I recently cut the front bumper of my 1993 Eagle Talon to open more airflow to the intercooler and now the only thing standing between my oil cooler/intercooler and a clean line of air is the front bumper cover. My planned solution is 5-7 speed holes (+50 HP
) on the front bumper to open up airflow. However, I need to provide some rock protection to that area because of the oil cooler.
What I would like to do is bond some steel mesh to the back side of the bumper cover to go across the speed holes and provide some protection. Does anyone have experience with doing this? I'm thinking some kind of epoxy would be best, but if someone has experience working with modern poly type bumpers I would appreciate the feedback and education.
cdowd
HalfDork
9/22/15 9:18 a.m.
i would think a bead of liquid nails would hold it in place. I would think the epoxy would have a hard time being thick enough to bed the steel mesh.
oldtin
UberDork
9/22/15 9:37 a.m.
I've used a stainless mesh and aluminum rivets.
Sand the surface to promote bondage
and use JB Weld?
I'd try a urethane bumper repair kit. Or attach the screening to to something solid like the crash bumper behind the skin.
D2W
Reader
9/22/15 12:38 p.m.
Make a standoff and attach the screen over the intercooler itself. I've also used RTV as glue with some success.
Steel mesh is so not with the times! Todays youth make the grille with technology!
(Thankfully I'm old and technologically challenged).
Zip-Tie Grille
![](http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss77/slothead/zip tie grille/IMG_3770.jpg)
The Goop brand products work exceptionally well for this. Their grip is so tenacious it works even on materials that no molecular bond adhesive sticks to, like polypropylene.
I'd try a poly glue, PL premium construction adhesive should work. If you want it to be super flexible use the black roof/flashing poly caulk, though that stuff takes forever to dry.
Straight up epoxy I would think. Find somewhere that sells fill stuff. Best bonding stuff I have ever used is epoxy mixed with microfibers to a peanut butter consistency. It has worked on PVC, ABS, polyester, and leather. We're talking a bond so tenacious that I couldn't chip it off, I had to grind it off. I successfully chipped some off of PVC, but not because the bond broke, it ripped a chunk of PVC off with it.
I used some left over West Systems epoxy from a boat project, but it is pretty expensive stuff. I would just get a tube of the stuff you get at Home Depot and mix in the tray.