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PorterRockwell1813
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Joined: December 09, 2011
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 6:04 pm Post subject: Attaching Wire Harness |
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| Getting ready to mount wire harness to the underside of the fiberglass on the back of my buggy. What are some options of doing that? Thanks |
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jspbtown
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Joined: January 27, 2004
Posts: 5156
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dustymojave
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Joined: January 07, 2007
Posts: 5802
Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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| Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:32 am Post subject: Re: Attatching Wire Harness |
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How well does that last, especially if the car is driven? Those pieces are made of nylon. That's a plastic which doesn't like adhesives. I spent 10 years in plastics R&D. if you surround the plastic with epoxy, it might work.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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Gary0302
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Joined: August 29, 2007
Posts: 596
Location: Coastal NC
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| Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:55 am Post subject: Re: Attatching Wire Harness |
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| dustymojave wrote: |
| How well does that last, especially if the car is driven? Those pieces are made of nylon. That's a plastic which doesn't like adhesives. I spent 10 years in plastics R&D. if you surround the plastic with epoxy, it might work. |
dustymojave; there is no "might" about it. I completed my build back in 2007, and I used this type of 3M fastener (only in black), by using one of 2 methods.
If I was going to attach the 3M fastener to either a raw or painted fiberglass surface (opposite side from the gelcoated surface), I would first peel off the sticky adhesive with my fingers (yes, that can be a little bit of a bitch). I would take lighter fluid and make sure that 100% of the adhesive is gone, wipe off the lighter fluid to confirm it is dry, and then to make sure I had a good bond between the epoxy that I used and the plastic fasteners, I roughed up the flat surface by scuffing them on sandpaper, laid out on a flat surface.
I should also mention that I used a small amount of lighter fluid to completely clean the fiberglass surface (while giving it time to evaporate) before my application.
If anyone else is in doubt of this method, I would suggest testing it beforehand. Give yourself some time for the epoxy to properly set up, and then take a zip tie, run it through the slots, and pull on it. Obviously, it is important that the original paint has an excellent bond to the fiberglass, or that could end up being the wink link (not the 3M plastic or epoxy). If you are in doubt about the paint; remove it and get down to the raw fiberglass.
For areas were I attached the 3M fasteners to gelcoat (wiring on firewall, etc), I just used the original foam adhesive that is mounted on the 3M fasteners. Once again, it is important that the gelcoat surface is cleaned (I used lighter fluid).
After 12 years, I am not aware of any of my 3M fasteners coming loose (proper surface prep is always the key). That is my R&D.
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Gary David Holbrook
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Coastal North Carolina
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"It's a buggy not a space shuttle...." - Dale M.
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Dale M.
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Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 20377
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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| Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:54 am Post subject: Re: Attatching Wire Harness |
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One of the things I did was "glass" in some tubing among side to put wire in running to back of car also across back of car I glassed in some 1/2 inch conduit to get wiring across from one side to other for tail lights...
Dale
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“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5474
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:50 pm Post subject: Re: Attatching Wire Harness |
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I've used the adhesive mounts jspbtown mentioned with good luck. Getting the surface smooth and clean is the important thing. I use the adhesive they came with and sanded the rough gel coat down to smooth where I was attaching them.
If the body has not be painted yet what I did on my first buggy is a secure and simple method. I drilled a pairs of small holes in the body just a little larger in diameter than the tie wrap I was using, several places down the side. I chamfered the edges of the holes a little and taped the hidden side over before shooting paint. I laced a black panduit through the holes so the wire bundle and head of the panduit where hidden on the non-visible side and a little simple black line showed inside the car. I ran the wiring down the passenger side of the body way up under where the top rolls over so the wiring wasn't visible unless you bent down and looked up. I also had a neon tube hidden up under there on each side -- that used to be fashionable. You can see the panduit in the rear pair of holes in this picture and the stainless button head screw holding the side neon tube in place below and behind that (both to the right of the passenger seat.)
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dustymojave
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Joined: January 07, 2007
Posts: 5802
Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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| Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Attatching Wire Harness |
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Well Gary, since it has held for 12 years, it has obviously worked well for you. Good job. I was not saying that your method cannot work. And I was not saying that it could not adhere to the fiberglass. The polyester resin in the fiberglass and in the gel coat is quite fond of adhesives. I was indicating my doubts of the epoxy holding adhesion to the nylon. But it has worked. So forge onward!
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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jspbtown
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004
Posts: 5156
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| Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Attaching Wire Harness |
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You can always drill a few small holes into the plastic mounting tab to help the epoxy out.
And yes...I cleaned everything with acetone...cleanliness is key.
And its only wiring....its not like you are pulling on them with hundreds of pounds |
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saw2
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Joined: November 06, 2008
Posts: 321
Location: nw Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: Attaching Wire Harness |
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I have used numerous adhesive mounting tabs on my buggy and just scored and gouged the adhesive tape up with Stanley knife then used epoxy. Gives epoxy some roughage to stick on.
They have been on buggy over 10 years and none have came off. |
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