Cracked plastic mudguard repair

[hubner]

My rear SKS mudguard has started to crack. I didn't notice my saddlebag which rests on a Bagman support had bulged at the bottom and probably was hitting the mudguards on rough roads.

The middle part is not cracked yet and I've stuck duct tape on the cracked bits, and I've put some card on the Bagman and under the bag to stop the bag touching the mudguard. I will drill the crack ends.

I've read the plastic is ABS and that ABS can be chemically welded with a solvent like acetone and/or MEK (butanone or methyl ethyl ketone). Similar to how plastic model kits are "glued" together.

Before I go and buy some "pvc pipe cement" ( a mixture of acetone and MEK), has anyone tried this?

I will be adding reinforcement and not just glue the edges together.

And there is also repair by melting the plastic back together with a soldering iron.

[Brucey]

I can never remember if the material is ABS or polycarbonate. Since most grades of ABS are not transparent and polycarbonate is often used for its transparency, I am thinking it is quite likely to be polycarbonate.

cheers

[jsabine]

MEK seems to work, at least if you use it generously and have a reasonable surface area. Reinforcement is probably a good idea for cracks.

[De Sisti]

My rear SKS mudguard has started to crack.

[delap]

perhaps "welding" with a soldering iron (something like this).  I have fixed recycling boxes with this technique but not tried mudguards

[Ian H]

I believe the construction is of plastic laminated metal foil. Just gluing or welding the plastic won't make a strong repair, but it might work with reinforcement.  I've used fibreglass mesh tape in the past.