Bits flying off

[dkennedyvxt]

Well driving home from Aberdeen yesterday after despatching an M5 who was so close in traffic I thought it was an extension of my car.........something flew off the car when I was doing about 60/65mph. Turns out it was the front left light cover. Lucky I was going so slow as I was able to pull over and run back to get it.

I've tried a few things to stick it back on with no luck.....any ideas?

[Gazzab]

They are held on with three bolts with wing nuts. The bolts are bonded to the light cover. The wing nuts are accessed and tightened via the small hatch in the wheel arch.

[southendpier]

clear bath sealant... It was bonded on before wasn't it? did the glue 'crack'? If you want to be able to get at it again then you'll need a resin you can cut through without damaging the body.

[dkennedyvxt]

Bath sealant....good idea. The bolts are in place but they have come away from the light cover

[Gazzab]

The unit wasnt bonded in place at all Derek. It was held in place by the three bolts only. The bolt heads need to be held in place with some fiberglass matting. One needs to have some movement so you can jiggle all 3 bolts into their holes.
I wouldnt use any sealant to bond it in place. Apart from maybe some of the sikaflex stuff around the light lens ?
Maybe though people use bathroom sealant to help.

[JensenA]

This is how I repared mine when I replaced the headlamps.

Put the cowling in place, and then with a Big Black felt pen marker, reach up in the access hole in the wheel arch and using the felt pen mark cowling through the holes, they're about an inch in diameter. I then Removed the cowling and then bonded the bolts on using Araldite, ensuring that the bolt centres were in the centre of the marked circles.
Before putting the cowling back, put a donut circle of silicone sealant (Sikaflex or Silicone Bathroom sealant, sikaflex is best, then put the cowling back in place and tighten up with the butterfly nuts with big washers. Then put loads of grease on to them to protect then from rusting - you never know when you might have to remove them.

[dkennedyvxt]

Thanks Guys...great advice as always. I'm down in manc for 2 weeks now but will get fixing when I get back.