Repairing cracked HDPE plastic tractor cab roofs?

[ArlyA]

I’ve got a fiberglass-reinforced canopy, and have cracked it several times (the tree limbs just reach down and “get” me when I’m mowing). I’ve repaired numerous times with metal latch plates on the outside and inside of the canopy, and pop rivets through to hold everything in place. Works well.

I believe the OP has a HDPE canopy he is repairing.

 

[jonesgrove]

I have 2 tractor cab roofs made of HDPE plastics. Want to try to fix them. Found this cheap repair kit, but I dont know if it’ll work on this type of plastic?
Has anyone had luck fixing this type of plastic? I dont want to use tape, I want to repair with a “weld”

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Try MEK using some small shavings to make a paste with and then using the MEK again to melt them into the crack.

 

[aeblank]

Didn't read the whole thing, but two thoughts.

1. Bondic may be an option.
2. HDPE is a PITA as nothing stick to it. I don't know if they sell to people (non-businesses), but you could try contacting Elsworth Adhesives and see what they have for HDPE. Perhaps those melt-in zig-zag things and then a "fill coat" of whatever goo Elsworth recommends. If you PM me, I can give you a specific contact/name.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

Interesting. I have not seen this one. I have a plastic welder that is like a glue gun with different types of sticks for different plastics.
The nose on my travel trailer has cracks and I tried using it with little luck. I ended up using the plastic rods for the gun and chuck them in my Dremel which actually does a good job welding with the friction of the spinning rod against the crack.

even with the plastic heat glue gun I like to imbed some stainless screen and the hot stappler is a game changer. and you can make your own staples the way you like them out of .030 Mig wire works perfect.

 

[Gord Baker]

Depending on the type of crack/damage, you might consider a nice aluminium patch, pop riveted over the area with liberal caulking underneath it. Paint to suit. Gorilla tape may work but Gorilla Super Glue is useless unless you want your fingers glued to eachother.

 

[PhilnTX]

 

[bkqcho]

If the color is not a concern, I've always had good luck with 2 part epoxy along with fiberglass cloth cut to both fix cracks as well as holes. If you want to match the color, you can always sand & paint to match.

 

[youcars]

I have 2 tractor cab roofs made of HDPE plastics. Want to try to fix them. Found this cheap repair kit, but I dont know if it’ll work on this type of plastic?
Has anyone had luck fixing this type of plastic? I dont want to use tape, I want to repair with a “weld”

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I have and have used one of these plastic repair guns several times and they work better than anything else I have found.

 

[jghflys]

I dont know if it’ll work on this type of plastic?

I use a machine that is a little different but the same concept. The wires come in different shapes and provide mechanical strength for the joint but does not fuse the pieces together. The repair is strong and I use it a lot for cracks in auto door panels. HDPE is hard to "glue." JB weld makes Plastic Bonder that works pretty well. Gluing a thin edge of plastic even 1/8th inch, will probably fail again. Best practice is to use another piece of plastic to overlap the seam of the crack along the length of the crack. Here is the machine I bought because it gets into tighter places and has three power settings.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0883G5BF1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I also have a hot air plastic welder that fuses the plastic and can use filler rod. Like metal welding, it takes a fair amount of skill to use, and needs an air compressor.

 

[jyoutz]

Steinel 07121 110048753 Hdpe Plastic Welding Rods Black, 16Pcs <> any black rods are for Hdpe plastic

Steinel 07121 110048753 HDPE Plastic Welding Rods Black, 16Pcs

Buy Steinel 110048753 Steinel 07121 110048753 HDPE Plastic Welding Rods Black, 16Pcs MTESolutions

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So what sort of machine uses these plastic welding rods?