Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 42
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845

    Roof box repair -- not a crack

    Anyone have thoughts on repairing this? I don't have the piece of plastic. Partner put her skis away and shut the lid (did not lock) -- when I got there 15mins later the lid was open and the piece missing.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	unnamed (15).jpg 
Views:	150 
Size:	1.59 MB 
ID:	313721

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    2 part epoxy sticks to thule plastic well so if you had the piece of plastic it would be easy but you don't so how do you make another piece ?

    maybe someone has a severely wrecked box you could cut that piece out of, that would be the easiest way to do a repair and in that case I would cut the piece, stick it in place from the out side with a large sticker or 2 and then epoxy from the inside with some fibreglass cloth or I have used a spent dryer sheets

    not sure how to easily make that piece from scratch

    people put sticker on their box so that is also a good way to hide repairs
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bellevue
    Posts
    7,431
    I think the plastic is abs? You probably can cut a strip, or several if you want to match the profile, and then bond them in place. I'd back that up with epoxy and fiberglass

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    LV-426
    Posts
    21,126
    Damn. Did someone take a box cutter to it and break in?

    If it helps, I have repaired cracked black roof boxes with blue solvent glue. It seems to melt the edges a little when curing, and held up well. The blue color is invisible on black roof box plastic.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    Damn. Did someone take a box cutter to it and break in?

    If it helps, I have repaired cracked black roof boxes with blue solvent glue. It seems to melt the edges a little when curing, and held up well. The blue color is invisible on black roof box plastic.
    I have no idea -- given the location by the lock I was sort of suspicious. But the box was unlocked and nothing was taken (guess they didn't want 5 year old womens skis or goodwill poles.)

    I don't care about looks. Just want a functional repair. Sounds like ABS sheets plus some sort of glue and finished with fiberglass and epoxy.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    LV-426
    Posts
    21,126
    Look on your local craigslist/ Facebook market/ freecycle/ whatever -- and see if anyone is giving away a broken roof box. I've seen them posted up occasionally. Would be a good source of plastic, and maybe spare parts (hinges, clamps, whatever).
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,269
    Get some black 3-4" PVC pipe, make a paper template of missing section, cut about a 2" strip out, heat the remaining pipe, form into the shape of the missing area using the current box as a profiler with the sides and the upper parts over lapping about 2" and drill and rivet the new piece on. That patch will be stronger than the rest of your box. Basically make a big ass plastic patch over the missing area. If you really want to get fancy you can even use plastic filler and smooth out the edges of the patch and paint it matte black to match your box.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Denver-ish
    Posts
    963
    If Gaperville, CO is front range, you might give Open Road Outfitters a call. They have a pile of shattered boxes in the parking lot and might let you pick through them for a piece.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    the ham
    Posts
    13,370
    The labor intensive way would be to use fiberglass epoxy and mat, using something that approximates that curve as a mold. (large dowel, pipe, or just shape a piece of scrap wood by sanding) If you care how it looks, you could add black coloring agent.

    Or quicker/more ghetto would be to use aluminum Z bar (aka zee bar) with aluminum flat bar as backing on the inside of the box. Drill some holes and attach with bolts and nylocks. Then seal the gaps with exterior caulking.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hell Track
    Posts
    13,845
    Since you don't care about looks, it seems like just bending some thin-ish aluminum to the approximate shape and then bolting or riveting to the box would be pretty quick and easy, and wouldn't be any less secure than the rest of the box. Silicone around the edges for waterproofing. Spray paint it black if you don't want to draw attention to the patch.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    10,905
    Duck Tape.




    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    DownEast
    Posts
    3,237
    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Since you don't care about looks, it seems like just bending some thin-ish aluminum to the approximate shape and then bolting or riveting to the box would be pretty quick and easy, and wouldn't be any less secure than the rest of the box. Silicone around the edges for waterproofing. Spray paint it black if you don't want to draw attention to the patch.
    This. But make the aluminum patch bigger than the hole and attach/rivet to the inside of the box and it will act like a shingle and shed water.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    Quote Originally Posted by singlecross View Post
    This. But make the aluminum patch bigger than the hole and attach/rivet to the inside of the box and it will act like a shingle and shed water.
    This is so fucking obvious. Thanks toast and single

    Besides, my new van looks too nice. No way to class it up but like some beer can fixes.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,064
    FiberFix

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    Quote Originally Posted by tuco View Post
    FiberFix
    never seen this^^ stuff but yeah it would probably work, maybe if you could make a bit of a form by taping some thinish plastic in place on the outside and laying up the fiberfix from the inside, I wonder if the product ^^ would stick to the form ?

    stickers are awesume for covering up boo boo's, I put a huge crack in the tray of my thule ( pro tip: don't hang off the tray at -17 ) I got the crack closed/edges perfectly lined up, slapped a big sticker over the outside of the area/epoxy & FG matt on the inside and it was good as new
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    Gonna try aluminium can shingle riveted on. If it looks like hell maybe I'll throw some FiberFix over it and spray paint it all black.

    Thanks all, lots of good ideas.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Fraggle Rock, CO
    Posts
    7,767
    I dunno how many pbr 24oz cans you go through in an average Tuesday but I'd for sure go buy myself one specifically for making that repair. The last thing you wanna do is use a Weldwerks or n Knotted Root can for that type of job, ya know? Gotta have the correct materials for the job!
    Brandine: Now Cletus, if I catch you with pig lipstick on your collar one more time you ain't gonna be allowed to sleep in the barn no more!
    Cletus: Duly noted.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    Quote Originally Posted by Cruiser View Post
    I dunno how many pbr 24oz cans you go through in an average Tuesday but I'd for sure go buy myself one specifically for making that repair. The last thing you wanna do is use a Weldwerks or n Knotted Root can for that type of job, ya know? Gotta have the correct materials for the job!
    But if I don't use a Weldworks can how can I demonstrate my fine unique taste focused on hazy IPAs?

    Probably just buy a Rainer at the Rat this weekend and fix it in the parking lot. Will document here for posterity.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    273
    1. don't bother repairing the lock, fix so functional to not open while driving

    2. at hill, remove items not needed and place inside vehicle, cover with blanket for added security

    if it's not in plain sight or inticing while casually strolling by, bad guys will move on...

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    The lock works fine. I just want to prevent future expanding damage and water entry so I can use it for camp gear in the summer. In the winter it's just skis.

    Still want it fixed so as people don't go peeping. I'm not unloading the top every time to inside the vehicle. The whole point is shit stays wet and up there so we can camp inside.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Striker View Post
    The labor intensive way would be to use fiberglass epoxy and mat, using something that approximates that curve as a mold. (large dowel, pipe, or just shape a piece of scrap wood by sanding) If you care how it looks, you could add black coloring agent.

    Or quicker/more ghetto would be to use aluminum Z bar (aka zee bar) with aluminum flat bar as backing on the inside of the box. Drill some holes and attach with bolts and nylocks. Then seal the gaps with exterior caulking.
    This with duct tape as the mold


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    273
    wasn't meant to be dikish, just mentioned from previous experience

    but, might be time for a new rig?

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    Quote Originally Posted by grskier View Post
    This with duct tape as the mold


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    Got a little fucked up here making dinner but an idea came to me, how about using a real duck on that patch ?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    59715
    Posts
    7,447
    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post
    The lock works fine. I just want to prevent future expanding damage and water entry so I can use it for camp gear in the summer. In the winter it's just skis.

    Still want it fixed so as people don't go peeping. I'm not unloading the top every time to inside the vehicle. The whole point is shit stays wet and up there so we can camp inside.
    I would use the profile of the adjacent rim as a mold - use some release agent or wax paper, lay up a length that will overlap the broken section with fiberglass or carbon fiber tape, cut and shape when dry, and pop rivet or screw over broken section.

    I hope that makes sense. If you lay up carbon fiber, use a good mask and vacuum when cutting/shaping.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    10,905
    Quote Originally Posted by grskier View Post
    This with duct tape as the mold


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    I think Duck tape would work better.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •