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  View original topic: Installing Seat Tracks - Panel Bond Adhesive
jfkeanejr Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:01 am

This might be a really dumb question, but I'm new at this. After installing floor pans, I know that I'm not good at Mig welding. I've read that panel bond adhesive is as strong as welding, and wonder if anyone has ever installed seat tracks with panel bond adhesive. Like I said, I'm new at this and realize I might be asking a ridiculously stupid question.

chrisflstf Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:28 pm

Just use bolts/nuts

Evil_Fiz Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:59 am

Since you have not received many replies I will offer you some "NON-EXPERT" comments.

- Glued panel joints CAN be stronger than welded ones but the joint has to be designed to be glued rather than welded.
- The bonded/glued joints have to be done in a precise way that involves preparation and adequate clamping. Educate yourself on the process before deciding.
- Gluing a joint that was intended to be spot welded can have disastrous results. Do a Google search for "glued Honda roof failure" for a list of examples.
- There is a panel glue on the market that is weld-through. This has the advantage of giving you a greater "bond" profile while retaining the safety of the intended spot welds for your pan halves.
- Learning to create strong welds is not that difficult of a skill. Creating attractive strong welds is a art. Teach yourself to make strong plug welds, or find someone nearby who is willing to teach you, and let your grinder make then attractive.
- My first welding project was a rotisserie for my Ghia. I was unsure of my welds so I asked someone with experience to review them. Get a few scarps of metal the thickness of the tunel lip and some the thickens of the floor halves and practice. There are a wealth of videos on YouTube covering the subject.
- Nuts and bolts, as mentioned above, can be a good alternative or supplement to plug welds.
- Learning to weld will serve you well in this and other projects. It's a skill that you don't need to be great at, just good enough. keep the grinder nearby.

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Emil

bomberbob Mon Apr 22, 2019 4:46 am

Gluing vehicles together is becoming the in thing. I am not so sure about cars, but tractors (John Deere) is gaining momentum. As previously said, those vehicles are designed to be bonded, so the contact surfaces are set up to maximize the bond. I don't think the glue cures at room temperature, I think it goes into an oven or autoclave to bake and cure. Its strong.
However our cars are not designed for this process. I might try bonding for things that are non structural, but even then how do you bake it at the right temperature for the right amount of time? I used Scotchweld glue like this in a previous job. Very good stuff, it came to us frozen and you had to thaw it out and then use it. I would love to use it on my car, but it will not work. Squirt it on and it just runs with no cure.
So after rambling on, I would say cool idea to bond with modern adhesives, but I do not see any way to do it unless you are ingenious and make little enclosures to trap very hot air to cure the glue.

kman Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:52 am

when gluing the pull strength is just as strong put not the shear/ peal strength.

If ever there was a joint that uses shear forces to keep you in place it's your seat tracks.

Don't do it.

Even glued panels are supposed to be welded at their leading edge.

Evil_Fiz Wed Apr 24, 2019 12:51 pm

kman wrote: when gluing the pull strength is just as strong put not the shear/ peal strength...
...Even glued panels are supposed to be welded at their leading edge. Learned something new, thanks.

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Emil



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