Side panel mounting posts

[JPaganel]

Another interesting thing I found - my side panels are completely missing several of the mounting posts. They stay on held in by the seat.

Since the original posts are gone, gluing them on is not an option. Don't really want to buy new panels, mine are in really nice shape other than that. Trying to mold posts out of whichever plastic medium by hand seems like not a great proposition. 

Any ideas on what to do with them?

[Millietant]

Your FJ must be different to mine - it doesn't have any of the posts held in place by the seat ! They're held in by the grommets in the frame/panels.

But, I know what you mean about the point you're making !

Second hand panels are readily available on-line, so I'd buy as a good a second set as I can find. The only other advice I would give is to lube the grommets each time you put the panels on - been doing that since New on my 89 3CV and never had a problem getting the panels off, or losing them while riding.

[ribbert]

Another interesting thing I found - my side panels are completely missing several of the mounting posts. They stay on held in by the seat.

Mine bike was low mileage mint when I bought it, except for those lugs. My preferred fix is to dowel and glue them if you have both parts, a glued butt join alone is never going to be strong enough.
If you don't have the broken off bit, fashion something out of plastic and join as mentioned above, it's not a precision part. Stick a bit of plastic rod in a power drill and use it like a freehand lathe.

Dean, your idea of lubing the grommets is a good one and you're right, they are the one body part that is in plentiful supply, and cheap.

Mine have been held in by the seat for the last 200k. They still have the most forward lug on each side so they are a snug fit there and the rest doesn't matter, the bottom has a tab and the top lip sits under the edge of the seat.

Noel

[CutterBill]

Do you have a buddy with a lathe? If so, have him turn some posts out of ABS rod. Tap and thread the posts, drill a matching hold in the panel, hold post to panel with a screw. Paint screw to match surrounding area and it will be hardly noticeable.

And yes, always lube the posts when the panels are off. I find silicone grease to be the best.
Bill

[JPaganel]

Do you have a buddy with a lathe? If so, have him turn some posts out of ABS rod. Tap and thread the posts, drill a matching hold in the panel, hold post to panel with a screw. Paint screw to match surrounding area and it will be hardly noticeable.

If I'm going to be drilling holes, wouldn't it make more sense to just put some kind of a nut into the grommet?  Maybe I can use an expanding wall anchor.

[FJmonkey]

PlastiFix has a mold material that allows you make a new post from an existing good one. Turning one is also a good idea.

[T Legg]

One of my posts snapped off clean I just super glued it and it held for several weeks then I put a shoulder of plastifix around the base of the post to reinforce it.Its still holding up fine.I'm sure you could do the same with an abs rod and not have to drill through.

[FJmonkey]

If I had the post I would either weld it back on or use an ABS cement with a fiber/cloth wrapped around and flared out from the base. This gives the bond a much larger area where the stress is that causes them to break.