gluing glass to neoprene?

I need to glue glass to neoprene or maybe it is is some other black, glossy, flexible, rubber-looking substance. What glue etc. should I buy?

Is it worth trying to rough up the glass? If so, should I use sandpaper, emery paper, etc?

I don't know yet if I can clamp the two things together.

My new-to-me 2000 Toyota Solara Convertible all of a sudden came unglued at the top of the rear window. The window is glass and shows no sign of any adhesive having been used. Maybe they used heat alone?? It's in the 60's here for a few more days, and I have a heat gun if you think that will help.

The other piece would be under tension if I glued it just where it was, but if I leave 1/2" not glued, it will reach.

Alternatively, I could maybe find some thick black plastic sheeting and glue one end to the window and the other end to the neoprene. Which is better?

Maybe I can put a couple pillows on top of the rear seat, and lay a

2x4 (or 1x6 which I would have to buy if you think it's worth it) on top of the pillows, and gently lower the top so that the neoprene/ glass rests on the wood board, and then put weights on top of the glass while it sets. Good idea?

Every other convertible I've had had a vinyl "lower boot" under the rear window, which safely collected the water. I pioneered putting a drain hose in the boot, when I r ealized leaks could not be avoided. Years later, the '84 Lebaron came with drain hoses factory installed, and the 88 and 95 had them also. Unfortunately, the lower well in this car isn't vinyl but is that fuzzy-covered cardboard, and it won't do well if it gets wet, plus it will leak into the areas below it. I think Toyota didn't plan ahead.

Thanks.

Reply to
micky
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my corvette convertible glass window came unattached from the top, which is some kind of plastic coated fabric cloth.

i used 3m VHB tape. it comes in a roll, is double sided, and very sticky. if you put it somewhere, it will NOT be coming off or allow you to reposition it.

Reply to
chaniarts

Most of these use the PVB that is sandwiched between the two panes of glass that make up the window. It is then bonded to the top. The catch is that it doesn't really hold up that well exposed to air/cleaners/acid rain and such.

If I was doing the repair I would probably make up a frame out of stainless that would clamp the top material and a lip that the glass could be bonded to with urethane.

Reply to
Steve W.

3m make a range of appropriate adhesives. online sellers like summit have some of the commonly used automotive ones to browse.
Reply to
jim beam

RTV will stick to glass very well, and will stick to many "rubber" materials.

The urethanes are stronger (mostly because RTV has poor shear strength) but don't stick as well to glass. Still, I'd try the 3M Weatherstripping Adhesive (the yellow stuff) experimentally to see.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

doesn't stick to natural rubbers very well. organics and silanes don't play well without an organo-silane in the mix!

Reply to
jim beam

Hi, Goop has a glue called stick anything to anything something like that. Can be found at auto parts shop. I'd try that.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Well, based on your experience and what you say and what I've been reading now, it sounds pretty good.

Does it have a liner on both sides, so I can cut it to fit without it getting stuck on the scissors? And so I can put it on with less trouble? (I would make my own liner for the unlined side, but I guess it would stick to the tape!)

And is there any way I can get some without spending 72 dollars? Although I will if I have to.

Now much did you buy, and if it wasn't that much, where did you buy it? Maybe they only sell one kind, which would make it easy for me.

Also, there seems to be at least 15 kinds. Black and clear (and white), different thicknesses, conformable, and bond specific surfaces.

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Do you know what exactly you used? I'm sorry I'm such a pain. If it weren't so expensive, I wouldn't ask so many questions.

3M has this page:
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I clicked on sort by price, but it didnt' sort by price. It had a few reolls for under 50 dollars. Also it shows non-tapes, but I couldn't get rid of them. Googling, I find a lot of people trying to find small amounts, and other people recommending 3M molding tape, but you have to let it set overnight, without any moving. I doubt I can do that. .

The 72 dollar roll is narrow too. 1/4 inch? I'd rather have a shorter roll of wider stuff. If I run two narrow strips side by side, and they don't match perfectly, do you think it will be very visible (very? at all?) through the glass (I won't buy white) ?

Thanks a lotl

P.S. Office Depot has it, but it costs between $700 and $2500!!

Reply to
micky

I'm wary about things that claim to glue anything,. but I will look for it anyhow.

Thanks and thanks to everyone.

Still open to other suggestions.

Reply to
micky

Well, based on your experience and what you say and what I've been reading now, it sounds pretty good.

Does it have a liner on both sides, so I can cut it to fit without it getting stuck on the scissors? And so I can put it on with less trouble? (I would make my own liner for the unlined side, but I guess it would stick to the tape!)

And is there any way I can get some without spending 72 dollars? Although I will if I have to.

Now much did you buy, and if it wasn't that much, where did you buy it? Maybe they only sell one kind, which would make it easy for me.

Also, there seems to be at least 15 kinds. Black and clear (and white), different thicknesses, conformable, and bond specific surfaces.

formatting link
Do you know what exactly you used? I'm sorry I'm such a pain. If it weren't so expensive, I wouldn't ask so many questions.

3M has this page:
formatting link
I clicked on sort by price, but it didnt' sort by price. It had a few reolls for under 50 dollars. Also it shows non-tapes, but I couldn't get rid of them. Googling, I find a lot of people trying to find small amounts, and other people recommending 3M molding tape, but you have to let it set overnight, without any moving. I doubt I can do that. .

The 72 dollar roll is narrow too. 1/4 inch? I'd rather have a shorter roll of wider stuff. If I run two narrow strips side by side, and they don't match perfectly, do you think it will be very visible (very? at all?) through the glass (I won't buy white) ?

Thanks a lotl

P.S. Office Depot has it, but it costs between $700 and $2500!!

Reply to
micky

BTW, all the tapes on this page have model numbers starting with 49.

49nn, that is. But I see some other tapes marked 9460PC that are called VHB transfer tape, whatever that is.

Some that are called acrylic foam, some of which are marked clear!

I'm makiung progress on ebay so please don't waste your time googling, but if you know the answers to my questions, that would help a lot.

Thanks a lot.

P.S. A lot say "[PRICE is per ROLL]" because I'm sure people think they'll get several rolls for the price. ;-)

Reply to
micky

it's been 4 years now, in phx, so has a lot of heat/sunlight but not very much rain. it's still 100% stuck, and waterproof.

it has a wax paper type on both sides. you peel off one side, lay it in place, peel off the other side, and touch the 2nd surface. press down a bit, and it's stuck. no need for clamping or any great pressure.

i use it in my glass work, so had some although i'm out currently. i use it to attach glass art pieces to backing (metal, granite, etc) displays.

i used

you probably don't need 36 yards though. you could always sell the rest of the roll on ebay per foot and make back more than it cost. lots of people need this but don't want a whole roll.

you might try calling a car window repair shop, or if near a large body of water, a place that repairs boats. it's used to hold boat and car windshields in in some places.

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> I clicked on sort by price, but it didnt' sort by price. It had a > few reolls for under 50 dollars. Also it shows non-tapes, but I > couldn't get rid of them. >

Reply to
chaniarts

I just went through this with a Miata. Goop Automotive does NOT work. I also tried GE Silicone II and Shoe Goo. No go.

I saw 3M VHB tape mentioned through Google searches, but it was only recommended. I couldn't find one site were someone had actually tried it. I didn't want to take a chance on a $75.00 roll of tape that I would probably never use again so I bit the bullet and had the top replaced.

I found someone that does upholstery work out of their home (had to close his shop because of the overhead) and got it replaced for $750.00 cash. All of the other quotes were from $925.00 to $1,300.

Good luck.

Reply to
Ron

Thanks for answering!

Wow, that's great.

I called 3 top shops today and none showed interest in anything but replacing the window and curtain. I'm not surprised but I wanted to check.

The problem is worse t han I imagined. I hadn't had the top down since I noticed the problem and it made a big thump twice when I lowered it, then one more time when I raised it again. They scared me.

It turns out the window is so far forward it gets caught on the upper rear edge/corner of the back seat. When the cloth was attached, it was like a ramp. The second time I lowered it, I was in the back seat, I went in little steps, and I pushed it back when it got to the seat back. Going up I went slow, but if this doesn't get fixed right away, I'll make some sort of ramp for putting it up.

Great.

You're right, I could even make money (but I'll never do it. I'm good at saving money but not so good at making it.)

Good idea. Baltimore is on the Chesapeake Bay The autoshop is a good idea. too. I'll call tomorrow. ( Maybe not, since it's only $50 now.)

It's supposed to rain Thursday, and unless I find it at a local boat or autoshop, I can't fix it before then, but I found when I'm parked I can stuff a big garbage bag between the top and the rear curtain, overlapping the opening, that will keep the rain out. I already know that when I'm moving, the rain blows over the car, doesn't even get the back seat wet when it's raining, so I only have to worry about being stopped at red lights. I can avoid that for one day. Maybe if I go slow, I can even drive with the garbage bag hanging out a few inches.

BTW, I spent a lot of time on the web and found on Ebay two people who bought big rolls and made small rolls, just like you suggested, that they sold for 20 dollars or less, but they were either white or grey.

Thanks a lot.

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>> I clicked on sort by price, but it didnt' sort by price. It had a >> few reolls for under 50 dollars. Also it shows non-tapes, but I >> couldn't get rid of them. >>

Reply to
micky

Good to know.

I think I once tried that.

I've used that on my shoes.

The stress on the window is pretty high, and they are pretty heavy too.

I know exactly how you feel, but I've got Chaniarts. I'll try to post in about a year to let you all know how it works for me.

I only asked one shop so far for a pirce and it was 650 for the rear window/curtain, and 1710 for the whole thing. a 2000 Toyota Solara. Maybe Baltimore is in the high rent district.

Where do you liive that even your high prices are so much cheaper?

Thanks.

Reply to
micky

try this:

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Reply to
jim beam

This might be the original window, 11 years old. I've found that tops last me about 7 years and windows last through 2 tops. )The top still looks very good,)

My own experience has been that none of the 3 convertible windows I've had break had iiuc an inner layer. That is, all three shatttered into many pieces about the size of a raisin. The first was a 65 Pontiac that got broken during the middle of the day, maybe by kids playing ball. The pieces were all over the lower boot. Then I had a

73 Buick with a scissors top and a guy was jabbering at me and the top was screwed up, the sides were out of sync, and I broke the window myself lowering the top**, and the third came from an 88 LeBaron, I had a new top and window put on and I had him save me the window, so I coudl see for myself how hard they are.

First, they all flex some, amazingly since they are glass***. I stsood the window in a garbage can and whacked it about 10 times, each time harder, until finally I used a hammer iirc and wacked it really hard and it finally borke. Like the other two, all the pieces separated. I don't think they were even very sharp, some how.

***I think maybe my home and storm windows flex too. I'm not sure. No thermopane (except the sliding doors), separate windows, and I'm pretty sure one bends, which would mean they all do. **Scissors tops were only used on Buicks and Cadillacs I think (and Chevys or Olds?), from '73 to 76, when GM thought that the NTSB was going to require roofs to be strong enough to support the car. They were a terrible design and the NTSB never requried that. So thiis is not an issue many people face.

Thanks.

Reply to
micky

Thanks.

Reply to
micky

I'm in Orlando. I called a LOT of places before I found the guy that I used. The top on your car is a lot bigger, so that might be one reason for the higher price (plus you've only called one place). Also, a cloth top is more expensive than a vinyl one. I went with vinyl.

While I was researching a possible fix for my top I didn't see any mention of the 3M tape being UV resistant. Since I live in FL that is another reason that I didn't buy it.

Reply to
Ron

That will not stick to glass.

Reply to
Ron

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