The first repair that i did on my NSX involved rebuilding a rat-eaten alternator boot http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/152741-DIY-Rubber-Repairs?highlight=sugru and it turned out well and has stood the test of heat and time. Sugru is almost magical stuff:
I decided the next application for it was to repair a rip in my rear targa seal. I had repaired it earlier with black silicone and it did the job but it was ugly and got uglier over time:
The "repaired area also would really distort and "pooch" out when the top was installed:
Ugly, right? Well the first thing to do was to take the Xacto knife and remove the cancerous area. I used alcohol to remove Shin-Etsu grease from the area to be repaired. I then custom fit a piece of high density foam that I rescued from some electronics packaging material and placed it inside of the cutout area to provide a surface for the Sugru to adhere to:
Here is what the foam looks like:
Next, I masked the area to be repaired and placed another slice of the foam into the outer channel of the seal, temporarily, to stabilize the area to make it easier to work:
Open a packet of Sugru and knead it like bread dough for 30 seconds or so then, using your fingers, spread it over the area to be repaired. Fully cover the edges of the cutout and have a small spray bottle of distilled water to moisten the surface as you work it. This will allow you to smooth it out as much as possible:
I let it cure overnight and then the next day, I added just a bit more to fill areas that I had missed. After the new Sugru cured, I used fine sandpaper (400 to 1000 grit) to get the surface as smooth as possible. The color match of the black Sugru to the seal is almost perfect! I applied a layer of Shin-Etsu grease to it and installed the targa top to assess my work:
A huge improvement, for sure :biggrin: and as close to perfect as i think I can get it. I can put off buying that $1K seal a bit longer now.
I decided the next application for it was to repair a rip in my rear targa seal. I had repaired it earlier with black silicone and it did the job but it was ugly and got uglier over time:
The "repaired area also would really distort and "pooch" out when the top was installed:
Ugly, right? Well the first thing to do was to take the Xacto knife and remove the cancerous area. I used alcohol to remove Shin-Etsu grease from the area to be repaired. I then custom fit a piece of high density foam that I rescued from some electronics packaging material and placed it inside of the cutout area to provide a surface for the Sugru to adhere to:
Here is what the foam looks like:
Next, I masked the area to be repaired and placed another slice of the foam into the outer channel of the seal, temporarily, to stabilize the area to make it easier to work:
Open a packet of Sugru and knead it like bread dough for 30 seconds or so then, using your fingers, spread it over the area to be repaired. Fully cover the edges of the cutout and have a small spray bottle of distilled water to moisten the surface as you work it. This will allow you to smooth it out as much as possible:
I let it cure overnight and then the next day, I added just a bit more to fill areas that I had missed. After the new Sugru cured, I used fine sandpaper (400 to 1000 grit) to get the surface as smooth as possible. The color match of the black Sugru to the seal is almost perfect! I applied a layer of Shin-Etsu grease to it and installed the targa top to assess my work:
A huge improvement, for sure :biggrin: and as close to perfect as i think I can get it. I can put off buying that $1K seal a bit longer now.
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