how to fix broken plastic studs on side panels

[africaman]

the studs sometimes break off when removing the side panels, or if you have a fall. you can reconstruct them using expoxy putty (stuff you buy from b&q or car spares shop in a small tube, looks a bit likes swiss roll, you cut off what you need, and squash in your hand which mixes teh two parts, often different colors). the trick is to get the shape right by making a mould. put two blobs of putty in cling film, and then squash the two blobs around a good stud. it goes off in about 20 mins. pull the two blobs apart (the clingfilm doesn't stick), and you have a perfect mold of the original stud shape. you then use this mould to make a new stud around the broken one, but first screw in a short self tapper into the bit of panel where the stud used to be. then squash some expoxy putty around the self tapper, and then squash the two halves of the mould around it (still with clingfilm attached). take apart a couple of hours later, and trim any excess off with a sharp model knife to give you a good shape. hey presto, you have a new stud. much better than trying to glue the old one back on. the putty is also useful to repair cracks - just clean and abrade teh rear surface behind the crack, and then squash teh putty onto a bit of flat aluminium plate, and squash against the crack. if you want a stronger repair, and don't mind drilling holes and having to repaint, drill some holes either side of the crack, and squash the putty through, which is like riveting but you can sand flat later.

[SteveWilko]

Are you talking about the "locating pins" item #6?[/url]

[africaman]

yup - but on the rd03 the positions of the 'locating pins' are a bit different, there's one at the back right under the tail end which is very easy to break, and you can see from your diagram on later models replaced with a bolt, but ya principle is the same across all models. i'm talking 'bout the little knobby bits which ya push into the rubber lined holes (snarf snarf!)

[Tarka]

Are you talking about the "locating pins" item #6?[/url]

It`s the mounting pins...or pegs...on moulded pillars that secure the sidepanel that he`s talking about.

Item 6 is the grommet that the sidepanel locating pin.or peg..pushes into.

[SteveWilko]

Thanks Tarka..... there was no item number for the pegs.... so I used #6... I could see the washers as being #6 and know they located over the pins.... but now I know what he is talking about I can see that we have been given yet more valuable info...

Many thanks....
Could be a useful method for many repairs...

[xrv_jim]

Great tip africaman! That'll come in useful on a couple of TZR panels I'm playing about with.

[Muckybill]

That putty stuff is real usefull. A mate hold the radiator on his Husquavarna and we fixed it with the putty. Five years later and it`s still holding.

Bill