Tailgate trim loose and falling down? A more reliable fix.

[songzunhuang]

Many of us suffer the annoying loose tailgate trim on our V70's. When you close the hatch, the trim unattaches itself and jiggles about. It rattles when driving and when you open your hatch, it hangs down and just generally looks janky. I know it's a big problem because there are kits available to fix the cracked plastic mountings that lead to this issue. However, what if the plastic is in such bad shape that there's nothing to screw the repair kit into? Well, I have a fix.

The issue is that you have to rebuild your mounting point. You need something that the screws from the repair kit can bite into. I choose to use some scrap hardwood. I think it was maple.

First we need to make a piece of wood that'll nestle nicely into the space. I used some cardboard to get the shape.
You can see her that the tan plastic on top is completely gone. There's nothing to attach the repair kit screws.

Making a template for the wood piece.

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Next you cut the wood and test fit it.

Test fitting the wood piece.

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I used 5 minute epoxy and a clamp and allowed everything to set. You should pre-drill the holes for the screw so you won't crack the hardwood later when you fasten the steel bracket with the screws.

Epoxy will hold this permanently.

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Here's the complete repair after the repair kit bits are mounted and screwed in. Don't worry that the wood covers part of the hole for the retainer. It turns out there's plenty of wiggle room to slide the retainer clip through.

Complete with repair kit in place.

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So there you have it. My tailgate trim is nice and tight and I think this will last for quite a while.

[RickHaleParker]

I smell a project for somebody wanting to play with his 3D printer ... Its not me I don't have a 3D printer.
A repair kit could be made out of a solid piece of wood and a little sheet metal for a cap.

[scot850]

Nice fix and you have answered a question I had a long time ago when hit with this issue and wondering what to do if the plastic was that bad! Thanks for sharing.

Neil.

[850oldschool]

5 minute epoxy has never really held up very long for me, though I love the idea of five minute epoxy. I hope it works better for you!

[songzunhuang]

5 minute epoxy has never really held up very long for me, though I love the idea of five minute epoxy. I hope it works better for you!

You know, you may be right. We'll see how it does and I'll report back if it fails.

[RickHaleParker]

5 minute epoxy has never really held up very long for me, though I love the idea of five minute epoxy. I hope it works better for you!

What are you doing to prep the bonding surfaces?

[manovlov]

Nice trick !

[850oldschool]

5 minute epoxy has never really held up very long for me, though I love the idea of five minute epoxy. I hope it works better for you!

What are you doing to prep the bonding surfaces?

Nothing special, but they were freshly cut wood and plastics that I was using to make jigs and fixtures. I came to the conclusion that the long curing time of regular JB weld was worth waiting for. Heat really speeds it up, though. Probably two hours in a closed car in full sun.

[RickHaleParker]

Nothing special, but they were freshly cut wood and plastics that I was using to make jigs and fixtures.

It might be oil film on the plastic. Light sand then wipe with a cloth damp, not wet, with Acetone. The light sand will produce a surface the epoxy can grab a hold of. The Acetone will remove any oils or microscopic particles.

[abscate]

There is a world of difference in work ability and strength of “ regular epoxy “ and five minute epoxy. You get a better pot and holding strength with regular. A repair like this can easily sit overnight without loss of use of the car