Car EPDM rubber foam repair - which glue?

[dishman]

I have a tear in some epdm rubber foam car insulation. It fact one bit has torn off. They are bits that wedge into parts around the bonnet.

I know this material is very difficult to glue as it is a foam type rubber, and very porous.

Very difficult to find a good answer online. Most of the results seem to indicate some specialist industrial glue.

This is as close to a demonstration for the type of rubber I can find.

From what I understand, normal superglue and contact adhesive would not be effective.

Any ideas or actual experience on something that would work?

 

[Notch7]

contact adhesive would be my guess

 

[dishman]

contact adhesive would be my guess

I don't think it sticks well. The standard stuff anyway. I have some Gorilla contact adhesive, but from memory, I don't think it ends up making a good bond.

 

[Old Salt]

Double sided sticky tape or some yachting type tapes that stick to various surfaces?

 

[dishman]

not sure that would

Double sided sticky tape or some yachting type tapes that stick to various surfaces?

that would not really work as it is a non uniform tear. It would be like trying to sticky tape a chunk of foam.

This looks interesting:

Might just be an advertisement. But that's similar rubber, mine is just a big wodge of it.

Edit: Hmm, looks like it might just be a standard superglue

It's chemical component on the tech sheet is just Cyanoacrylate, which is the same as most superglues.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Silly question maybe.

Does it need to be glued ?

 

[dishman]

Silly question maybe.

Does it need to be glued ?

Not a silly question. I have considered putting it back in part torn.

Is it a part that is integral to the car? No. So it in that regard....it's not a major issue.

But, I'd rather try to keep it all in one piece as it is a moulded rubber foam part.

Also, it's just useful to know what can actually glue this stuff.

A bit more digging at it seems that not all Cyanoacrylate based glues are equal, there are different formulations.

It's just a case of finding something I don't have to buy in industrial quantities.

Something like this might work:

Polymax Cyanoacrylate Cord Adhesive - Adhesives

A cyanoacrylate adhesive suitable for use with EPDM, NBR and neoprene rubber cords. This adhesive allows you to join cords to create o-rings. Not suitable for Viton and silicone cords. For silicone cords please see RTV Adhesive

www.polymax.co.uk

I just assumed someone would have had experience glue repairing stuff like this before.