Air Filter Box Repair

[Oztourer]

Following installation of a Safari snorkle recently I discovered that a number of the threaded holes on my air filter box that hold and seal the lid down are stripped. I guess for normal operation this has not been an issue (my mechanic has never mentioned it) however I wouldn't think this would be ideal when considering all the efforts Safari have made to make the rest of the airpath watertight. I'm wondering what would be the best filler material to use to fill the holes so I can re-drill and cut new threads with the existing screws? Has anyone out there done a similar repair?

[Disco-tastic]

Plastiweld or something similar might work.

[l00kin4]

Assuming the box is made of ABS (and I'm sure someone will pipe up and tell us if it's not), I have had success in the past repairing ABS by making up a paste of it to use for repairs. (I was fixing the lid of a roof pod that had a very complicated crack on the corner)
If you use a priming fluid based on Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) like this: https://www.bunnings.com.au/protek-250ml-clear-priming-fluid_p4750123 you can 'melt' (/soften) small ABS pieces - I did it in a glass jar - to a gel / paste that you can then push into the repair. It's very easy to work with and once the solvent evaporates it's very solid.
I think you can buy ABS pellets but that's a bit of a nuisance. I searched around the house and found part of a (no longer used! :) ) toy that was ABS and cut that into little pieces to make my repair paste. You can tell really easily if the material will work by putting some of the solvent on it - it will wipe off the surface of it.
IIRC Acetone will work as a solvent too but MEK is better
HTH
David

[Tombie]

Perhaps just a thread size increase on the screws?

Factory size screws is hardly worth the effort..

[BobD]

My mechanic has gradually put in larger screws over the years as they strip but there are still one or two that are not good. The screwed lids that LR now use (the same thing on new DS) is a pain and I hate it when you want to check your air filter on dusty roads. I tend to open it as little as possible and leave it dusty.


The housing on my son's D1 is way better and user friendly.

[Oztourer]

Assuming the box is made of ABS (and I'm sure someone will pipe up and tell us if it's not) ...
David

Searching the interweb I've found that ABS has a density of 1.06 so will sink in water whereas polypropylene has a density of 0.946 so will float. I'll try a density test with the lid (assuming it's the same material) and see what I find.

[Tombie]

They only strip from heavy handed tightening - slap your ham fisted mechanics [emoji41]

[BobD]

They only strip from heavy handed tightening - slap your ham fisted mechanics [emoji41]


Yeah, very true.


It is probably because they use electric screw drivers on them from what I have heard. I am not too happy about it all to be sure but what is done is done and there is no proof of who did what!


It may have even started when ARB installed the Safari snorkel because it wasn't long after that, when I went to check my filter on a trip, that I noticed some screws were stripped.

[LandyAndy]

Not only are the screwdrivers electric they hammer too.
Every CAT mechanic that comes to service our pair of 12M's use them to take panels off,even seen them use them to undo the torx screws on the dash assembly.
Andrew

[scarry]

The housing on my son's D1 is way better and user friendly.

And then they went to the D2 air filter box which leaked like a sieve around the seal:mad:

At least the D3/4 air filter box is a massive improvement on the D2 setup:)

I would do what tombie suggests,next gauge screws.

[crawal]

drill them out and put in nustsert if you get alloy ones you can set them with out a gun (also called riv nut) Cheap kits on fleabay , if the have been hammered about put washers around the insert then set

[Tombie]

drill them out and put in nustsert if you get alloy ones you can set them with out a gun (also called riv nut) Cheap kits on fleabay , if the have been hammered about put washers around the insert then set



Know what you're suggesting but not for a D4 airbox - just won't work in this application.

[PhilipA]

Why not just fill the holes with this stuff


Q-Bond SMALL Plastic Repair KIT QBOND Bonding Glue
under plastic repair on ebay.

If necessary get a drill and make the hole bigger at the bottom , then fill with the bonding agent, and then redrill the hole to the original size.

Or you could try placing some glad wrap around the screw , placing the filler in the hole and then you should have a thread formed.

Regards Philip A

[Oztourer]

... Or you could try placing some glad wrap around the screw , placing the filler in the hole and then you should have a thread formed.


Wrapping teflon plumbers tape works well. Conforms to thread and is very thin.