Posted: Mar 16 2008 at 3:13pm | IP Logged

New to the forum and have an '04 Frontier.  I currently live in Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) Mexico.

The wind deflector on the roof keeps losing the stabilizing piece so the deflector flaps.

Has anyone found a permanent fix - tried epoxy already - or a replacement deflector?  The rack is kind of noisy without the deflector.

Posted: Mar 17 2008 at 4:29pm | IP Logged

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Normin MX;

Welcome to the group...

Areas that the glue (I use J.B.Weld) is put on need to be sanded with rough sandpaper, clean and dust free. Deep scars give the glue more area to cling to. If J.B. Weld (the slow cure) doesn't hold it throw the roof rack away... 

Posted: Mar 17 2008 at 6:22pm | IP Logged

Lakota is correct.  However, you can use an industrial method to help after rough sanding and that is flame spraying.  Once everything is cleaned and sanded as above, wipe the plastic with a clean cloth that has some Gumout on it and wipe dry again with the other end of the cloth.  Immediately take a propane torch and play the flame over both plastic surfaces to be glued.  You are NOT trying to melt the plastic but to use reactive ions in the flame to form reactive radicals on the plastic surface.  These reactive sites form and last for about a minute or two.  Immediately apply the glue and clamp the two peices together and allow to sit at least overnight to cure.

I would test cyanoacrylate adhesive as well as epoxy like JB Weld.  One may be better than the other.  Cyanoacrylate is a moisture catalyzed cure so somewhat moist air is required for it to work.