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LC Grille Repair


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#1 _wrm78_

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Posted 14 April 2020 - 03:55 PM

I'm sure this one is well covered, but searched the forum and couldn't find too much on successful repair methods.

 

My LC grille has a number of the small bars broken, mainly around the bonnet latch opening. Has anyone had any success with repairing these themselves? I found a number of discussions around soldering and different types of quick metal products, but no one who has actually done it. Has anyone been able to successfully repair and what did you use? 

 

I noticed when dummy fitting mine there is a reasonable amount of compression load on the grille (exactly where the breaks are) when putting it in place so any repairs would have to be relatively strong.

 

Would like to have a crack at repairing myself, but also if anyone has had a business repair these grilles would be interested to hear? 

 

Thanks 



#2 rodomo

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Posted 14 April 2020 - 11:11 PM

I've heard about the solder method as well but it doesn't make sense as these grills are aluminium?



#3 Indy Orange

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Posted 14 April 2020 - 11:20 PM

It won't stick to the anodising .

#4 S pack

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Posted 14 April 2020 - 11:28 PM

https://superiorflux...ering-aluminum/



#5 rodomo

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Posted 14 April 2020 - 11:40 PM

Well I'll be fluxed :huh:



#6 _wrm78_

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 09:01 AM

Hmmm interesting S pack. Reading through that it requires the metal to be heated to 300+ degrees to for the flux and solder to work. I wonder how these grilles would handle that temperature being such tiny pieces of aluminium. 

 

Anyone repaired their grille with solder?



#7 Indy Orange

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 01:12 PM

I bought a good second hand awhile back ,a couple of broken bars were repaired with resin ,and when painted over with black being an XU1 or GTR you would be hard pressed to see the repair.

#8 madtoranajzedded

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 01:50 PM

I remember my bro putting a post up on using aluminium
rod for fixing a hole in a coke can on facey
i cant do linky but this is what he put up.a good
tig welder could fix them also..
Attached File  Screenshot_20200415-134459.jpg   247K   11 downloads

#9 _wrm78_

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 06:07 PM

Thanks Maz. Going to look into some welding rods. Might have to scuff up the bars to remove the anodizing for it to adhere to it. I'm going to buy a few different products and give them a go. 



#10 jd lj

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 07:00 PM

I wouldn't expect to be able to weld such thin alloy bars. As soon you had enough heat you'd likely blow through them. I'm happy to be proven wrong though.

#11 DMLC71

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 07:10 PM

The LC grill can’t be welded at all. Nothing will stick to anodise 

best be is to fit the grill with out the radiator in.
Adjust the grill to fit all the gaps.
Straighten the bars that are broken

Use a good quality glue on the jois

Then glue strips to the back of the broken bars for support

 

then put the radiator back in and DONT ever let anyone touch the bloody thing

 

cheers

Dazm



#12 _wrm78_

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 07:41 PM

JD I would think the same. I am going to give it a crack anyway! 

 

DAZM that's a great idea, but I can't put my car together like that. Have to put an intercooler in, then then the radiator and then the grille. But I'm thinking you're probably right on the glue, some type of epoxy glue might be the best product to use. 



#13 claysummers

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 08:51 PM

Expert could do it with a decent TIG. Clean off the anodising first of course.


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#14 madtoranajzedded

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Posted 15 April 2020 - 09:20 PM

Yep ^^ .plenty of hits on the net how to remove the anodising aswell.. you just need to prac on similar
size alloy and give it a go ..someone out there would
even have a small section of a rooted grille they could
send you to experiment on..

Edited by madtoranajzedded, 15 April 2020 - 09:21 PM.


#15 robdog

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 03:51 PM

Send your grille in to A class metal in Adelaide. They have done heaps of these and repaired mine to like new condition.

 

You can use solder to repair it, but you'll need to copper plate it if you want to chrome dip it afterwards, and like the others said clean off the anodizing first.



#16 grumpy xu1

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 05:18 PM

Do a Class anodize them, or only a chrome option ? Be good for the lc guy's if they repair & re anodize the aluminum again.

#17 robdog

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Posted 05 May 2020 - 06:22 AM

I believe so yes. They have tonnes of different plating/coating options as listed on their website. I just liked the chrome too much.

#18 _wrm78_

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Posted 05 May 2020 - 11:14 PM

Thanks Rob might give them a call. I've just had one go at fixing one of the bars with Sunfix. Ran into one of their reps and he guaranteed me it would work! It didn't. 



#19 robdog

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 12:47 PM

Sorry to hear, best of luck with the repair.

#20 sibhs

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Posted 16 May 2020 - 09:22 PM

I've been experimenting with a couple of products.

 

Firstly I tried plain old solder.

Filed the anodising off and heating up the grill until the solder melted on the grill. Unfortunately it was like water and grease, the solder just jumped off the grill into little balls.

Attached File  IMG_0982.jpeg   117.24K   9 downloads

 

Attached File  IMG_0983.jpeg   209.21K   8 downloads

 

Next I bought a pack of Strata 67 from my welders shop, I was told it's the same stuff you see on the internet fixing a hole in a coke can.

 

Attached File  IMG_1046.jpeg   132.18K   9 downloads

 

My soldering iron would not melt this so out came the little gas burner.

 

Attached File  IMG_1039.jpeg   190.69K   8 downloads

 

The first try melted the rod but I didn't get a good join, stuck to one side only. Next I heated it some more and the grill fin started to melt like solder or break off.

 

Attached File  IMG_1040.jpeg   158.9K   8 downloads

 

Attached File  IMG_1041.jpeg   198.37K   11 downloads

 

I then tried and different tip on the burner and this focused the heat on the area to be joined, this worked well.

 

Attached File  IMG_1042.jpeg   157.73K   10 downloads

 

Filled down easily, if this was a real grill I would sand and smooth more.

 

Attached File  IMG_1043.jpeg   225.93K   10 downloads

 

Seems very strong as I bent and pulled it.

 

Attached File  IMG_1045.jpeg   218K   9 downloads

 

I have three fins broken on my grill and will have a go at fixing them when I restore it.

 

Cheers

 

Marty

 



#21 rodomo

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Posted 16 May 2020 - 10:52 PM

Your piece of girder there will be stealing heat from the job.

 

For something like that, you need something that wont steal the heat to clamp it to.

 

Fibre cement sheet?

 

I'm watching with interest but don't know all the answers :spoton:



#22 Toranamat69

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 09:32 AM

Nice test piece. Looks like fiddly work.

#23 bat 53

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 10:32 AM

if my grill needs repair 

i now know who to see :spoton:  :clap:



#24 _wrm78_

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 10:52 AM

This is awesome thanks for posting, I have just bought a pack of the same rods and was going to try this next. Could you add a photo of the tip you used? Are your rods the 2mm diamter ones?



#25 Rockoz

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Posted 17 May 2020 - 02:06 PM

If you use the blow torches that jewellers use, you will get a very fine heat spot.

They solder gold using pieces of gold filler that are sub mm in size.

A friend is a jeweller and I used to help him out around Christmas each year soldering new charms onto charm bracelets.

Its very fine work.

Ive used the aluminium solder a fair few times too, but on thicker stuff.

I found it worked really well once you honed your technique.

 

Cheers

 

Rob






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