shiv

Hey guys so last week I was at Watkins Glen and after I parked the car 1 session completed, I noticed the passenger side end plate was missing. The bolts hadn't come loose, rather the plate had torn out of the wing along with the nuts recessed in the wing that allow the plate to be attached (photo below). So now I am determining the best course of action to repair it. APR said I would have to pay for shipping there and back, plus any repair. If I went that route I imagine it would cost me almost as much as another wing. I was considering fixing it with fiberglass but was concerned if it would be structurally capable of holding the endplate on at speed. Has anyone else encountered an issue like this, or have an alternate thought on repair? I would prefer not to drill into the wing surface and use metal brackets to fit the endplate, but if all else fails I suppose I will have to do that. Thanks

freq

Theaded rod all the way through the wing?

King Tut

I broke my end plate off my wing at Texas World Speedway. I epoxied the same rivnuts back in and sent it. It's still there after many events.

BlueBarchetta

i did pretty much the same thing with my Voltex. A friend actually made me another end plate by removing and copying the remaining plate. Screwed it back on and it's been fine for several years

shiv

So did you essentially fill the wing with epoxy? Right now its completely open and hollow, and there is nothing to even epoxy new nuts to. I suppose filling part of the wing with epoxy and setting the nuts in could work

King Tut

My entire side piece didn't come off. The rivnuts came out with the end plate leaving the side of the wing with two holes where the rivnuts used to be. If it is gone completely that is probably better. Just epoxy or use some resin and fiberglass to set the side piece of the wing back in place.

blueosprey90

Oh boy. I've never done this, but here are my 2 cents.<br /><br />Insert some sort of backing material, even if it is crumpled newspaper.<br /><br />Attach some appropriate captive nuts or self locking nuts to a backer plate that you can then insert into the wing. Something like this <a href="https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=MS21059">https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=MS21059</a> See also McMasterCarr. Captive nuts<br /><br />Fit the backer plate to the side wing to make sure the captive nuts line up with the screw holes. You need to make sure the captive nuts on the backer plate line up with the holes used to attach the side wing.<br /><br />Coat the threaded part of the nuts heavily with Vasoline or something else that fiberglass resin won't stick to. Insert some bolts/screws into the nuts and also coat them heavily with Vasoline. Maybe put some sort of cap over the deep ends of the bolts that will remain in place.<br /><br />I would use a fiberglass gel, not the liquid. Once mixed you can spread with a putty knife. Something like West Marine Marine Structural Filler; or USC Fiberglass Resin Gel; and I think Bondo has a gel resin as well. You want to avoid runs and sags. And the gel can go on more thickly. Try to get a gel with stranded fiberglass mixed in for additional strength.<br /><br />I'd lay up a "thin" coat inside the wing, then insert and line up your backer plate with the captive nuts. Let set, test fit against the side wing. And if all is well, then add additional layers of the fiberglass gel.<br /><br />I would also try to add some random strand fiberglass mat if I could get the gel material wet enough to be absorbed into the mat. It may take some doing. One way to do this is to have a separate operation using liquid resin to soak the mat. Make sure the bolts in the captive nuts can turn after each layer.<br /><br />Each layer of gel should set up withing about 20 or 30 minutes.<br /><br />Finish off with a final layer of liquid fiberglass resin and woven mat. West Marine sells in 2" widths.<br /><br />Use an softly applied angle grinder with 60 grit sandpaper disc to clean up any excess gel material on the outside of the wing and to cut off any excess fiberglass strand.<br /><br />Google "fiberglass supply" and "carbon fiber supply" for possible material sources. West Marine has a lot of supplies. There is a West Marine off of Exit 6 on the I-87 Northway in Lantham N.Y., but probably also in Syracuse or Rochester as well.<br /><br />The other alternative would be to laminate 1/4" plywood pieces (with liquid fiberglass resin) into a form that you would then insert into the wing and epoxy in place. That actually might be easier if you have tools to work the wood. The angle grinder with a sandpaper disc can go a long way in forming the insert.

SmokeyGatto

I can fiberglass, etc. I'd send it back, or make a mold, and after seeing how simple that thing is, I think I'm going to take mine off this afternoon and make a mold of it to convert mine to a swan neck TY!