PM Gear Bro Tips Splitting

**viglio** · 05-16-2018, 08:48 PM

Caught some serious shark damage on a link-up in RMNP the other weekend and came out to discover my beloved bros had taken a major hit. The metal tip/cap is peeling back and totally removed from the ski for about 4" of its length. Any thoughts on a fix for this? Worried epoxy will have trouble adhering to the Ptex and with the steel tips being so darn strong, tough to get them to move back into place cleanly.

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**1000-oaks** · 05-16-2018, 10:05 PM

No doubt Pat will offer the best solution, but I would guess maybe a quick flame job on the surface of the UHMW with a butane torch (wherever it needs to be bonded), then try to bend the aluminum tip protector back to match the ski tip contour as best you can. Then pry it apart a bit and brush a thin layer of West Systems G/Flex epoxy everywhere in there, and clamp the crap out of it. Then warm the whole tip with a hair drier (nice and warm, but not super hot) so the epoxy thins and is drawn deep into the cracks by gravity and capillary action. When cured after a day or two, trim off the oozed epoxy. Probably be as good as new.

**mcski** · 05-17-2018, 10:38 AM

Warranty them!

**margotron** · 05-17-2018, 12:57 PM

Less elegant but you could almost certainly countersink a screw through the bottom and secure on top with a nut washer.

**snapt** · 05-17-2018, 01:56 PM

Had the exact thing happen to a pair of hybrid bros after about 10 days on them. Used quick setting epoxy and it held for the next 5 years of heavy skiing until I sold them.

**splat** · 05-18-2018, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by mcski

Warranty them!

My thoughts exactly!

snapt knows. it's a quick fix. but keeping a couple lil things in mind will make it last approximately forever.

It's just epoxy that holds it all together. For fixes, I prefer the cheap stuff at walmart or home depot, maybe marine epoxy (can't thin marine epoxy with heat very easily). This delam usually happens after a hot sanding/base grind loosens the epoxy. Then a rock hit will tear it or it will just pop up because the aluminum wasn't sufficiently pre bent, epoxy is weakened and it wants to go back flat. Looks like there's some metal memory on yours. For this fix, I will slip a real thin finishing nail under the metal and overbend it in three locations for a smooth curve. Then I'll sand the glue side of the metal, wipe it clean w/alcohol. Get some well mixed epoxy in it, clamp something rigid but flexible to the curve and give it 72 hours.

**viglio** · 05-18-2018, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by splat

My thoughts exactly!

snapt knows. it's a quick fix. but keeping a couple lil things in mind will make it last approximately forever.

It's just epoxy that holds it all together. For fixes, I prefer the cheap stuff at walmart or home depot, maybe marine epoxy (can't thin marine epoxy with heat very easily). This delam usually happens after a hot sanding/base grind loosens the epoxy. Then a rock hit will tear it or it will just pop up because the aluminum wasn't sufficiently pre bent, epoxy is weakened and it wants to go back flat. Looks like there's some metal memory on yours. For this fix, I will slip a real thin finishing nail under the metal and overbend it in three locations for a smooth curve. Then I'll sand the glue side of the metal, wipe it clean w/alcohol. Get some well mixed epoxy in it, clamp something rigid but flexible to the curve and give it 72 hours.

Hmm if only I could find the warranty form

Seriously, thanks guys, and thanks for chiming in Pat. Favorite skis ever and I would have hated to have to retire them! Will update with how it goes.