Quadcammer

Hey Gang,
I purchased some used trim pieces for my mercedes that are rare and somewhat hard to find. When I received them, a few of the tabs are broken. I do not have the remainder of this tabs. Pics are attached.

I'm wondering if you guys can think of a way to recreate these tabs or come up with something else to take their place.

Thanks all.

coreseller

3D printer? In the past I've gone in from the back / opposite side with a sheet metal / self tapping screw and a fender washer if necessary after drilling a small pilot hole in the broken part to hold it in place.

JB Weld plastic epoxy and a Dremel? I used it once on the wife's SUV rear camera mount that broke, saved me $250. Good Luck.

Quadcammer

so I could build it up in epoxy and then shape it?

that may work.

Don't have access to a 3d printer.

thanks.

jstyer

I've done this quite a few times... Cake if you have a Dremel.

coreseller

Yes you can build it up over the existing plastic then use the appropriate Dremel cutting / grinding bits to shape it after it hardens which is fairly quick. Hopefully there are good tabs left to go by for shaping reference.

Also, you can clamp the trim piece in place and mold / knead the JB Weld into place from behind and press it around the old broken part of plastic if rear accessibility is an option, I've done that with one of the kid's cars. We gotta stop breaking stuff lol.

Quadcammer

I do have a dremel, but i'm not great at this intricately detailed stuff. Any particular epoxy?

There is one good tab to go by.

I can give this a shot I spose. Not much to lose.

coreseller

Also, you can clamp the trim piece in place and mold / knead the JB Weld into place from behind and press it around the old broken part of plastic if rear accessibility is an option, I've done that with one of the kid's cars.

This may be your best / easiest bet. Do the pieces snap into a door card?

Quadcammer

This is a sliding rear ashtray wood trim cover. The broken tabs are used to locate it vertically and prevent it moving too far in one direction horizontally. The tabs on the other end are what snap in.

There is no rear access. I think building it up and then cutting it with the dremel is likely my best bet. Gonna be a bit fiddly, but such is life.

thanks!

rlme36

Can you try and form aluminum to work and some how affix it? I did something similar to attach the broken speaker hifi cover to the back of handle due to broken plastic piece

Quadcammer

I suppose its a possibility, but it would be tough to do given the size and the difficulty in attaching the pieces.

rlme36

Is the gap it rides on flush to the larger plastic piece?

jstyer

I would use JB weld. It's stiff, but not too brittle. Takes longer to shape due to its density, but usually comes out way better than 5 minute epoxies.

BesideTheBox

If the plastic is ABS, then I would source some ABS plastic sheet and plumber 's ABS glue and build up the existing pieces. This will likely require cutting / shaping the existing pieces so as to get a good glueing surface.

Quadcammer

Yes, there is no appreciable lip.

I was planning on this stuff:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-4-o...1270/100344357

vincer77

This was going to be my suggestion. Fixed my door pockets with this method. You ccould even break the tabs off completely and plastic weld a strip of ABS and maybe just form the end.