the screw holes are cracked. How can I repair and reinforce?

Some one has had to have already figured this out on our +2 decade old cars.

 

I like to use two part epoxy on parts like this. Take the part and its mate off the car and use the epoxy to repair the screw holes. Let it setup a little bit with the screws in the holes and before it drys completed make sure you can back the screws off a little bit. You might also try putting a little bit of vasaline on the screws before putting the expoxy on. This ensures the expoxy doesn't bond the screws in the hole.

 

JB Weld, for the win.

 

gorilla glue. seriously that **** is good.

 

I tried to do that to my 82, it didn't work out that well...

 

For what year? Mazdatrix has the '84-85....'83's...NLA....and only the right side of SA's.
Junkyard....Mazda Recycling in Rancho Cordova, Ca may be able to help.

 

i just buy a new/used column set. but if you do plan on repairing it, jb weld will work the best.

 

anyone could just buy a new/used column cover, were is the fun in that??

hell , why not go out and buy a rx-8 ? or some shitty GM/Ford pony car, that they can barely give away???

 

the column covers are a 2 part fix.

part one, the screw things usually split, if you catch it early enough, glue it up, and put a small zip tie around it.

part 2, is the prevention part, they get broken, because they get hit by your knee, sit further back, or get in more carefully and you wont break em

rx8, its a really fun car in the same way as the 1st gens are. and if you want to compare it to the FD, the 8 has already outsold the FD in the us, by about 5:1

 

There is a grey and a red cover on ebay right now for $15

 

I test drove the rx-8. It wasn't $32 K's worth of fun

The car salesman pointed out the satelite radio and wasn't aware that the rx-7 had a rotary engine too

 

haha.. yea.. i went to the junkyard and got one for free... then i started taking apart that car in the junkyard. junkyards are good because you can mess up that car without messing up your car
Alex

 

i personally could care less about the fun in screwing with a steering column cover and trying to fix it. i'd rather replace it with a new or used one and be done with it and have it right the first time. i'd rather put my time into bigger things on my 7's.

if someone is giving away an RX-8 i'll take it! the 8 is a marvelous car! it's a little overburdened with luxury featuers that take away from the original sports car concept, but its a very balanced car (chassis wise) that will really be a collectable car in years to come.

 

I intend to spend less time fixing the crack than I would buying a new steering column cover.

My car is a daily driver. This site has really helped me keep my 25 y o car running at minimal cost.

The RX-8 is comparable to the honda s2000 and Nissan N350 (per car and driver, or road and track). And I thought the mazda salesman was a total dumb ***.

 

i agree, most mazda reps are completely worthless. i also believe that the RX-8 is overpriced. can you imagine what you could do to an SA/fb with the money you could buy a used RX-8 for? though i wish i could afford both the 8 and the parts to make my cars showroom new..