Door Panel - Dealing With Plastic Weldments?
03-10-2022, 06:47 PM
#1
Door Panel - Dealing With Plastic Weldments?
If you want to replace just a trim piece or a speaker grill, how can this be done? They are fastened on by melting the plastic (the plastic weldment). I have a door panel from eBay that has a couple sections of the panel that I would like to replace (hoping to retain the original otherwise). Maybe they can be drilled out or use a solder guy to melt them off, but how do they go back on then? Maybe they can be bonded back on or theoretically there is a plastic retrofit screw that could be used.
Also, how is the little plastic "Bose" bade attached. My eBay panel is non-Bose but the original is Bose. I would think I could just pop it off and glue it back to the other...but who knows.
Also, how is the little plastic "Bose" bade attached. My eBay panel is non-Bose but the original is Bose. I would think I could just pop it off and glue it back to the other...but who knows.
03-10-2022, 07:48 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
AS - here's a thread that I found very useful on the topic, https://rennlist.com/forums/987-foru...l#post16906268
I used it as a guide when I replaced the covers for both the left and right window switches.
Like him, I used screws and melted one of the posts using a soldiering iron.
I know this is not a direct answer to your question about the speaker grills, but it might give you some more data points to develop your own approach.
I used it as a guide when I replaced the covers for both the left and right window switches.
Like him, I used screws and melted one of the posts using a soldiering iron.
I know this is not a direct answer to your question about the speaker grills, but it might give you some more data points to develop your own approach.
03-10-2022, 07:57 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Yeah, you just drill out the old ones. Screws will work to attach the new trim, I guess, but the right way is to just melt the new plastic pins.
A hot air plastic welder works perfectly for this (or a heat gun with a narrow tip if you're very careful not to melt anything else). Clamp the trim piece in place, soften the pin with the plastic welder, and then smoosh it down with something (for me a 3/8" socket extension rod worked great).
https://www.harborfreight.com/plasti...ent-96712.html
A hot air plastic welder works perfectly for this (or a heat gun with a narrow tip if you're very careful not to melt anything else). Clamp the trim piece in place, soften the pin with the plastic welder, and then smoosh it down with something (for me a 3/8" socket extension rod worked great).
https://www.harborfreight.com/plasti...ent-96712.html
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Snakebit (03-11-2022)
03-11-2022, 12:07 AM
#4
So a question remains about swapping out with a used part since both of them would have be drilled out (you don't have a fresh piece to melt back in). So I guess in that case you would use a screw?
I decided to use the eBay pay in entirely (other than the speaker and wiring) rather than mess with it (though it might have been fun). As far as the Bose piece goes, I was able to pry it out. It is help on by two prongs that are about the thickness of a paper clip and appear to be bent over when inserted (sort of like stapled). On the new one, I just used a pick tool to make two new holes and insert the Bose badge. As long as the holes are a bit smaller than the prong, it will take some force to push them in, but its on there pretty solid. If it were to ever come off, I would put a dab of 2-part epoxy on it.
I decided to use the eBay pay in entirely (other than the speaker and wiring) rather than mess with it (though it might have been fun). As far as the Bose piece goes, I was able to pry it out. It is help on by two prongs that are about the thickness of a paper clip and appear to be bent over when inserted (sort of like stapled). On the new one, I just used a pick tool to make two new holes and insert the Bose badge. As long as the holes are a bit smaller than the prong, it will take some force to push them in, but its on there pretty solid. If it were to ever come off, I would put a dab of 2-part epoxy on it.