C14 Saddlebag Latch Handle/ Covers

[Big Red]

Maxtog, Grainger has curbside at most locations and I believe ship free to store. You may have one near you.

[VirginiaJim]

JB Weld, that fixes most everything.

[Big Red]

JB Weld, that fixes most everything.

For that application, I'd use PC-7 before JB Weld. Very similar stuff, but is a touch more flexible.

[VirginiaJim]

Well, I'm sure they would have a product to work with that but to each his own...  However, if experience dictates, then I'd go with Red's recommendation.


https://www.jbweld.com/products

[Big Red]

Jim, you're right. I often think of JB Weld as a single product, not a brand. My bad. I suspect JB Weld plastic putty would work well. Maybe a little more difficult to work with. I bet you could find that in most hardware stores, too.

[maxtog]

Jim, you're right. I often think of JB Weld as a single product, not a brand. My bad. I suspect JB Weld plastic putty would work well. Maybe a little more difficult to work with. I bet you could find that in most hardware stores, too.

"PlasticWeld Epoxy Putty" might work, but it says nothing about having any flexibility.  And I do think that might be important with this application.  My assumption is that it is just another rock-hard epoxy, but that is compatible with "many" plastics.  It also doesn't help that it is white (and this could be very visible if it squirts out some under that cover).

I have used the traditional JB-Weld (the grey 2 part/2 tube stuff) on some plastic ear tabs that broke off on the Concours and it has seemed to hold.  And I had some "lack of flex" concerns with that.  So, maybe flex doesn't matter as much as I think?

This stuff looks kinda interesting, too (never heard of it):  https://www.amazon.com/E6000-220011-High-Viscosity-Adhesive/dp/B0044SB3M8

[maxtog]

HA!  I should have shut my damn mouth.

Went to open it today, and the top came off in my hand.  It looks like it and the two hinge-things are held in place by a single bead of black RTV.  So I guess I have to find some, scrape off the old, and glue it back.

I ordered the "PC-Auto Bond" as indicated, above.  More expensive than most, and took a while to get from Amazon (since nobody locally sells it).

Of course the left cover came off, since I use that pannier 10 times as much as the right pannier....  I decided to try pulling on the right cover.  Sure enough, that popped right off.  Figured, since the adhesive on both are the same age.  Plus, this bond stuff is expensive and has a mixing tube that can only be used once, so I want to make sure I didn't have the right one fail a year from now or something.

I used a razor blade to remove as much of the old black sticky adhesive as possible on both the latch and cover and the little hinge pieces.  Then I used the razor to scratch hash marks all over them for adhesion.  Squirted the new filler-epoxy using the same pattern as the factory (it was not as thick as I had hoped/expected) and placed the covers back on.  Now only time will tell.

Photos attached

[maxtog]

I ordered the "PC-Auto Bond" as indicated, above [...] has a mixing tube that can only be used once,[...]it was not as thick as I had hoped/expected

Ah.  Looking at their products pages, one can buy additional mixing nozzles with different capacities.  Then it occurred to me.... perhaps you fill the tube and WAIT a short while before dispensing it, for it to thicken some?  Of course, there are no instructions for using the tubes. 

Anyway, it is a very, very solid bond now.  A tiny bit squirted out around the edges and I could feel it is much harder (less flexible) than the OEM stuff.  I hope it never has to be removed for any type of service, because it is probably impossible at this point.  Hey, at least I will never lose the covers!

[Big Red]

I'm glad you were able to get it squared away. I wouldn't have thought to pop the other side off to repair it too.

[maxtog]

I'm glad you were able to get it squared away. I wouldn't have thought to pop the other side off to repair it too.

It took some considerable effort.  So it was not likely to come off anytime soon.  But I figured, I did the research, I had the supplies, I had the one-time-use mixer tube....  why push fate?

I think all of us, at least with similar-aged C14's, should probably pry a little on the most used side to test and see if it is going to fail soon and get ahead of the issue.