What Double Sided TAPE is better than the 3M TAPE?
 

This SHINE re amemiya street diffuser is kicking my ass.... the drivers side quarter panel bows out bad and required double sided tape. The red backing 3M double sided tape isn't strong enough. What's the best/strongest stuff I can buy?

Damn this diffuser..

How did you prep it before you put the tape on?

Are you set on using tape for any reason? Or could you use an epoxy? I would recommend 3M DuraMix 40/40 (that product maybe out of production...it now might be called 42/42, but it's the same thing).

It's a two-part epoxy that dries very quickly and once set resembles melted plastic almost. It won't come off once it's set, so rest assured the diffuser will be in place forever. This would make uninstalling it very difficult, however. I used DuraMix to install side skirts on my old car without any tape/screws/anything else and they never moved an inch.

Just a thought.

The red backing 3M tape is basically the strongest, the trick to making it hold strong is to heat up the area you will be putting it on before attaching the 2 sides, I did this when I had the esprit tail cover and when I had to remove it I had to use a knife to cut through it since you couldn't even pull it off.

I used windex to prep it, this is what I usually use since it has alcohol in it.

I need to use tape, I'm not wanting to glue this on.

Can you post a pic of the problem area? I have the same diffuser, (although not made by shine) and I dont really have fitment issues. Just wondering if maybe it was an installation error?

Other people have the same issues. I've installed/uninstalled this thing over 20 times. If it was a installation problem, I would have figured it out by now.

Don't use tape...

I tried tape on mine initially and didn't like the results either. One screw + washer behind the rear wheels on both sides and it holds the ends in solidly.

I used screws there. The sides still bow out. Pictures coming.

Damnit, my camera sucks.

It's hard to see where my tape is but you can see that it's pulling apart. This is what it looked like last night, but it pulled away alot by morning. I redid it this afternoon but I'm afraid it will be pulled apart again by morning.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...t/DSCN3642.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...t/DSCN3641.jpg

JB Weld I'm like 95% serious.

:p

Any ideas?

i agree with kai, heat up nice n hot, but hold the heat gun far away so u dont burn the paint, then 3m double sided tape. Could even use two layers one above the other so its double the holding the area.

The tape you are looking for is VHB tape. It is available from many sources but here is one:

http://www.uline.com/Grp_240/3M-VHB-Tapes

Select which materials you are trying to mate and what thickness tape you want.

^^ so, I looked up the VHB tape. They only wanted $1,200 for it. What the.... seriously?

Do you know what thickness of tape I need?

That site is an industrial supply store. And as such, they sell in bulk. Obviously, you do not need a case of the stuff so don't buy it from them. As I said before "It is available from many sources." Use that site to find the tape you want, then search out another smaller retail location/site to purchase it from.

Just as a warning though, if you get the right VHB for the materials you are trying to stick together you will likely not be able to get them apart again. Ever.


Edit: you can buy single rolls of the stuff from Uline. It is still around $100/72 yd but they do sell individuals.

Thickness depends on the match of the parts. If they are a good smooth match that conform to each other, use thinner tape so that the seam is smaller. If the panels do not match up as well, use thicker.

FYI: 1mil = .001 inch

Well, this needs to be removeable. Do you have any other suggestions?

Maybe I just need to try the same 3M again, but prep it better? Is heat and a proper cleaner necessary?

I use gasoline on both the part and car before i lay the tape.

With mine I worked from the fender wells to the back to get the best fitment. Granted, mine isn't perfect either, but I found that if I drilled and mounted the center screw under the license plate, it would mess up fitment on either the left or right side. Try getting the sides fairly snug first before drilling and mounting the bolts under the plate. It took me quite a bit longer than most have specified in other install threads for this diffuser. JMO!

Alright, redid it for the 23rd time. I worked from the quarter panels back again. Two layers of 3M tape, heated it, Boozed it.....

What I found is that the two gas tank strap mounting points are way off. 2 inches off. I think before, I had to manhandle them and put them in a bind to make them fit... that's where part of the bowing came from

dunno

pics later... getting hot outside

Totally correct. In fact, I just drilled holes in the diffuser as I went and ignored the prefabbed indentations. That way I got the fitment that I wanted. Looking forward to seeing your end result!!

Well, it's been mounted for awhile and it seems to be holding up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN3660.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN3662.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN3656.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN3658.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/DSCN3649.jpg