2016 V8 Vantage Roadster. Tail lamp housing partially broken at threaded insert hole for mounting bolt. Suggestions? The photos are of the left side tail lamp housing for my car. Note the housing is upside down in the photos. The plastic has broken at the threaded insert hole for the mounting bolt on the bottom closest to the center of the car. Any suggestions for a repair? I believe I will not be able to find the broken off plastic piece because I was working in rented space in a public workshop and they sweep the floors nightly. I did not discover the break until I brought the housing home to seal it and drill vent holes. I did not break the housing; either a previous owner or their mechanic broke it or the housing broke on its own.

I thought of applying epoxy over the threaded insert and to the sides where it touches the housing to hopefully strength the housing hold on the threaded insert (being very careful to avoid epoxy getting into the threaded insert!).

Any suggestions for a repair would be greatly appreciated. I’m preparing my car to depart on a long road trip in a few days so purchasing a replacement housing is not what I want to do right now. Plus, from what I read, a replacement housing would be very expensive.

Thanks for your insights.

Roger

 

If the screw assembly is in its original position (looks like it is) do not move it.

Get some JB Weld - the original NOT the quick dry.

First clean the entire area with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball. Don't worry about fragments of the cotton ball sticking to the broken plastic area. That's good and will aid in the repair.

Make sure the alcohol has dried (5-10 mins). Then mix up a batch of the JB Weld (original). place a healthy portion of the liquid JB and let it form around the missing plastic portion. IMPORTANT!! - Let this dry at least 24 hours. 48 would be even better.

This repair will hold!

Here is what you need to buy. You can get this just about everywhere - Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, parts stores, etc.

 

BWings:
I like your ideas, especially about cleaning the broken area first with alcohol first. I posted on a couple of Facebook groups for Aston owners and got a lot of good suggestions. Several people recommended JB Weld PlasticWeld putty because they say it is easy to form and is less likely to get into the end of the threaded insert exposed by the broken plastic piece. So the putty is what I'm thinking of using. I will let it cure for a day or more before putting the housing back into my Vantage. I appreciate your input. Roger

 

All the best with the repair...

 

What BWings said, use Epoxy with insert in place.

JBWeld or Permatex:
https://www.permatex.com/products/ad...-welder-25-ml/

 

Thanks for your reply. I think I'm going to use the JB Weld PlasticWeld putty. The putty should allow me to shape the epoxy around the threaded insert in place plus build up the over the remaining plastic and to the end of the threaded insert sticking out. I'm concerned that I wouldn't be able to control the flow of the regular JB Weld epoxy or to shape the liquid epoxy. I'm concerned about epoxy getting inside the threaded insert so I am going to try inserting a straw (happens to fit) with some petroleum jelly on it into the threaded insert. Hopefully the petroleum jelly on the end of the straw at the end of the insert at the edge of the crack prevents any epoxy from getting inside the insert on that end and even on the outside part of the threaded insert. Roger

 

You might consider using modeling clay to protect the areas you are concerned about.
Or if you have grandchildren, play doh might be at hand...

 

I use this more than epoxy as it works quickly and blends well, black and grey powder. Q-bond (.)com