I remember reading about different types of mastics for the ali panels, polyurethane being recommended. Is there an alternative? Prices are 3x at my local DIY for poly sticky. Is it rally necessary to rivet too? Do people use the mastic on any tube surface where the ali toiuches, ie if bent over the top of the tubes 90 deg, on both surfaces???
tim

PU Adhesive/Sealer is available from approximately £5 over here in the UK. Maybe you will have to import some... found this link for you if it's any use.

Click HERE

Hope it's some us...

I used "no nails" its cheap and easy to get hold of
it will stick any thing to any thing
and its very easy to use

I am sure someone on this forum will say I have done the wrong thing but, my car is in its 5th year on the road without any unsticking, I have had lots of other problems tho !!!

Steve I agree it is cheap and available.

IIRC it resists flexing, but it is very strong. Afterall, my house is held together with it!

Thanks a lot guys!!! We have something called Why Nails, I guess thats it. Will give it a go.
/Completely off topic, I hate the way when they bring a movie here, they don't translate the name, they invent a completely new one! Makes life king difficult.
Anyone see the movie city of god from Brazil???

Been fitting my rear panel and scuttle today and ran out of PU so hot foots it down to B&Q for some no nails when I got it back home in the small print it said at least one of the surfaces must be porous.
It was the solvent free type which I would imagine is the reason for this,so takes it back to find out that they dont sell the solvent type anymore,well B&Q dont anyroad.
Cheers,
Bob

If you are using adhesive on the panels, put one rivet at both ends of each pass. PU is great in tension but crap in shear so the rivet prevents any shear. I used PU and 1/8" rivets every 2", belt and braces again.

Is this being done more often then?

Is sounds like it could be a lot easier than riveting across the whole panel

Couple of thoughts here. The panels you're joining aren't being used in a structural sense are they? If that were the case I'd probably use something other than a typical polyurethane adhesive. Loctite makes some descent products (Hysol line) as well as 3M (can't remember the name). Actually, bonding agents are usually quite good in shear, as those are the loads panels are used for. They are not good in peal, which is a combined tension and shear force, which is why rivets are used at the corners of panels, in order to keep the panel from lifting and beginning to de-laminate. Without very clean work areas, even if good bonding agents are used, it might be best to add rivets anyway, albeit perhaps in more moderation. Cheers guys!

Uh-oh, my turn to go ott on this one!! I am trying to increase the chassis stiffness on mine and so, having thought about it, much as PU type adhesives are great, they won't help this that much. I think that because they remain flexible (15 to 30% depending on type) the structure will move until the rivets are all under similar tension as they would be if the glue was not there.

My plan (subject to change as always) is to use epoxy (industrial araldite) and rivets at 1.5" intervals for attaching the alloy floor and body sides, and anywhere else that won't need to come off!

Just need to check the price of the epoxy!

Just a quick post to clarify that the 3M and Loctite products are not polyurethane based. Wasn't sure if that was clear in my last post. They are in fact meant for structural metal bonding, and thus careful prep is needed, albeit not cleanroom specs. Cheers!

Critical question is.......what are the product names and how much do they cost. Thought I was getting on well having tracked down the Araldite 2011 grade, long work life epoxy, 20 quid for 200ml but then you need a flipping £40 gun to apply it, and they have the cheek to call that an "economy applicator gun".....I'll giuve them flipping economy!!..........b1000y hell, just looked, the "manual applicator gun" is £98.60, that's why the other one is the "economy" one!!


OK, anybody know of an epoxy that comes in normal sqeezy tubes in quantities big enough to not need a silly number of tubes!??