Which one to use...Jb weld, or PBA?

[CarMichael Angelo]

I'm gonna break my own rules in this particular case, because I need to show something here to make my point.

The Comet tail lights were originally mounted on a non-flat surface. The factory stamped a raised ridge to mount those things.

That makes things difficult for me when trying to mount them on my car. Even if I could, the "housing" that mounts to the body holds the tail light lens itself. On top of everything, the thing hangs off the car of the car too far.

Originally I planned to cut that housing so I'd be able to get it to mount flush, and also reduce the distance that they'd stand off the back.

But that would create a secondary problem.....if I cut it up..i cut away the studs that mount the lens to the housing.

Got all that?

So, my thought is I cut a hole in a new tail light panel, and stick the housing through that hole at the depth and angle I want it, and glue that housing to the panel. I'll attach the whole assembly to the rear of the car, and glue that panel over the existing panel that the old tails were mounted to.

My question is then...

What do I use to glue the housing to the panel?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Hummm......PBA is an almost permanent solution mike.

So there won't be any studs and nuts left to hold it to the rear panel?

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

It's the taillight-to-housing that I lose if I cut it down..i can weld tabs on the backside of the new panel to add holding power once the housings are poking through. Adding pba as a holding/filler agent will allow me to cut a hole slightly bigger and not have to be so anal about it.

 

[95BlueStallion]

I vote for PBA, as my first hand experience shows me its strong stuff. Havent used JB Weld before.

 

[Alley Oop]

I've used JB Weld and it's fine but from my experience, it is not that durable. For what you're talking about I'd probably
use epoxy, it's stronger and should last a long time. A lot fussier to apply than JB but I think it is worth the extra effort.

 

[Blown88GT]

JB Weld is epoxy. JB Weld is 24 hr cure, JB Quick is 5 minute cure.
For a super strong joint bond, use 3M5200, they use it to bond boat hulls & decks together, no fasteners needed.
And I mean big boats, 30, 50, 90+ footers, no limit.
The only downside, it can never be unbonded. For a bond that can be unbonded, use 3M4200.
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...ive-Sealant-5200/?N=5002385+3293241623&rt=rud

 

[RaggedGT]

Fiberglass

 

[General karthief]

Elmers glue?

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I have JB Weld that’s run the AC/Heat mixture flap and other parts in a car for more than 30 years. Someone tested it on YouTube to repair a mower cylinder head. You know it lives up to the advertising with proper surface prep. We also use it to modify and repair woodwind mouthpieces.
That said, I’d still look at the 3M line of epoxy products for something less runny and specifically for body work. It might be easier to work with.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Well...this is getting to be a freakin regular occurrence.

I’m at work again. I’m waiting to get through a sales process with a customer so that I can get on with my day...if there’ll be anything left of it.

The wheels are in back with my son..( he’s a tech here) hell swap them over after he gets off work at 4 today. I’m guessing that my little tornados are done, I’ll call them in a minute to check. I bought the steel to fix the other seat bracket...I may go to the metal supermarket, and get a piece of 1/8” plate that will be my mounting surface for the tails, now that I have the goop that I need to mount my tails.

Kate is on the road..that means that when I do finally get down there, I can work until I have to drag myself out of there....

I think my focus will be on the seats and tails.....if I can get the tail light dilemma solved..that will be huge.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

How're the knees holding out Mike? Is it getting better?

 

[kendawg73]

What's PBA?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

What's PBA?

Panel Bonding Adhesive

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

My next question is: Is it paintable?
I'm going to use it to glue The cut down tail light shrouds to the new panel. There will be a small seam of that stuff that I want to blob out and act as the transition, and "seal".

Can I sand it? Will it hold paint?

When I use the stuff to bond the whole panel to the existing rear panel, do I sand off the existing black paint that is currently on the tail panel, or just scuff it?

 

[BlakeusMaximus]

Well...this is getting to be a freakin regular occurrence.

I’m at work again. I’m waiting to get through a sales process with a customer so that I can get on with my day...if there’ll be anything left of it.

The wheels are in back with my son..( he’s a tech here) hell swap them over after he gets off work at 4 today. I’m guessing that my little tornados are done, I’ll call them in a minute to check. I bought the steel to fix the other seat bracket...I may go to the metal supermarket, and get a piece of 1/8” plate that will be my mounting surface for the tails, now that I have the goop that I need to mount my tails.

Kate is on the road..that means that when I do finally get down there, I can work until I have to drag myself out of there....

I think my focus will be on the seats and tails.....if I can get the tail light dilemma solved..that will be huge.

Mike, you used to be a tech and sell cars now? I read in one of your other threads about how dealerships hire a bunch of sales people for the holidays. I work at a Chevy dealer body shop. There’s sales guys rotating in and out of there all the time. I don’t even recognize them, especially right now. And yeah, 10k a month is easily done, especially when your selling new suburban’s, Silverado’s and tahoes. Sorry, I should’ve responded in whatever thread it was in.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

My next question is: Is it paintable?
I'm going to use it to glue The cut down tail light shrouds to the new panel. There will be a small seam of that stuff that I want to blob out and act as the transition, and "seal".

Can I sand it? Will it hold paint?

When I use the stuff to bond the whole panel to the existing rear panel, do I sand off the existing black paint that is currently on the tail panel, or just scuff it?

Yep, paintable.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Mike, you used to be a tech and sell cars now? I read in one of your other threads about how dealerships hire a bunch of sales people for the holidays. I work at a Chevy dealer body shop. There’s sales guys rotating in and out of there all the time. I don’t even recognize them, especially right now. And yeah, 10k a month is easily done, especially when your selling new suburban’s, Silverado’s and tahoes. Sorry, I should’ve responded in whatever thread it was in.

I was never a tech. I was a product specialist.( bmw Genius). I have been a service consultant, but have never worked on a car except for mine.

 

[BlakeusMaximus]

Product specialist?

 

[RaggedGT]

I was never a tech. I was a product specialist.( bmw Genius). I have been a service consultant, but have never worked on a car except for mine.

Didn’t you work at Carmax during the red car era?

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Yes. A BMW genius is a non-commissioned position here at the dealership. When I re entered the workforce after working for myself for 16 years ( with a brief 2 year spell at Carmax as a Service writer in between), I was a BMW genius for the first 2 years here.

Geniuses are capped at about 45k here. Even less in some other dealerships. Yet they do everything a salesman does here except for two things:

#1. They dont negotiate the sale.
#2. They have to know everything about every model BMW for the last 5 years.

I just got tired of selling cars, and not getting paid for it.

And yes, Carmax was the red car/Terminator era in my life...The Monster was delivered to Carmax, and I drove it home from there.