New Member RX-7 Technical Post your first technical questions here, in an easy flame free environment, before jumping into the main technical sections.

Cracked Bumper

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 5, 2012 | 08:47 PM
  #1  
Turtle13's Avatar
Thread Starter
RX.....7 days a week
Tenured Member: 10 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
From: Redmond, wa
WA Cracked Bumper

So I have a custom kit on my car and although its definitely plastic, its one of the cleanest kits I've seen on an RX7.
So needless to say I don't want to get a new one. I've had people tell me to drill holes and stitch it,
but I've seen that done and I think its super trashy.

What are my other alternatives? Is there a way to repair a bumper without stitching or replacing it, and have it still look clean as hell.
Reply
Old Mar 6, 2012 | 12:20 PM
  #2  
dwb87's Avatar
This is my social media.
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,744
Likes: 0
From: WA
Definitely don't zip tie or "stitch" it... I agree with you on that.

I am sure you can repair it with fiberglass.
Reply
Old Mar 6, 2012 | 05:04 PM
  #3  
Turtle13's Avatar
Thread Starter
RX.....7 days a week
Tenured Member: 10 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
From: Redmond, wa
How do you do that? I dont have much experience with it, and im willing to do it myself. I just dont want to have to pay shop prices to fix it.
Reply
Old Mar 6, 2012 | 06:46 PM
  #4  
baxterrx7's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: central il
hi bud. before you second guess and you can look i up if you would like to i do body work for a living. its really simple to do this repair for just a crack. what you need to do is bevel the crack into a V shape just dont make this area to large just shape it to a V. then get something to reinforce the back like a piece of fiberglass reinforcemnt or just a good solid square of a screen for like a screen door. then you can glass the front and the back. the back you can make it a little thicker and wider for strength but the front you want to keep as flat and smooth as possible so that it doesnot create a lump on the face of the kit. sand smooth and dont use a real deep grit paper i would use 180 to sand and then finish it off some 320 and itll be smoothed out for paint. but like i said you can look up more elaborate instructions on the intraweb. hopefully this helps ya bud.
Reply
Old Mar 7, 2012 | 09:18 AM
  #5  
Aaron Cake's Avatar
Engine, Not Motor
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted by Turtle13
How do you do that? I dont have much experience with it, and im willing to do it myself. I just dont want to have to pay shop prices to fix it.
Is it plastic? Or is it fiberglass?

You need to apply the proper repair to the proper material. If it's plastic, then there are adhesives available at the body shop to make the repair. If you use fiberglass, it will just crack and fall off.
Reply
Old Mar 7, 2012 | 10:40 AM
  #6  
dwb87's Avatar
This is my social media.
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,744
Likes: 0
From: WA
Wouldn't a plastic bumper be very brittle?

Eric, can you post a picture of the crack and maybe even a picture of the material on the inside? Or ask the previous owner if he really put a 'plastic' bumper on the car.
Reply
Old Mar 7, 2012 | 03:48 PM
  #7  
Turtle13's Avatar
Thread Starter
RX.....7 days a week
Tenured Member: 10 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
From: Redmond, wa
That the thing, its a pretty rare kit, and im 99% sure its plastic. But I dont want to replace it because I Reeeally dont wanna get a new one. Ill take some good pictures of the crack when I get a chance.
Reply
Old Mar 7, 2012 | 04:53 PM
  #8  
Turtle13's Avatar
Thread Starter
RX.....7 days a week
Tenured Member: 10 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 143
Likes: 2
From: Redmond, wa
for now, its the bottom on the front left. and it stops right at where the bumper folds up at the back.

Reply
Old Mar 7, 2012 | 07:13 PM
  #9  
baxterrx7's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: central il
the fiberglass will work a short hair fiberglass is perfect for a flexible bumper. most body shops including the one i work in use a metal glaze on repairs on bumpers because the products they have out for bumpers are very hard to sand and it takes alot longer to get it smooth and they are not that great of products. but if you want you can go to a body shop supply company online and order the plastic filler dedicated for bumpers. but you should be able to pick up the fiberglass and its hardner at an oreillys and it will work just the same.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:18 PM.