Old 12-15-09 | 04:27 PM
  #4  
NoReg
Banned
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,115
Likes: 4
You need to evaluate why the drop is loose. If it took a big impact/etc... you could have damage beyond that which regluing will repair

You say the part is loose. Your first issue would be to get it free so that you can be sure that when replaced it will be fully bonded. You can't use heat, or excess force for obvious reasons. In this case poking glue in there will not likely get the job done. Epoxy is thick enough that it doesn't wick into hairline cracks.

Next issue is to ensure you can achieve a good bond. I would prefer a product like WEST 105, 205/206 since I have used it extensively. I would thicken it with some fillers, like 1 part cabosil and 3 part of something like the 404 filler. You can probably find a small or sample pack of the epoxy. Scrounging up the fillers could be the hard part. You need to etch the aluminum, and throroughly clean the inside of the fork at the bonding site. I would probably sand very lightly, and wash with rubbing alcohol. Stay away from acetone, which has some oils in it.

Next you have to ensure you can align the drop out. A wheel and quick release and some eyeballing. With luck the part is well bonded and fits back in only one place. But it could be the most difficult part of the process.

Finally I would post-cure the epoxy after it has hardened. This involves heating the part for an hour or so to about 170 degree. You can cover the fork with plastic, and put the drop in a pot of hot water, keep adding water or work out a heat setting that will keep the water at 170 ish. It isn't super critical, but you want to keep the heat reasonable. I have a tiny hot-plate for keeping coffe warm, and I just put stuff on that, it is sub 200ish. You can post cure at any point, a week or a month later. The trunks of cars on a hot day can post cure your product.

If you end up stuck with the fork, and decide to go for a new one. Try a repair anyway. It is this kind of experience that gets you the skills you need to work on stuff. Whether to ride it or not is up to your judgment.

Since I have carbon, kevlar, and glass tow around the house, I would probably wrap the carbon tube/drop with some of that to contain the possibility of the end of the tube blowing out on me.
NoReg is offline  
Reply