cobalt

Is the problem the velcro adheasive or the velcro not holding?

I have industrial grade velcro that comes in a 2" wide roll. I was thinking of just running it the entire length. If the adheasive is failing, crazy glue works wonders and should last a long time.

You may think of heating the reflector face up, full suported, in the oven at 100-150 degrees for a few min to soften and allow the unit to flatten by itself. (I wouldn't take my eyes off of it) Remove and place a weight accross the entire surface until it cools so it hardens flat. Then attatch the new velcro. After that it should be a simple replacement.

Just a thought. If any one tries this let me know if it works.

ROG100

been there done that - cost me $120

cobalt

Why did you melt the reflector?

I have straightened plastic parts using that method before and it worked perfectly. Maybe a lower temp?

ROG100

I tried heating it in the oven and clamping it flat.
It just returned to the original shape when I released it 24 hrs later.
It also made the plastic brittle.
When I started using all the different velcros it shattered because I had to keep pushing/bending it to mate with the velcro.

If you could emulate the original Porsche type velcro and apply it to the whole surface it may work.
It was not the adhesive that was a problem it was the mating velcro surfaces.
All the different velcros I could find were made of a fabric/plastic material and were not water proof.
They absorbed a large amount of water and pulled apart from the force of the reflector trying to straighten up.

The Porsche supplied velcro is a rubber material and impervious to water.
I could not find any - if you can it may work.
Personally I prefer the fix it and forget it method.

Let me know how you get on.

cobalt

Good to know. The velcro I have has a rubberish backing vs plastic. I picked up about 50 ft of it in a roll a few years back. I will give it a shot and see if it works. Unfortunately I don't know were to get it again if it does work.

Hadn't had the problem with plastic parts getting brittle before. Could it have already been brittle from UV. In either case it sounds like it is not worth trying.

I will talk to my brother-in-law his father is a plastics engineer.

Thanks

ROG100

Anthony,
I have the broken reflector if you want to try things out - your welcome to it.
Roger

DR

We had this same problem with Kevin's GTS that we restored back to stock. The main cause of his reflector being bowed was due to a crappy paint/body man putting new velcro over the original (instead of removing the original velcro first).

I tried weighting his original in the sun for many days to get it back straight again, but no luck. I ordered a fresh new one from Porsche and it arrived almost flat (as it should be) and installed perfectly with new factory velcro strips.

One tip is to make sure the threaded "stop washer" on the taillight mounting stud is adjusted correctly so the taillights do not pressure the ends of the reflector which can cause it to bow out.

See photos.

cobalt

Roger, I may take you up on that.

Mine seems to be out by about 3/8". So it may not be too far gone yet and easy to fix. For now I think I am going to take it appart and see what is going on first. It may be just what Dave said and can be remidied by fresh velcro and proper adjustment.

I'll let you know, Thanks

Jim bailey - 928 International

Good point David about the taillight stops few realize that they are supposed to be there or what they do and they do NOT come on replacement lights so are often left off. Brand new in the PORSCHE box the reflector has nearly a one inch bow at the center.

Bill51sdr

Just a shot in the dark here, but I've noticed that 993's have the same kind of strip. Any chance that there is a slight radius in the area between the tail lights on the 993 and that maybe that is the strip Porsche sent you?

Jim bailey - 928 International

Nope........the 911 part is much different

Randy V

Good point, Dave.

What is the correct configuration for those attachment bolts?

I see that there is the threaded end that screws into the plastic lens, then two 'washers' that thread onto the stud, then finally the large hexhead bolt. One washer has a rubber gasket on it, the other is flat steel.

I tried various combinations but couldn't seem to come up with the correct sequence of the parts. When the large bold is unscrewed, should the threaded end unscrew from the lens, or should that end remain in the lens and the two threaded 'washers' come off with the hex holt, leaving the threaded shaft screwed into the lens?

Randy V

Any help on how that lens holddown bolt should be configured to properly offset the rear lens from the body?

DR

Hi Randy,

Try threading the threaded stop (washer) out towards the end of the stud and leave about 3/8" of stud showing, try and see how it fits, then adjust in or out until you get the outside of the taillight housing flush with the reflector

We just got some more new ones in from Porsche today and these have between 3/8" to 1/2" of overall "bow" to it, just like the other ones we have gotten in the past.

Randy V

Ah, that helps. Thanks, David.