[ddavison]

My passenger side exhaust tip looked like it was about to fall off. I took it off and it looks like it mounts to a plastic frame that has become brittle and broken.

Has anyone had luck fabricating a piece or coming up with another fix?

I read on the forum about using a zip tie and sided iron as a plastic weld, but I’m not sure I have enough original plastic left for that to work.

some pics

 

[InfiniteLoop]

You're going to have to fabricate new mounting points. The BEST way to do that w/ what you have left is to buy 1-2" wide pieces of aluminum flat bars, something similar to this:

Hillman 2-in x 3-ft Interior/Exterior Mill Finished Aluminum Solid in the Flats department at Lowes.com

Then a bunch of bolts and lock nuts. Then just cut various pieces of that bar to size so that you can drill it/connect it to solid pieces of that frame, then screw the other side into the exhaust surrounds. So something like this where the red is mounted to the plastic and the blue needs to line up with the exhaust vent surround mounting points:

Unfortunately, you just don't have enough plastic frame left for any other fix.

 

[Glumpy3]

without taking the whole bumper off i dont think theres a better way to fix it. i like what infinite loop suggested. otherwise maybe someone local who does 3d printing might be able to whip something up?

 

[InfiniteLoop]

I have a 3d Printer and also use a heated printed bed to print ABS filament. The problem is that area gets VERY hot... so 3d printed pieces wouldn't survive long and would probably deform. Also, it would have to be shaped to each corner, which would take a lot of CAD time.

The other benefit of using the Al bars is Al is easy to score/cut/drill etc. So getting the pieces you need, with simple tools or a dremel, to cut them to size and drill holes is easy to do.

 

[PartsSupplier]

Good morning Ddavison,

would you like a quote on the original mounting bracket ?

 

[Glumpy3]

I have a 3d Printer and also use a heated printed bed to print ABS filament. The problem is that area gets VERY hot... so 3d printed pieces wouldn't survive long and would probably deform. Also, it would have to be shaped to each corner, which would take a lot of CAD time.

The other benefit of using the Al bars is Al is easy to score/cut/drill etc. So getting the pieces you need, with simple tools or a dremel, to cut them to size and drill holes is easy to do.

Dang! already ahead of me haha.

 

[ddavison]

That is great InfiniteLoop. I very much appreciate the detailed suggestions.

@PartsSupplier, I would be happy to receive a quote as well for a mounting bracket. I will probably try InfiniteLoop's suggestions at least as a short term fix.

 

[PartsSupplier]

That is great InfiniteLoop. I very much appreciate the detailed suggestions.

@PartsSupplier, I would be happy to receive a quote as well for a mounting bracket. I will probably try InfiniteLoop's suggestions at least as a short term fix.

Please DM me your full VIN number, so I can pull up your vehicle on my catalog.

 

[Wilson911]

Hello,
I had the same problem, temporary I have fixed with epoxy bi-component and a small plates for screw (and in the end I painting with hight temperature paint), when I will have time I will remove the rear bumper and trying to do a better support.

Good luck.

 

[[email protected]]

if you take off the bumper you will probably find many more cracks. I tried to plastic weld it back together, but the result was not satisfactory.
There is a dude from the UK, that is working on a aluminum bumper skeleton, to replace the faulty plastic one. He hangs around here too I think.

 

[Johnny.Mc]

I came up with this method. Did it from the outside. Quite easy really. I recommend doing it before they break. I did it to my unbroken ones too

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Wilson911]

I came up with this method. Did it from the outside. Quite easy really. I recommend doing it before the break. I did it to my unbroken ones too

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Nice. Have you more pictures ?

 

[iplane]

I have the same problem, which I yet have to tackle. My investigation effort has yielded two possible options, short of buying a new bumper at the dealership.

Option 1: purchase non-OEM bumper skeleton replacement, since Lamborghini does not offer one for pre-LP cars. I've only found one retailer from Poland offering these:

Home - FGP-Stuff.eu

Option 2: wait for Andy from Fury Autoworx to finish developing his aluminum bumper skeleton replacement

Gallardo Bumper Reinforcement Frame/Skeleton | furyautoworx

Of the two options, the second one is my favorite. I refuse to accept a bumper as a consumable item. Right now, that's how it feels it is. By buying a brand new bumper to replace one with cracked brackets, it's not a matter of IF, but a matter of WHEN the new brackets will crack.

Most worryingly, there will be a point where new bumpers will be difficult to come by, since Lamborghini won't be manufacturing them forever... so what will be the alternative then?

With a skeleton made of aluminum, this problem will be hopefully resolved permanently.

 

[Johnny.Mc]

I came up with this method. Did it from the outside. Quite easy really. I recommend doing it before the break. I did it to my unbroken ones too

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I'll have to have a look. So easy tho. I was always looking from the inside out to find a solution. Then I lay down and looked up from the outside of the car. Got ready made furniture diy brackets approx 25mmx25mm and the pre drilled holes even matched up lol. Had to bore them out tho. The bracket is basicly hanging from the bumper skeleton. Fitted them approx 2 yrs ago still havent moved or broken off

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[ddavison]

I tried some two-part epoxy and some heavy duty zip ties on the outside as an armature. It is very much a temporary fix until I can get something more permanent done.

The epoxy is called green stuff and it is pliable for about 1 hour and cured fully at 4-5 hours. It bonds to plastic very well and I screwed into it. I first tried to get nuts and bolts through but I couldn’t get my hands back there without taking off the whole bumper.

I did paint black before attaching the grill.

 

[iownedu]

Another option I did on my pre-LP...

You can use a flat piece of metal (say 1"x2"x 3/16” thick), tap it with the same thread pitch as the factory screws/bolts and paint it black. Then you can hold that piece behind your broken tabs as you install the OEM screw into it to "clamp" it.

 

[ddavison]

I wonder if strong magnets and a metal plate to snap it onto would work.

 

[Greg Vaka]

I wonder if strong magnets and a metal plate to snap it onto would work.

Use JB Hi Heat epoxy weld

 

[ebehrendsen]

Same thing happened to me about two years ago. I found a couple of plastic razor blades and cut them to size. Pretty much how Infinite Loop did it, only in plastic. It's held up well to this point, but everyone is right, we need to find a permanent fix for this issue.

 

[EvanK]

I wonder if strong magnets and a metal plate to snap it onto would work.

Yes it works very well. I attached metal brackets to the bumper structure, and created custom carbon fiber panels which have magnets epoxied to the back where the brackets contact it (one in each corner). The best part about it and the main reason I did it, there is no visible hardware from the outside! Forgot what size N52 neodymium disc magnets I used exactly but they were about 3/4" diameter by 1/8" thick.