[marcpilot1]

99 sebring, 2.5ltr, v6. I need help. Used Rhino glue before on couple tops and it has worked great. This time it worked perfectly on the inside but not on the outside. The strip outside is the factory half inch of rubber and has came up all the way across. I did the glue down just like I always do, a little 3 or so inch section at a time starting from the middle. Woke up next morning and there were sections already starting to come up. So I glued those back down but the next morning the whole flap was just laying there not stuck to the glass at all anymore. Like I said, I've used Rhino before a few times and it does work alright. It will def stick the top down fast and holds good. Dont get on your fingers though but yea, its good. thats why after twice in a row now I;m wondering what I have to do to get the little half inch rubber piece at the top and whatever else past the rubber piece to stick to this glass. Is there something better than Rhino out there? Did I do something wrong like was I supposed to wipe the rubber strip and the canvas off with acetone or thinner or something before I glued it to the glass? Was I supposed to do something to the glass maybe? Any advice, suggestions would be GREAT! Thanx-

 

[dana44]

It is posible some kind of wax, sealer, or silicone based spray had contaminated the surface being glued. Acetone, laquer thinner or non-residue cleaner may be your best bet to clean the surface and try again.

 

[KOG]

Or you can mask off all but the edge of the glass and then use a spot blaster to sand blast the edge for a rough surface the glue can grip.

 

[marcpilot1]

Oh, ok. So, best thing to do is get the edges rough. The top of the canvas has a half inch black rubber strip going all the way across. You know. And below the rubber strip the canvas starts and it goes down about 4 inches. I assume I scratch up the rubber strip and the sailcloth canvas the strip is attached to at the top is already rough. Do you scratch the glass up a little as well? If so, what would I use? I assume if I'm not to rough up the glass I at least need to clean it well with thinner, acetone or something. When I raise the top a foot or so it sets the glass perfectly in place to do the gluing. The rubber strip at the top of the piece i'm gluing lays perfectly over the what you can see on the inside of the window. And thats good as it covers up the part inside thats glued as its kind of ugly. Not too ugly but you cant see any of it when you raise the top just that little bit. The problem with that though is that when you set the top back down all the way it stretches the glued rubber strip and the rest of the material. So by the next morning it has started to break away from the glass. Even though Im using Rhino Glue, it gives way to the stretching. And if i glue it without raising the top of the rubber and the material at least up to the inside line, you end up seeing the ugly of the inside glued strip. Although the inside is perfect and strong as can be, its not the prettiest so you kind of want to raise the top that foot or so to glue the outside piece where its covering the inside piece. And its only about a half inch or so higher than where it rests by itself but the rhino just wont hold it for some reason. Any Ideas? Thanks ya'll!!

 

[dana44]

Silicone sealer, such as Amorall, etc., takes denatured alcohol to clean it off the rubber. It should also clean the glass, but use 600grit wet/dry on the edge of the glass if so desired.

 

[BlackSheep01]

Before you sand blast anything, take the glass out and clean it off real careful with lab-grade alcohol (you can get it at most big box stores in the paint section), then scrub it around the edges (say, about 3/8'' in from the edge, no more) with baking soda that's just damp. Wipe with an alcohol pad again and it should be good to go with your glue-up.

 

[marcpilot1]

I see. You still think it'd be good if I have it stretched that little tiny bit or should I just glue where it lays? See, where it lays it's a half inch short, down, from covering the inside piece(flap). So I can stretch it up that little bit by opening the top and raising it a foot and putting a wood block under it at the front right where the top opens. If you put something there it wont lay back down and in the rear at the rear window it sets the glass that half inch further down so you cant see the inside glued piece at all. But when I glue it, after the 1st night it had broke loose by that next morning. The stretching must have pulled on it too hard but it was only stretched that little half of an inch, just enough to cover the inner flap on the inside of the window so you couldn't see it. But I tell ya, it fights back. That flap that goes across the window does not want to stretch up at all. So even though its a half inch, thats a lot to try to hold down once its stretched. And I didnt wait till morning to take the block out. I took it out when I was done the night before because it was holding so good. Man, This is getting hard.

 

[BlackSheep01]

Know anybody with one set up the way the factory did? That'd be the best way to do it, IMNVHO; I know you want it to look perfect, but if stretching it makes the glue not hold, you're not better off, right?

 

[marcpilot1]

Understand completely. I def have to pull the trigger on stretching it again and hoping for a different result or rhino where it lays and still seeing some of the "ugly". And its only about half of a half inch all the way down so thats not as bad as Ive seen others. Good advice and thanks. I'll update the decision and results asap. THANKS y'all!

 

[marcpilot1]

black sheep01, kog, dana44, theyre all correct. And I did clean edge real good. Then I used the JB weld glass. Along with a little Rhino here and there to tack it down while the JB did its 5 mins of bonding. After doing it again as careful as possible, only doing like 4 or so inches at a time, after cleaning the edge real well, not moving the top for 24 hours, etc, etc. All that careful stuff. Well, the outside flap held great for about 2 days instead of one. Then on the 2nd day after I thought it was good, came out of a store to find it starting to crack back. By time I had gotten home it had came undone all the way except for the ends. About 2 inches on both ends held. But thats all. So I guess its what Blacksheep01 said, "Know anybody with one like the factory", And he's right. No, I dont know anyone that fixed them back like the factory. I will glue it today where it lays without stretching it that inch up the glass. It just cant hold it. I think the material shrinks over the years like a pair of jeans and theres just no way to hold it to the glass after its stretched. Thanks y'all. A lot.