Repairing a Flexible Polyurethane Bumper Cover
The best way to start this subject is to recount the experience of a client and his son. His tale explains how our patented Polymer Bonding Process (Process) works on a bumper cover. Our client had experience in using Tech-Bond and the Process because he had made other repairs. As you shall read, his son was a novice.
The Bumper Cover Repair Case Study
Since, in this case, four hands were needed, our client explained to his son how to make the repair. With the Process, repairing a plastic bumper cover is quick and easy. The father explained that the two edges of the torn bumper cover had to properly aligned when pressed together because grab is almost immediate. His son said, “Dad, it’s an adhesive. There’s always some work time”. The Dad repeated his warning. Like with a lot of sons, the warning went in one ear and out the other. Bottom line, the son did not align the pieces.
When he pressed them together, they were “stuck”. Stuck permanently. The only way for them to break them apart was to tear them again. His Dad said “I told you so”. His son was astonished. When you are making your repair, believe in what the Dad said.
Yes, if you would pull the two edges apart, the tear will be along the same line. However, when you look at that tear, you will see that about half the tear was new and about is along the original is along the original problem. The Process bonds the torn pieces of the plastic together and the longer your wait before ripping the plastic bumper cover apart, the more that tear will be new.
The Poly Kit
Each Poly Kit contains:
- An SI Structural Adhesive
- Our Activator/Accelerator
- The Poly Prep, an adhesion promoter for polymers
- General Instructions
How to repair a torn flexible plastic bumper cover
- Make sure both edges of the torn bumper cover are clean.
- Saturate both surfaces of the torn bumper cover with our Poly Prep, an adhesion promoter for polymers. (Don’t make the mistake an entire industry has made in not using a sufficient amount of adhesion promoter.
- Spray ONE edge with the Activator/Accelerator (AA). Please note, our AA acts more as an Activator, not an Accelerator.
- Warm both edges with a heat source (heat gun or hair dryer). By touch, just below hot. By temperature, about 120 degrees F.
- Since the handling conditions of the torn bumper cover change so dramatically, practice aligning the two pieces. The change in the handling conditions is why the Process works so effectively.
- If necessary, rewarm the edges of the torn bumper cover.
- Apply the SI Structural Adhesive to the edge OPPOSITE the edge where the AA was sprayed.
- Align and press together. As stated, “grab” will be quick …. and permanent.
Whenever a tear is repaired, the weakness is the end point of the tear. Apply a thin layer of adhesive to that endpoint. Spray with AA. When dry, the adhesive will accept any and all automotive paints.
Repairing a torn flexible bumper cover video:
The Belt and Suspenders Approach
Strengthening a bumper cover repair is optional. There is a difference in technique for strengthening between repairing a rigid (polypropylene) bumper cover and a flexible (polyurethane) bumper cover. Scotty Kilmer, one of the leading auto influencers, www.scottykilmer.com, recommends the use of Tech-Patches when repairing bumper covers. You may like Scottie’s video better. If you decide to reinforce your repair of a polyurethane bumper cover, we recommend a Tech-Patch. Tech-Patches should extend from a half-inch to and inch beyond the repair. Link Tech-Patches is below. To reinforce a bumper cover repair, you will need a Tech-Patch and a Poly Kit.
The Process is hard to believe
We know that the Process is hard to believe. It’s been a one-on-one a battle that we have been fighting since 2016. We have never lost a round. We KNOW that the Process repairs a torn bumper cover better than any epoxy, better than plastic welding, better than any other methodology. Which is why our 100% customer satisfaction guarantee has never been utilized.
If you have ANY questions, please call 877 565 7225.