_categ_id%3D6000%26icep_etrs%3DN%26icep_epid%3D-999%26icep_ctlg%3D-999%26icep_cond%3DUsed&ei=_YjCTcnYLs-1tgfZ1PW_BQ&usg=AFQjCNFrSju_QsZpBY0wk7Nhz4b_-NOn0Q

Gets a little expensive, but this is how its supposed to be fixed :-P Instructions are simple, slightly V out the damage, sand area with a very abrasive paper (36,40,80 grit, or grinder wheel), no need for special adhesion promoter primer, apply thin layer over repair, smoothly, apply cloth over repair, then apply final layer covering completly over cloth, leave enough for forming shape and curves and what not, then progressive sand the repair, going from low count grit to higher count grit, then primer area and paint.

[talonXracer]

I have used several products that have long strands of glass mixed in to the resin and filler that works fantastic to fill small deep damaged areas and maintain a little strength.


Fiberglas mat is used to produce bulk where strength is not the primary consideration, but cost is. I have used glas mat, but that is on boat hulls(where weight is NOT a concern), corvettes and while constructing molds to ADD BULK. I started with composite repair and construction back in the late 70's working on Naval aircraft and have stayed in the business since that time.


And with ANY composite it is the resin(plastic) that provides the ability to maintain it's profile. Heat does not help or hurt the actual fabric, it does allow top end resins to obtain a much higher tensile strength, the fabric is merely a reinforcement for the plastic. Also the ratio of resin to fabric is very important.

Carbon will shatter as it reachs it's max ability to absorb energy. This is the reason why safety cockpits and any carbon structure on the inside of a race car or aircraft has a layer of Kevlar and polyethelene fabric added to retain those carbon shards like they do with bullets in a flak jacket.

That Fusor stuff is a urethane adhesive, a rubber product and not a hard plastic(think very hard engine mount inserts). Very tough and has incredible adhesive quailities.