mAnYsTyLeS

The corners on a piece of my aluminum trim kit will not stick down (with the 3M tape) to the little section where I turn my lights on. I'm thinking of just gluing the corners down to keep it in place permanently. Any recommendations on a good glue that will do the trick.......thanks!

cryptic26djp

I dont know if its recommended for this specific application - but Gorilla Glue is completely B@D@SS!!!! Rhino glue is pretty good too though

CrazyAl

I'm not a professional chemist, but from what I do know, different glues are good (or bad) depending very strongly on the materials to be glued.

For example, good 'ol yellow wood glue is one of the best glues you can get--for wood that is. It's useless on other things.

Some plastics are nearly impossible to glue things to (polyethylene for example) unless you get very special glue. Gorilla glue and super glue don't stick to polyethylene very well at all (what you you think they make the bottles for these glues out of). Plastic is one of the hardest things to glue in general--personally I'd avoid the liquid glues and keep trying with the tape.

Anyway, 3M makes literally hundreds of different kinds of tapes. The "serious" ones are very strong indeed. If your trim is not sticking with that, then I can think of only two issues:

Either of the surfaces to be bonded may be dirty or contaminated. Clean them very carefully before bonding.

If that's not the problem, then it seems like you were given some inferior or "light duty" 3M tape. Try to call a local Auto Paint supply shop (where the local body shops buy their supplies from) and get some of the exterior-grade 3M emblem tape. That should put it down permanently.

cryptic26djp

Good advice CrazyAl.

MikeVistaBlue06

JB Weld Epoxy. Mixes up and looks grey. It can be painted over. You will need to clamp your part down while it cures.

Warning: Be damn sure you want to permanently stick something together with JB Weld, because when it cures, it is there forever!!

Just ask the dude I know that put his mirror on backwards and tried to remove it. He took a chunk of the windshield out!!!

Hope this helps.

Mike

Orion_240

+1 on epoxy!
There's a famous artist that put together huge installations from found objects and that's what he used! He made a mess, but you don't have to! Just cover everything with newspaper and masking tape.

CrazyAl

JB Weld is great stuff. I use it frequently. But like most epoxies it has poor bond strength to many plastics. It might work, it might not. I give it a 50-50 chance.

You can get special plastic epoxy--it will also stick to aluminum. It's not expensive, and most hardware/home centers should have it. The drawback is that it smells awful until it has fully cured.

TPony

+1

mAnYsTyLeS

The thing is...I don't plan on removing the piece because 90% percent of it is securely fastened. I just want to get underneath the corners with something to keep those suckers on. This means the glue will be going on the coners with the 3M tape still on it (which doesn't stick anymore) and the plastic of our car's dashboard where we switch on the lights.

I don't want to remove the piece and re-tape it. Hopefully this will change some opinions...please let me know. Thanks!!

06GT4RAD

3M does make an adhesive promoter that can be used with there tapes here is the parts number. You can most likely get it at a body shop supply store

06396 Adhesion Promoter

Richard