Can I save this Fairing? - Ducati.ms

ducstr · Jan 27th, 2012, 4:30 pm

I have two hair line cracks coming from the mounts on the left hand fairing, can I save it? can I at least stop the crack from spreading, it looks worse in the pic, but the forward crack is what the both look like, a slight fold in the surface, if I can level them out and fill with epoxy? maybe?

tonered · Jan 27th, 2012, 4:43 pm

I have a couple much worse cracks on mine. I do believe they are fixable, but I just haven't done it yet.

webBikeworld detailed a product to fix fairings, but I'm going to follow the process using J-B Weld:
Plastex Plastic Repair Kit - webBikeWorld
someday.

Have a good one.

mlukason · Jan 27th, 2012, 7:14 pm

If you're just looking to keep the crack from spreading (not touching the outside surface) it should be simple. I managed to fix a crack like that using 5 minute epoxy and fiberglass tape: spread a little epoxy around the crack (a couple inches on either side), place a piece of fiberglass on the epoxy, coat the fiberglass liberally with epoxy and you're done.

Good luck!

waco748 · Jan 27th, 2012, 7:35 pm

On my '06, I stop drilled the crack (drilled a small hole at the bottom of the crack). Removed the fairing then glued a strip of sheet metal across the well nut hole (extending about 1" on both sides of the hole). Drill/Dremel the hole to allow insertion of the well nut. I used Gorilla Glue as an adhesive for the sheet metal after sanding down to the plastic.

Unpainted fairings are about $500; painted in the range of $700. Or you can search ebay and get sniped at the last minute for the $103 fairing that only needed sand and repaint.

Ride safe,
Curt

chitownson · Jan 27th, 2012, 7:40 pm

The fairing most certainly is worth saving - A local car bumper repair company should be able to fix it and blend & spray a matching touch up to the paint. Most shops will send you a quote if you e-mail them a few good pictures of your damage.

MarkST · Jan 28th, 2012, 12:19 am

Strengthen it up on the inside to stop it going any further, and then worry about the cosmetics of the outside part..

Ascalon · Jan 28th, 2012, 4:37 am

The plastex is probably your best bet here.

I have used it successfully to actually reattach parts and fashion new tabs.

For this kind of thing, gouge out the back to create a v shaped groove and fill with Plastex to give it strength. Once that's done, score it a bit on the fornt, use the Plastex again and then smooth to finsih and repaint

there's videos on YouTube to guide you.

Job jobbed.

A

mbevans · Jan 28th, 2012, 1:07 pm

Totally aggreed!

There is 2-part epoxies made for ABS plastic, I've used it on the inside and "overlooked" the outside...As long as the plastic is flat on both side of the crack.....

Take the fairing off, sand away the paint (inside only) I sometimes put a shallow groove in the back of the crack and fill with epoxy, and laying a little bit of fiberglass cloth over the top of the expoxy......

Your Ducati will never know!

Cheers,
M

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkST

Strengthen it up on the inside to stop it going any further, and then worry about the cosmetics of the outside part..

Champ · Feb 2nd, 2012, 5:07 pm

Find a local "plastic welder" who will use a small piece of ABS plastic and weld the crack back together from the inside of the fairing piece. Shouldnt be more than $40-50 unless you need to fix the paint.

db1911 · Feb 3rd, 2012, 12:23 pm

Definitely save it. All of these suggestions are good, depending on what you hope to accomplish. At a minimum, stop drill the crack and epoxy a piece of sheet metal. Plastic welding works well too. I took a soldering iron to the back side of my front fender to repair a long crack that was impractical to otherwise reinforce. Held up like new. I just had to sand and repaint, but if you can live with a slight visual flaw, I wouldn't even bother to repaint. Good luck.