Small rip in fender well liner

[kbpickle]

Hi folks,
I have a 2001 3.5L with 207,000 miles. I just noticed a small beginning rip in the right front wheel well liner. I mean the curved sheet of black plastic in front of the right wheel and behind the right fog lamp.

I have in mind attempting to repair the rip with a patch of like material. I see that my local DIY has several solvent cements for plumbing suitable for PVC, CPVC, and ABS plastic pipe. Is this wheel well liner made of one of those plastics? Has anyone attempted this kind of fix? If the cement matches the material, what do you think of trying to glue on a patch?

Thanks for any response,
Ken

[Marc]

If you get the right glue, it should work. My guess is that it's PVC.

[kbpickle]

Thanks, Marc

[RCA1186]

Yep I wouldn't worry too much about what you use. Anything that bonds plastic should work well. In your shoes (and not knowing the size of the rip) I might just go get a replacement from a salvage yard.

[Marc]

Feb 27, 2019 19:59:44 GMT -6 kbpickle said:

Thanks, Marc

OK!

[tigger]

Feb 28, 2019 7:40:44 GMT -6 RCA1186 said:

...I might just go get a replacement from a salvage yard.

X2!

Or go aftermarket:

Front Right Bumper Cover Extension

[sall]

Go to harbor freight and buy a plastic welder. It'll come with some uni weld sticks and metal reinforcement. Cost like $12 iirc.

[kbpickle]

One year later - - I bought the new replacement part from Paul rather than try to glue or weld it together. Seemed like the easiest, surest route.

Based on incomplete information/limited research I finally concluded that in the worst case scenario the liner could be HDPE. Info I found on line indicated that HDPE does not make a good solvent joint. It needs to be heat welded. Might have been fun to get a heat welder and attempt the fix, but a replacement part seemed way easier. Thanks, Paul.

Ken

[paulaurora]

Welcome!

[AuroraGirlFromMars]

Pro tip, DONT IGNORE THE RIP. Somehow it caught my wheel one day and the wheel made sure to rip it the rest of the way. It started out as a fine tear.