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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rubber adhesive

How do you chaps get those rubber sheets to stick to the inside of Frogeye doors? I originally used good old contact adhesive, but that parted after a few years. Then I tried double sided carpet tape, and that separated even faster. Earlier this year I took the rubber out and cleaned it right back with white spirit and thinners, and used spray adhesive recommended for interior trim. The rubber has now completely fallen off, and I am at my wits' end. I'm not looking forward to getting old adhesives off the inside of the door.
Les Rose

IIRC I used contact adhesive for mine, likely Evostick, but it was about 35 years ago and still strongly adhered as I just checked. I've also used carpet tape to stick rubber to metal and that's still strongly adhered about 20 years on. As with many things it's likely down to the quality of the product as I bought some foam strip with PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) a couple of years ago and while initially good it has now lost its stick as the backing strip just falls off when handled. I have seen PSA sort of dry up and crumble in the past but have no idea of the age. I've got some 3M double sided foam tape and that is still good at about 10 years and the material on the roll doesn't seem to have degraded as I've used some recently and it still sticks like sh*t to a blanket as the saying goes. I never had a poor product from 3M but it's usually more expensive. That's my experience and may not be useful as you've already tried those options. A further thought is did you degrease the door and rubber before application as the rubber at least may have some form of release agent on it.
David Billington

Les

I used commercial high temp interior contact adhesive used by professional trimmers. I got it from Martrim.co.uk. Its £15.60 a tin but the rubber has stayed secure since 2009. I did coat both the rubber and the door and it was a pain to get it correctly in place.
Bob Beaumont

Les

I’d be tempted to try Evostick contact adhesive, clean surfaces and keyed surfaces with a layer of adhesive on both allowed to go tacky, mate both surfaces together and clamp then leave. Old tins are good - if you can get the lid off…

If you had an inflatable boat to repair or a hot air ballon to manufacture too I would try: https://www.lasaero.com/products/article/G037QS0JN (wonder if you could purchase smaller quantities?)
https://www.lasaero.com/products/article/G037QS0JN
Or
https://www.lasaero.com/products/article/G0496E2MT

Greybeard must have some recommendations from repairing lifeboats.

I agree with comment about 3M products - they just work well, may be pricier but have good info sheets and can be for particular jobs.

Cheers
Mike

M Wood

Sometimes the solvent element of the adhesive will soften cellulose paint and you get a poor bond. I think that is the case with Evilstink although one gets the impression that the formulation of many such products has changed over the years so this may no longer apply.

I have used Copydex which dries to a rubbery consistency and seems to work well though it has maybe not been on long enough to be sure. Thixofix is another product that I find works well for sticking down vinyl but I've not tried it on rubber yet.
GuyW

Hi,

Sorry but can you explain what the rubber sheets are please?

Whenever someone mentions something I don't know about I worry I'm missing it off my car.

Thanks

James
James Paul

Well you will be missing it James. Its only on the pre wind-up window models. A ribbed rubber that was glued to the inner face of the external door skin, effectively lining the deep door pockets missing in the later models, including yours.
GuyW

Phew! thanks Guy
James Paul

As I understand it from the rare examples that are still around the original material was a corrugated rubber material not available any more. When I looked for an alterative around 1996 I found a common black ribbed matt available off the roll which was a good substitute, examples here https://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-120-rubber-matting I used what looks like the narrow ribber rubber matting.
David Billington

By chance I came across a roll of the corrugated red rubber at an autojumble when I was restoring my Frog in 2009. I could only find the black corrugated rubber otherwise.
Bob Beaumont

Mine are still painted metal. I keep wondering whether to stick anything on or not. I wondered about using the vinyl type stuff used on the dash and trim boards which should adhere with Thixofix. Or carpet maybe.
Bill Bretherton

Isn't Thixofix thermoplastic? It's good stuff, but if the the sun warms the metal, Thixofix lets go from my own experience.

Try TRIMFIX. I've used to to put back the roof lining in my Capri. Excellent stuff. Heat resistant to 120c.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403755929638?hash=item5e01ba9026:g:BJoAAOSw5VFixAMg&var=673665917187


The other stuff I KNOW is great, if only you could get it here, is Bostik Rugby. Only in the Philippines though I think. Brilliant indestructable stuff and isn't loosened by the sun's heat once hard, like thixofix was when I used it. I use Rugby for loads of things, but I'm running out. I brought it back in my checked in luggage, but things have changed. More scanning, and they wouldn't look kindly on me if I did it again, and was caught. 🙄.


How about Gorilla glue? I'm told it's good but I haven't used it.






anamnesis

Trimfix is stated on the can as good for rubber too.



anamnesis

Bostik do this in the uk.

Bostik 1430 Contact Adhesive 1Lt Can *AFS1596

In addition it provides excellent adhesion to most natural and polychloroprene rubbers.

-- or when heat resistance up to 70c is required. For adhesion to metals we recommend the use of Bostik 9252 primer

https://www.silmid.com/adhesives/contact-adhesives/bostik-1430-adhesive-1lt-tin-afs-1596/



anamnesis

There's a variation on the theme of double sided tape called Gorilla mounting tape. Very good. I've used it successfully for number plates for example.
Best stuff for sticking rubber (or neoprene, vinyl, etc.) to other things like steel or GRP is probably Sikaflex but good luck getting it off again.
Recently tried a new one which is very promising called CT1. Easier to get hold of than Sikaflex because builders merchants sell it. I've used it three times now on the LifeBoat, two being external fittings, and nothing has come unstuck yet.
For vinyl to vinyl (inshore boat sponson repair) Bostik 2402 with D10 accelerator. Reassuringly expensive kof,kof.....
Requires Bostik 501 thinner.
Done it many times and nothing has sunk yet lol!

Pretty sure I remembered those numbers right but I'll correct it if not, after I check the dangerous stuff locker.
Greybeard

Many years ago I lined my doors with vinyl cloth and I used plain old contact cement and its been holding for years. The trick is to coat both surfaces and let them dry until they're tacky. Then you install it making sure that everything is properly lined up because you get only one chance.
Martin

Thanks for interesting suggestions. I first fitted the rubber sheet after the full rebuild so I was sticking it to brand new enamel paint. That was with Evo Stick. That gradually peeled off after about five years, which is when I tried the double sided tape. That was even less durable, so I took the rubber out, got rid of the tape, cleaned the rubber back to original surface, and tried again with the spray adhesive. I put adhesive on both surfaces. Every time I do this the result is worse. Getting the old adhesive off the door is going to be very difficult, but it's a bullet I will have to bite. I now have a choice of different adhesives to try.
Les Rose

Les if you can get Bostik 501 thinner my experience is that it will shift virtually any solvent based sticky stuff, especially if used with a scotchbrite scouring pad.
Black scotchbrite is more aggressive than green grade and lasts longer.

BTW for sticking carpet into footwells etc. my fave is DuraLock tape. It's sort of like giant Velcro that doesn't get jammed up with fluff and doesn't lose its grip. I use it all over the boat for things like the computer control pads and ready-use tools in the engine room. It's fantastically grippy and doesn't wear out. Yet...
Greybeard

This thread was discussed between 16/11/2022 and 17/11/2022

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