Fiberglass repair?

[CoastyAV8R]

I had an unfortunate incident with my canopy (aka, camper shell, topper) when it fell off a support stand from about 5 feet in the air. It's a Leer shell and is fiberglass and in need of some work. I have one pretty decent size crack around the front window of the shell and the corner that hit first has a ding in it as well. What is the best way to repair the crack? The ding looks like a compression impact and is just on the surface. I'm wondering whether I should use bondo or get some kind of epoxy resin to fix these cracks. Any opinions?



On a side note, I thought the whole shell was going to crack in 2 as I saw it falling so I think how well it fared speaks very well of the Leer shell itself. I had to remove the rear window to straighten the inner and outer frames so that the door would open and close normally and repair the cracks and it'll be in service. The attached pics are turned sideways since they were too big when turned correctly.

 

[B.G. Smith]

You need to use fiberglass resin and a little glass mat or cloth to repair as I don't think the bondo will have much strength, I have seen the bondo with fiberglass mixed in though. If you can reinforce the area behind the damage from inside you might get by with just bondo on the outside. There should be some folks from south of you who are handy with that type repair. bg

 

[BGlidewell]

the only help I can provide is encouragement. I've seeen worse get fixed and looked better than new. Dont know who did the work or how as the vehichle is in the same storage as mine and I just happened to see it before and after.

 

[JZellers]

Like BG said, use cloth on the inside of the crack and bondo on the outside. On the inside, I would go 6" on either side of the crack and grind (or very rough sand) the surface, clean with acetone or lacquer thinner, then apply 3 layers of fiberglass cloth/ resin. Each layer can be a little smaller in length than the one below it. On the outside, use a dremel tool to clean out the crack and then grind or rough sand an area at least 3" on each side of the crack enough to leave a slight depression to give a little fill thickness for the body filler. If you use the lightweight filler, it will be a lot easier to sand and feather in, and with the layers of cloth on the inside, strength should not be an issue.



For the corner that was damaged, as long as there is not a crack through to the inside, grind or rough sand the area, apply filler, and sand to feather in. You should not be able notice either repair on the outside after painted. JZ

 

[CoastyAV8R]

Great info, that was what I was looking for. I'm not worried too much about the cosmetic appeal of the one on the front window since it can't be seen, but that is the one that needs to be strong. The corner one isn't cracked through, just surface damage that I'm sure bondo will take care of. I haven't done any fiberglass repair before but I have a general idea of the procedure, I'm sure I can muddle my way through it, after all, it's not a belly tile on the space shuttle.



Thanks again...

 

[ScottLewis]

In years of boat repair and construction, I found that glass mat will conform to curved or irregular shapes, like an inside corner, better than cloth. Sand and clean the inside as suggested. I would cut several patches, each slightly larger than the last and lay them up on the area after brushing on a coat of catalyzed resin. Lay on the smaller first, then progresively larger. Try to get them all in place and brushed out before the resin hardens. That way, you can smooth the patch with your brush and shouldn't need sanding. If the patch is going to be exposed inside, you can use a patch of cloth as the last layer for an even smoother finish. An old timer taught me to use a scrap of cardboard on which to saturate the patches before laying them up.

 

[jwduke]

If it isn't real bad, you cold get som gelcote to match, and thicken it up with talcum powder. Otherwise get some fine weave fiberglass and build it up.

 

[Ron Bissett]

what to use ?

Get some long strand fiber glass filler ,no need for any mat or cloth . Just mix only what you need and can use if five min at a time . Fill crack and about one inch on each side of the crack on the outside let stand for half hour ,while you mix and apply to inside cover the crack and two or three inches each side of the crack work fast smooth with plastic spreader supply ed with the filler . Sand out side to grade your choose of paint or Glass etc. On inside same or just spray paint if you smoothed almost to grade. Long strand fiber glass is strong about as strong as non woven mat . A gal can will last a year or more unless you find more things to fix. Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville KY :-{}