Calling all Glue Experts!!!
 

Ok, here is the project i am currently working on. I am fixing my turbo tail rubber lip. I will post the whole story when I am done. All I need advice on is, what type of adhesive will glue this special rubber together. From what i am told it is a silicone base rubber and what i need is the strongest stuff i can get. But also keeping in mind the rubber might flex a bit so that has to be a factor too.

I would look into either the 3M or Fusor 2 part epoxy line available at most large jobbers.

"Calling all Glue Experts!!! "

My mom always told me to stay away from kids like that.

3M Weatherstrip Adhesive!!

3M 5200, find it at marine stores. It remains flexible, and is very strong.

3M weatherstrip dries hard and shrinks a little, so the rest of the tail might rip off leaving attached chunks.
Sorry I hate that stuff after using it on door seals and headliners, and very messy to work with too. Stringy and dries too fast! If your reading this 3M...

What are you trying to do? I don't think glue will hold a rubber lip together at 100+mph

Try "Lexel" by Sashco, or "Goop".

The Lexel takes a long time to cure, but is quite amazing. Sticks anything just like it says on the tube.

The Goop cures fast, but may not be as sticky on the rubber.

I don't like the 3M stuff... use windsheild urethane, it will never come off (and if you get it on your hands, you'll wear it for at least 1 week)...

Ok, you guys came up with some good ideas. I'm sorry for the little details that i gave you to work with, but i was in a hurry writing the post. I had to go to work. But now I'm back. Anyways... the project involves stud repairs on the rubber. The studs I have already takin care of, its just that i need something super duper strong to keep the rubber sections that i cut out to stay together. You could say that it is a structural type of repair. Maybe that 5200 stuff or the windshield urethane would be the best stuff to use. Maybe something that would kind of "melt" the rubber together(not too excessively) would be somthing to look up. I'm sorry that I'm so vague on this whole thing, but when I find the right adhesive and finish this project, I'll post pictures and a whole right up of what I did.

I would stay away from the silicones - unless you are bonding to another silicone that was room temp cured (which silicones found in auro applications are not - they are heat cured) they silicone won't stick. Its the same as bathtub caulk (RTV). A flexible hotmelt might work, that would provide a pretty good bond provided the surfec was clean. The urethane is a grest bet - has great weatheriblity and cures pretty quick. Chances are that the rubber you are bonding is a Nitril or Buna T, urethanses show good adhesion to them but you may want to consider the epoxy (2-part) and get some primer for it. Be creful not to put too much primer on, that will actually work against you. A thin coating is all you need on a clean surface. You will want to clean the surface with a solvent that flashes off. Stay away from the orange oil solvents and the mineral spirits for they will leave a residue. Break cleaner, MEK and works well as does alchohol. Once again, to much will hurt you - the solvents that work best are also aggresive on the plastisizers found in the rubber that make it flexible.

If you can find out what kind of rubber that the stubs are made of, I can provide you with the best solution. My company makes a bunch of these adhesives for industrial applications.

After a lifetime in aviation, the last 18years or so in composites,I suggest
3M Scotch Weld 2216 Epoxy Adhesive.
--it's slow, expensive, and good! stays a bit flexible,just what you need.

From my marine background: Sikaflex (black) is very effective and impervious to everything!

But if Bob reckons the scotch weld is good enough for planes... :)

Check out Loctite - no one better for adhesive tecnhology. They can be reached at 800-562-8483 or www.loctite.com. If you ask for Technical Assistance and you larceny in your heart, tell them you are with a tier 2 or tier 3 automotive supplier and are looking to evelaute the best adhesive for the project you have, they will send you some samples free of charge. Of course, you will have to give them some specifics on the materials you are bonding and they may also ask your requirements on cure rates and the curing conditions. If they are sharp they may also ask for some volume. I would just tell them that you are new, don't know crap and your job depends on getting this project buttoned up - "can ya help a brotha out?" always works pretty good.

Then again, if you get the recommendeation, you may be able to buy it form Granger or McMaster Carr or a local Loctite distributor.

Sikaflex is much like W/S Urethane but more expensive.

There is also a polyurethane adhesive that you can buy ProBond? This would probably work well too.

Ok, so it seems that things are narrowing down to the scotch weld, sikaflex and the Urethane W/S adhesive. All of these sound really good. Tomorrow I will hit up a local auto paint store and see what they have. If you guys know where I can pick up these kind of adhesives, let me know. Keep posting, this is good stuff.

I'm still not clear on exactly what you're trying to glue (maybe you can post a picture?), but your comment about looking for something that would "kind of 'melt' the rubber together" makes me think about EPDM (a commercial rubber roof material) repair. The agents used "weld" the material -- it's similar to the bond you get with a tire/inner tube patch. It involves repairing rubber the same way some plastic cements work; it's not just an adhesive keeping the separate pieces "stuck" together, but involves the two bonded pieces achieving a molecular attachment to each other.

Depending on what the "rubber" lip is made of, perhaps an EPDM repair product could work for you?

--Joe

I'm kinda with Joe - not sure what you want to glue together. But I thought I'd add this one. My neighbor was rebuilding an old xylophone. It has some rotating disks on a shaft in the lower tubes that would give a fluttering sound to the notes. The shaft was driven by little rubber belts on pulleys powered by a small electric motor. Anyway, he needed to replace the belts & couldn't find any. So, he got some large diameter O rings, cut them up and glued them together with super glue to make belts of the rignt size. I was sceptical, but he put them on and they are still running in one piece. Could be a quick, simple solution for you.

Marv,
Thats a Vibraphone (AKA Vibes), L. Hampton made them famous. Xylophones don't ressonate the tone. I had a set in HS and replaced the rubber belts. I used some gaskets from a pumbing supply house. Worked great. Wish I still had them.

I bought a near perfect turbo tail rubber at Pomona before with a small cut mark on the rear near the emblem. I used some black silicone and massaged it over the small cut. When I was finished it was perfect but was a cosmetic repair.

For what your doing I would use some sort of epoxy like others have said.