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Holed Rocker Cover Fix - BMW GS Holed Rocker Cover Fix - BMW GS
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Bodger Fix What they don't show you in the repair manual - tales of duct tape, bailing wire and WD 40. Bodge, Bush Mechanics, farmers fix, patch, temporary repair, or whatever your definition, tell us YOUR best story of a bodge that got you home!
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 21 Aug 2011
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Holed Rocker Cover Fix - BMW GS
When I crashed my 1100GS and punched a hole in the rocker cover (note silver gaffer tape over said hole in the pic) I was advised to mix Araldite - a two part glue - with cotton wool and plug the damage with that.

We couldn't locate any cotton wool (in the Himalayas) but found a tampon in the bottom of a bag and mixed that with the glue.

Hey Presto! Worked a treat and was rock solid for thousands of miles.

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  #2  
Old 29 Aug 2011
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I've heard of using Araldite and cotton wool, but never heard from anyone actually trying it!

Thanks for the Info...
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  #3  
Old 29 Aug 2011
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hole in nearly anything hard.
Araldite, or other two-componant glue, and toalet paper. Clean and prepare the area round the hole, a layer of glue, and then press the toalet paper into the glue, building up as many layers til it won't absorb any more. Let it dry, and you can even sandpaper it smooth.
Believe it or not, you can repair a bullet hole in a petrol tank, though there are probably other uses too.

Safe travels,
Peter, in Oslo
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  #4  
Old 15 Sep 2011
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Rocker cover
Years ago I had an old R60/6 - Misadventure resulted in a weeping graze on the left rocker cover. I simply turned the cover up side down put the damage to the top. Probably won't be able to do this with the newer bikes.
Cheers Ben.
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Old 9 Oct 2011
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also a rubber glove superglued to the rocker cover works rather well.... (even if it does pulse like some weird heartbeat!!)
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Old 30 Oct 2012
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Araldite + strength
The cotton/tampon is simply there to provide strength.

You could use anything - wood shavings, bits of tin/aluminium (drink can, food can etc) to provide that strength. The Araldite simply bonds those things together.

Oh ... if you want the Araldite to cure faster - heat it. Heat speeds most chemical reactions. Hold it in your hands in front of the camp fire. The idea is to heat it to a reasonable temperature - not burn it.
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Old 30 Oct 2012
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Since the early 60's Araldite has been my number one repair material.

nowadays I tend to use the quick setting version, sometimes the flexible stuff. You can use it like cement and add metal filings to it to form an epoxy concrete. Cloth will take it like fibre glass matting take resin.
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Old 4 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warin View Post
The cotton/tampon is simply there to provide strength.
Surely it's the araldite that provides the strength, the cotton wool, wood shavings or whatever is just bulking it out like ballast in a concrete mix.

Plasterers fibreglass perforated 'scrim' tape is useful stuff when coated with araldite for repairing holes or splits.
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Old 4 Nov 2012
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Haha, those fixes are great to read !!!! Definitely something to keep in mind if something happens
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Old 4 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnon View Post
Surely it's the araldite that provides the strength, the cotton wool, wood shavings or whatever is just bulking it out like ballast in a concrete mix.

Plasterers fibreglass perforated 'scrim' tape is useful stuff when coated with araldite for repairing holes or splits.
I quite agree Magnon.
Cotton wool, wood shavings, tampons (are cotton wool aren't they?), rubber gloves are all providing the "filler" material to provide a base for the magic of Araldite.

Similar things go on with many other forms of composite materials technology -
GRP - glass reinforced plastic
RC - reinforced concrete
But, in these other cases the matrix of filler is providing structural strength to the composite.

ps the pic in the OP makes me smile - maybe not all of the damage was done in a single "off", but the OEM BMW pannier survived well.
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Last edited by Walkabout; 4 Nov 2012 at 13:56. Reason: ps added
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Old 6 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
I quite agree Magnon.
Cotton wool, wood shavings, tampons (are cotton wool aren't they?), rubber gloves are all providing the "filler" material to provide a base for the magic of Araldite.

Similar things go on with many other forms of composite materials technology -
GRP - glass reinforced plastic
RC - reinforced concrete
But, in these other cases the matrix of filler is providing structural strength to the composite.
So you and magnon would use araldite without a 'filler' over large distances if you could? OK try pulling apart the following
A length of cotton wool
A length of araldite (make it up on some plastic, then seperate it from the plastic)
A length of cotton wool with araldite

See what you think after trying it. Think you'll find it does the same as glass fiber in the fiberglass, rebar in reinforced concrete etc etc.
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