Hey guys, I had an Idea for repairing and reinforcing old door panels. I have searched through many old posts with very crafty ideas on the topic, and I was wondering if
anyone ever tried using abs pipe glue to adhere some reinforcement pieces to the backsides? I have used that glue before on piping and it is very cheap $5.29 for 8oz. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-8-oz-ABS-Cement-in-Black-308893/100345366


Also, I found some plastic segments in all different shapes and sizes at mcmaster-carr. "Impact-Resistant Easy-to-Form ABS Sheets, Bars, and Strips" https://www.mcmaster.com/abs

For instance, there are plastic 'rods' of different diameters, such as a 1/14" rod at $12.50 per foot. If you sliced it into short disks and milled them out a bit, (maybe set up a jig) they could be replacement posts. Or perhaps an abs pipe sliced into 'tower' sized disks with a metal 'cap' on top, drilled or cut for the plastic posts. A 1" wide X 1/4" thick strip could reinforce other areas and is only $1.57 per foot.
Your money would go a long way with cheap materials like this. Plus you don't have to cannibalize another panel for the towers, and you wouldn't be transplanting the same weaknesses into the panel. I believe you can form the plastic with a torch too. don't know if the glue would cause distortion due to being too strong though. Has anyone tried this?

 

I was JUST reading on another forum somewhere the other night where someone was saying they've used clear CPVC glue on interior plastic to make a repair but I can't remember where I saw it (I've been going without sleep a lot lately and it has a negative effect on the 'ol memory).

At least you're thinking and trying to come up with some inexpensive alternative fixes to save guys some money & material. I'd be tempted to experiment on a few broken pieces at a local junkyard to see what will bond effectively and what won't.

Formable plastic might be a nice material to use in some applications. It sounds similar to the plastic they use when you've had surgery on your hand etc and they take a sheet (usually white) of it and cut it then heat it to shape & form it to the contours of your hand & wrist etc. I always thought material like that would be handy around the garage too.

CPVC glue and ABS glue are both excellent products for joining plastics. I used to do a lot of pipework when I worked in heavy-industry and they bond really strong. They are solvent-based however so keep that in mind. I would definitely also buy a small can of ABS/CPVC cleaner for spot cleaning and to prep surfaces or thin/dilute the glue(s) as needed. For the cleaner (and CPVC glue if that's something you might consider as an alternative) I'd definitely go with the non-dyed "clear" formula (not the yellow or purple etc).

Hey - take a look at my post (on another thread also going right now, linked below) that's discussing plastic-welding door panel cracks. I wrote a post (with some video links) about plastic adhesive "welding" using the "super glue and baking soda" trick to repair cracked broken plastic pieces. I think you might find that post kind of interesting

Plastic Welding Door Panels?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...or-panels.html

 

Thanks for the link, that was good stuff for sure. I think you are right, it's time to experiment a little. Everyone knows new ones are available, but mine are green, and the paint thing doesn't entice me. Also, the more crew cab rear door panels we save, the better, because nobody is going to spend the type of money it would cost to tool up for those panels given the number of potential customers there would be for them.

 

I had a small pice on my door panel brake. I used some gorrila super glue clear to put it back together. and repainted it and i really can't tell it was ever broke.

 

I have great luck strengthening plastic parts with a cheapo Harbor Freight plastic welder & aluminum screen, like you use on your house windows. Cut the screen to the size of the area you want to strengthen, use the cheapo welder to melt the screen into the plastic. When it cools it will be much, much stronger.

Don't overdo it, if you try to do too large of an area at once you can overheat the part & deform it. Do small areas at a time, allow it to cool. Cracks can be reinforced this way, but can be tricky, as the crack can warp or open up as heat is applied. Practice on junk parts for a while before you try the good parts. Use lots of ventilation, the plastic smokes & gives off foul fumes.

I've used this method to repair grills, door panels, & dash parts.

The HF welder is super cheap, made of plastic. When it gets hot, it starts to melt & deform. Just keep taking it back & get another under warranty.

 

Ooooo, I like the idea of using the aluminum screen in the repair. It's lightweight, form-able and strong, kind of like a mini version of rebar in concrete. I'm gonna hafta try something with that. Thanks for the ideas!

 

Am in process of repairing mine now - probably like most, the little clip mounts on the backside have gotten chewed out and broken over the years. I prefer the metal clips to mount the panel instead of the plastic Christmas trees, so simply building up the area is satisfactory. I keep a roll of flashing metal around, and trimmed a few little bits off it to put inside the clip mount (nice smooth flat surface to slide the clips onto. A little JB Weld, and they are securely glued in place. More JB Weld to fill in the gaps, some filing smooth, and the clips will have a nice strong metal-backed area to hang onto with enough wiggle room to easily get the clips into the holes on the doors.

 

Huston, -Do you use 2 layers of metal or just one? What if the mount is missing altogether?

 

I used one on the inside of the cup, held in place by JBWeld.
Then to add filler I used JB Weld across the former gap. I did not try to rebuild one where the cup was missing but at that point I am not sure I would try... I love JBW but that might strain its capabilities. As as, I had to "tune"how tightly the metal clips held. A looser one basically rolled off its mount when I was setting the panel in place and one that was very tight broke the new reinforcement off and it had to be redone. At this point, though, the panel appears to be holding OK. I only used one layer of metal to avoid thickening the part where the clip holds to... could probably use two layers of metal (top and under) and adjust the clip opening to match. I find that a super tight grip is not advisable, rather just loose enough for the clip to be able slide around on the mount if pushed.

 

I can picture that pretty well as you described it. Thanks for the info!

 

any luck with fiberglass on the inside of the door panel to reinforce cracks? I am about to try it . . .

 

No sir, too many irons in the fire at the moment. I can't wait to get at it though. Post some pics if you beat me to it!

 

well, for normal purposes my metal strip/JBWeld idea would work fine... unfortunately I just replaced the door seals and they are still setting in and I have to shut my doors hard. Yesterday two clips popped loose... guess I need to look a little harder at this to make it bullet-proof! Next thought is to put a little (you guessed it) JB Weld around the base of the clip right before I install the panel... install the panel and let the glue set up to hold the clips in place. I had to heat and rebend the outside edges of my panels (they warped in the Texas summers) and while they are much better they are not perfect - that puts the metal clips at their limits, and when I slam the door hard - you guessed it. So a little tweaking in order. I used later model door seals, too, and they seem to need a much longer "setting-in" period than I expected. I suspect a couple of weeks of hot weather and a little more door latch adjustment will make all this a minor memory.

 

Dave- I know what you mean about those seals, the doors seem so 'sprung' tight after installing them, but there is no comparison between the 79 and 80-up style of seals. It takes a while but they do 'set in' as you say, then you can really appreciate the tightness of your doors when you hit a pothole. Those other seals are just worthless...

 

For the longer cracks I used fiberglass, and for the smaller ones I used Gorilla epoxy mix. Cheaper than buying a new door panel. Reinforce with Gorilla duct tape on inside of course. Seems solid. Ordered new door cups, and cleaned the armrests while I was at it