How to repair the plastic 'spike' on the side cover doobus?

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NobleHops
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How to repair the plastic 'spike' on the side cover doobus?

Post by NobleHops »

Not sure what you'd call the little doobus that sticks out of the side covers to engage the grommets in the frame, so lets just call it 'The Doobus'.

One of my doobi is lacking the fat part near the end that engages with the grommet, so the side cover is floppy. I was thinking I'd wad some JB Weld on to the tip of it, but is there a better solution at hand that's less likely to make a mess?

We are getting close if I'm talking about side covers, men :-).

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Post by EMS »

I have had a hard time repairing any tabs = doobi on any plastic sidecover. And I have had a few that needed repair on various bikes.
You can use JBWeld, Nils, it is probably as good as any repair. There is a plastic repair kit somewhere which, I think, works with electrically produced heat, but I ma not sure if it is any good. A new used sidecover may be the way to go. Especially as yours are painted anyway and any used set could be refurbished to loook like new.

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Post by Z Grand »

I'm familiar with "doobies", but not "doobi". :lol:

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Post by EMS »

Z Grand wrote:I'm familiar with "doobies", but not "doobi". :lol:
That's a different nipple, Z :!: doobies is plural for dooby, which is the tab on the Euro CBX. The U.S. spec bikes had a doobus, and the plural for that is doobi, as anybody with a latinum minimum should know.

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Post by TerryL »

Z Grand wrote:I'm familiar with "doobies", but not "doobi". :lol:
These guys?

http://www.doobiebros.com/
Ride em if ya got em....

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Post by Paul Musser »

Another site (I think it was GSResources) had an article about making a mold from an intact Doobus - I forget what they used for the mold material - then put a screw or bolt into what's left of the broken Doobus, and use the mold to form the epoxy in the right shape around the screw. That way you have the screw giving the Doobus structural integrity and supports the epoxy, and the epoxy has the right shape to go into the grommet and hold.

It's a bit of work, but the result was very nice - I think he even painted it so it was hard to tell it was broken.

I searched, but I couldn't find the post...
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Post by cbxtacy »

I've repaired the plastic "STUDS" that hold the sidecovers on my X (studs have STUDS) with JB Weld. First I use superglue. I glue the stud in place, wait a bit (hours), use the dremel to grind away the plastic around the break and a bit further (that roughs up the plastic so the jb sticks real good), slather jb weld on one side, wait a bit (hours), slather jb on the other side, wait a bit (10 sec (just kidding-hours)), I don't put the jb all the way around the stud in one application because it has a tendancy to run occasionally, and the studs I've slathered jb on are still intact. But then my bikes are all pampered garage trophys that never get ridden hard. If I'm going to ride a bike hard or in inclement weather, I'll ride my wifes bike :D .
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Post by Z Grand »

TerryL wrote:
Z Grand wrote:I'm familiar with "doobies", but not "doobi". :lol:
These guys?

http://www.doobiebros.com/
....Yeah......That's the ticket!
Image

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How to fix missing side cover studs (aka 'doobus')

Post by NobleHops »

OK, I lifted this entirely from a UK site, so I'm probably going to hell, but it's excellent. Props to 'africaman' on xrv.org.uk:

"The studs sometimes break off when removing the side panels, or if you have a fall. you can reconstruct them using epoxy putty (stuff you buy from b&q or car spares shop in a small tube, looks a bit likes swiss roll, you cut off what you need, and squash in your hand which mixes the two parts, often different colors). the trick is to get the shape right by making a mold. put two blobs of putty in cling film, and then squash the two blobs around a good stud. it goes off in about 20 mins. pull the two blobs apart (the clingfilm doesn't stick), and you have a perfect mold of the original stud shape. you then use this mold to make a new stud around the broken one, but first screw in a short self tapper into the bit of panel where the stud used to be. then squash some epoxy putty around the self tapper, and then squash the two halves of the mold around it (still with clingfilm attached). take apart a couple of hours later, and trim any excess off with a sharp model knife to give you a good shape. hey presto, you have a new stud. much better than trying to glue the old one back on. the putty is also useful to repair cracks - just clean and abrade the rear surface behind the crack, and then squash the putty onto a bit of flat aluminum plate, and squash against the crack. if you want a stronger repair, and don't mind drilling holes and having to repaint, drill some holes either side of the crack, and squash the putty through, which is like riveting but you can sand flat later"

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Re: How to repair the plastic 'spike' on the side cover doob

Post by Mike Barone #123 »

NilsMenten wrote:Not sure what you'd call the little doobus that sticks out of the side covers to engage the grommets in the frame, so lets just call it 'The Doobus'.

One of my doobi is lacking the fat part near the end that engages with the grommet, so the side cover is floppy. I was thinking I'd wad some JB Weld on to the tip of it, but is there a better solution at hand that's less likely to make a mess?

We are getting close if I'm talking about side covers, men :-).

N.

The 2004 Fall Xpress had an article on this topic. It was part of the first content I sent you that is already on the site. This article was infact a reprint from the club in Britian with pix.

200403_10-11.pdf
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Post by Rick Pope »

I don't recall the name of the product, but I've seen a kit where you warm a putty and use it to make a mold of a good doobus. The putty becomes firm, but pliable when cool.

You then fill the mold with a powder and drip a foul smelling liquid into it to make new plastic. Push the entire mold/plastic onto the area where the broken doobi used to live.

My brother has one of those kits. I'll try to remember to ask him where he got it.
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Post by alimey4u2 »

Rick Pope wrote:I don't recall the name of the product, but I've seen a kit where you warm a putty and use it to make a mold of a good doobus. The putty becomes firm, but pliable when cool.

You then fill the mold with a powder and drip a foul smelling liquid into it to make new plastic. Push the entire mold/plastic onto the area where the broken doobi used to live.

My brother has one of those kits. I'll try to remember to ask him where he got it.
I seem to remember that too... I'll do some research.
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Post by Louis »

Nils, If you are missing one of those tits on the side cover, i have one if you need it. Just email me and i will send it. Louis

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Post by Louis »

Nils, Your tit is on its way.
Thanks, Louis

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Post by TerryL »

Louis wrote:Nils, Your tit is on its way.
Thanks, Louis
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