How To Repair Carbon Fiber Cracks
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- čas přidán 2. 03. 2018
- In this video I show you guys how to repair carbon fiber cracks with nothing more than sandpaper, resin, polish and elbow grease!
Fixing your broken carbon fiber parts can be time consuming but it is economically worth it since carbon fiber parts are very expensive!
Remember not to sand the exposed carbon fiber cloth if you can avoid it! Disturbing the weave will make your repair obvious. If the cloth has been cracked through, you can still salvage your part if you do not care about how it looks. Reinforce the back side with a new piece of cloth and soak it in resin. Use chopped carbon fiber on the front and build up the area until there is no longer a void. Sand smooth and polish for a nice finish!
For this project, I used System Three epoxy resin get that awesome look. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you):
System Three Epoxy Kit:
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Disposable Measuring Cups:
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PowerBall Polishing Tool:
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Polishing Compound:
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2x2 Twill Carbon Fiber if you need to reinforce the back side:
amzn.to/3cHmQeL
Alternative Epoxy Resin Kit with Measuring Cups:
amzn.to/3bgntLZ
If you want to make your own carbon fiber parts, I suggest you check out my other video here:
• How to Hand Lay Real C...
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#carbonfiber #DIY - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Very good procedural tutorial on how to repair carbon fiber. No need to allow shops to charge huge repair fees as long as you're willing to be resourceful.
Glad it was helpful!
@@EmbraceMaking I haven't used it yet, but I have some carbon fiber parts coming and it's good to know that there are ways to effect repairs without resorting to going hat (and wallet!) in hand to a shop who will doubtless wring their hands and suck their teeth and say "That's a hard one. Let us get back to you." and then it's a $2000 bill.
this is not a crack in the Fibre itself!
3 years later and this video is still useful. I bought a really bad condition CF hood for my g35. I got it for 100$ had some deep cracks on both sides as well as the front. I sanded, filled with resin 3 coats. One one side the cracks are completely gone. On the other side they are still visible BUT it has a layer of resin so you can’t feel it, imma wrap it and leave the vents visible. Thank you very much for the video 🔥
Crazy I’m in same boat .. 350z hood seabon for 100 I’m trying to fix lol
haha im in the same with a front lip for my camaro, lip it self new is 500 and i got it for $50
@@plusdaddyyt same boat lmao CF G35 Seibon hood for $140 thats cracked allllll over the place
Exactly what I needed, Thank you for this!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
This video is a live saver! Thank you for being so thorough with the explanation hopefully I can fix that chip in my trunk !
Glad it helped and thanks for watching!
Wow, thanks for the tips. I am looking to repair the front spoiler on my XKRS , I will definitely be taking my time on it. Good video 👍
Thanks! Best of luck, I hope it works out!
Great stuff. Thank you. I truly appreciate you including alot of the necessary information that people often exclude.
Glad it was helpful!
My drum pad is cracked and this guy basically fixed it for me. Thx
Thanks for this! Just what I needed to give this a go myself
Glad I could help! Hope it turns out for you!
Great video I’m happy you took the time to show the steps thank you
Great quality and Very helpful. Thanks!
Thanks, much appreciated!
Very clear tutorial.Thank you!
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!
Nice that you explain all your mishaps.
Learn from my mistakes :) Thanks!
I been waiting for a vid like this to fix the lip on my Vette! Thanks
No problem, thanks for watching Marc!
Excellent procedure for repairing carbon fiber cracks , I used this fix to repair golf club driver head carbon fiber crown bad crack. It works well after repair. I used J-B ClearWeld.
Thank you!
Thanks for a great video. I have a carbon spinner on a RC plane that got scratched in a crash. This is going to help a lot to solve the problem and get the spinner back to looking good.
Good luck!
Thank you! Great practical approach!
You're very welcome!
Bro your a really good teacher, thank you
Thank you so much!
What an awesome video! thank you so much for this. I have a fully cracked carbon fiber front lip all around tbh, should I try to peel and fix it or apply a layer of carbon fiber fabric? I really don't know how to proceed
exactly what i was looking for :) thx you saved me a lot of diggin
Me too!!
No problem, glad it helped!
Dude, thank you. I cracked my Seibon hood last week and they don't make them for my car anymore. This was a super informative video, even 2 years later. Subbed'
You're welcome! Thanks for the sub. Have you tried to fix it yet?
@@EmbraceMaking No sir; I always run myself thin and have a few projects going on currently. The car is garaged at the moment. the damage looks similar to your diffuser in the video, so I'm really hoping for decent results when I get the resin in.
I had a seibon wing for my prelude. After 2 years it started yellowing. I restored it but it would haze quickly. Started just spraying silicone and wiping down. It is supposed to be higher quality than that. Wasn't impressed.
Hi there, awesome demonstration. I'm planning to fix my carbon bike that has very similar ding.
Glad it helped! Hope that works out for you!
awesome video, thanks. got a crack in my CF roof on the M6 =(
Time to fix it! ;) thanks for watching!
thanks bro exactly this video,, for tomorrow 👌👌👌👌 💪
You're welcome!
Thank you for this video!!! Now to fix my Carbon Fiber wing!
Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!
How did it work?? Planning to do mine soon
Awesome video 💪🏻 thanks
Glad you liked it!
Great video. I have a carbon hood on my car thats cracked and you can't find a replacement in the exact same style or any other hood that looks good so this is gonna help me out tremendously.
Glad it could help!
How did you hood turn out? Have a crack in my hood now
@@ericturrentine4400 I actually haven't done it yet lol. Getting ready to do it soon though.
Really enjoyed the video and the way you go about explaining the process and tips/tricks and also warn about gotchas! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
My GranTurismo rear diffuser is scuffed up, and I’m going to try this!
Have fun!
Bout to do this to my hood! Thank you.
Best of luck!
Samee got mine for 200 originally 1500 worth the repair
Thank you for the great video
Glad you enjoyed it
That looks amazing I wish I could fix my hood like that but unfortunately it is cracked and busted all over 😣
Just tape it. Because racecar 👍
amazing video bro. I went down on my Yamaha R1 and I have a lot of carbon fiber fairings that I thought were protected by all my frame sliders. Which they were, except for one little section on the front tank cover. The damage looked very similar to this and I hope this works for me.
Glad I could help, let me know how it goes!
How did it come out?
@@joeKisonue real good. Honestly forgot about it until now lol
Great video buddy
Thanks 👍
I just bought a 911 with all carbon fiber interior trim. Almost every piece is cracked. My plan was to replace everything over time, but I could probably buy another Porsche for the cost of that. I think I'll try you methods on the most inconspicuous piece/spot to test my skills and see how it looks and then go from there. Thank you for the video
Best of luck, for the cost of the new parts from Porsche I am sure the effort and elbow grease will be more than worth it.
Excellent video. I have a CF splitter on the front of my corvette which seems a bit flimsy. How can I reinforce it on the back side so it becomes more structurally rigid?
I would put some carbon fiber cloth on the back side and use the resin to bond it to the existing piece.
Great video.
Thanks for watching!
I am about to do this to my ATS-V front lower splitter. can you tell me everything I need.
Thanks for sharing your videos, very helpful. Are you able to share the link to the exact same epoxy resin for us to buy?
It's System III Epoxy resin. Gonna have to Google it up.
This is very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Also, will the gorilla epoxy resin works on these parts? Thanks
I've never seen gorilla epoxy resin before... is that resin or glue?
Does anyone have any long term 1-2 year update on how this fix is holding up? I’m planning to use the same exact resin from the video, but wanted to see if this has proven to be stable and held up for anyone...or not. Using this for a CF roof, so I need it to. Great video and hope it has worked! Thanks!!!
So far it has worked out for me... I still have this piece and it looks fine. That being said, full disclaimer my car does not sit out in the sun.
I backed my carbon fiber diffuser into a pole thank you so much 🤣
No problem 👍 Glad it was helpful!
great job
Thank you!
Thank you for this video but I do have a question. After my CF hood cracked, it seemed to have some areas that are really really hazy. I would imagine it’s from moisture getting under the resin. How can I get rid of the haziness?
Haziness could be from UV damage... You may want to try and just use some really high grit sandpaper or emery cloth to remove this hazy layer and then go through the polishing process to restore the gloss.
Great video!!...I got a question..if I cut into my carbon hood will I need to use a resin to reseal the part I cut a hole in for a hood latch?...or can I use something like silicon?
I would clean up the cut edges with a bit of epoxy if you can. Sand them smooth without fraying the fibers and dab a bit of epoxy on to make sure they don't fray any further.
Mixing the catalyst and the resin too quickly will also make bubbles. Mix it a bit more slowly instead of whipping it up ;)
Good tip! A nice smooth pour and mix helps prevent bubbles for sure!
I have a question I have a carbon fiber hood and it has done spider cracks that have shown up they look like they are in the gel coat not into the fiber. What of the best way to go about fixing them?
@@user-cj2vu4jn7v Sand the area but NOT the carbon fiber as he says in the beginning of the video. It is important to take your time and ONLY sand the gel coat. Clean it and then apply a coat of gel coat. After it dries lightly sand the area again and apply another coat of gel coat to fill it in just as he is doing above. The key is to slowly build it up with more than 1 layer.
@@casualguy3938
The gel coat should I use the epoxy he used in the video?
@@user-cj2vu4jn7v I think all of them are very similar as long as you get a decent quality one. If you have experience working with one of them then that is what I would use. I would even go so far as to put a few coats of wax on it a few days after completion.
So i did resin craft and have a ton of left over craft resin. Its called amazing clear cast. Says its for clear coat and casting resin. Could i use this?
Nice vid, I heard if u use a heat gun on the epoxy bfor it cures u can eliminate air bubbles n prevent them from cosmetically damaging the appearance
That works too! Just can't over do it with the heat
It's nice to have a gun with a screen readout and good temp control
What kind of hardener did you use with the System Three Gen. Purpose epoxy? The ones I've found by system three states an amber or light amber color.
If it's a very thin application, it should be OK. There are many options
Thanks for the video. I have an expensive mtb with a similar ding and I'm gonna sell it. Definitely will take the time to do this. Could only increase its value. Where could I find that resin mix?
thanks for watching! Try your local composites story, or easy composites online, check to see if you have a local boat repair shop or even some high end autobody shops. Epoxy resin!
@@EmbraceMaking I think even Envirotex is the same and available at craft stores like Michael's
Couldnt you do a resin infusion setup to draw the resin into the cracks? Kinda like how ppl repair windshield chips and cracks?
To be honest I've never seen an infusion set up on carbon that has already been laid up... I basically just made this tutorial for the average person who doesn't have all of the extra equipment... kind of a bare bones approach. Maybe someone has done an infusion repair? I feel like because the resin has already set in the fibers it would be difficult to draw it through the area to repair...
Does this work for hood with heat I know some epoxy change or get burn
Can you use carbon fiber cloth for glossy yellow finish??
Can you use 5 jb weld 5 minute epoxy?
I'm sick of NY.. I just hit someone's leather workboot on the highway and it cracked my front lip on my m4. It damaged the weave a bit. I ordered the resin you have here, going to try to repair it... I'm aware the weave damage will show, I hope I can shape the resin into its original shape with alot of coats and sanding...thank you.
I feel you... I almost smoked a spare tire someone left in the middle of the highway the other day. Would have been a big repair bill. Good luck with your fix!
A piece of semi truck tire tread got my m4s front bumper this week so I feel you.
Got my hood for 50 dollars originally 1500 only one decent ding thanks for this
Hope it works out for you!
Question: if you have a minor crack inside the carbon fiber but it's not a physical crack you can feel......does it matter to try and fix it as so if your just going to paint match the carbon fiber item (ie I'm going to paint match the hood)? I assume no you don't need to fix something minor I'm referring to as I'm breaking the hood down before it's professionally painted but I gotta ask to make sure, it's an expensive item lol.
What would you do of you had some webbing on the finish? Where the carbon fiber isnt cracked, its till intact, but the clear coat has cracking all over it?
You would have to try and sand through the spider webs portion the best you can. Even if you get most of the way through and put new resin over top it would probably hide most of the flaws.
Embrace Racing Great Video! New Subscriber here! I have a couple of questions...Do you need to clear coat over the resin epoxy after wet sanding? If the Carbon fiber part is clear-coated does the epoxy just blend with clearcoat?
When you sand it down you will sand down some of the clear coat if it has been cleared. The epoxy should bond to it. Once you smooth everything out and wet sand the area, I would recommend using a clear coat if the rest of the part has it. Might as well protect it!
thank you for the reply!
@@EmbraceMaking czcams.com/video/XcwCmY1I_2o/video.html
@@clbaker24 I would recommend using outboard motor clear coat. Evenrude or something from a boat place. It's the highest quality rattle can clearcoat available.
Where can I find resin with the carbon fiber in it?
Tuner Cult! by looking at the shirt we entered the same sweepstakes hahaha
I've had these shirts for yearsssss, but yes Tuner cult. I think I bought them wayyyy back in the day when they were $6 each haha!
u just saved my car's cf lip:)
Awesome! This is why I do what I do :)
To prevent bubbles use MEK, blow with air and pay attention to your resin that nothing goes in during combination nor dirt on the part where you are using resin.
Some dust can create air bubbles and that's why it comes out like that, while polishing with resin also your brush should be new and clean, alway use air blowing and after MEK.
Great tips, thanks!
Hey question someone dropped a wrench on edge of my hood it took some epoxy off about a quarter size chip that exposed the fabric and around it cracked some epoxy should I chip the cracked parts off or just leave them before I attempt to try this ?
Chip off anything that doesn't look like it has a solid bond. Otherwise it may delaminate in the future
Have you looked into Gorilla Epoxy Adhesive or J-B Weld Clear Epoxy Adhesive? You think any of those would be good enough? I'm just trying to find something locally and it looks like it's the best I got...
I'm in process of repairing my carbon fiber lip for my car (a lot of the original epoxy and coat got removed after the lip fell off on the freeway). I can't comment on longevity since I'm still in process of repairing my lip, but i will say that the Gorilla Epoxy is really easy to use and apply. It's also really easy to smooth out excess layers and lumps using 120 grit sandpaper. After applying the Gorilla Epoxy and smoothing everything out, my plan is to primer, paint and clear the lip. Hopefully these extra layers will protect the Gorilla epoxy from the elements.
bubbles in the resin are a common thing. you need to degass it first using vaccum chamber and pump. i use it a lot. zero bubbles.
Thanks! This method is more of a low cost "common tools" way of doing this without much monetary investment :)
@@EmbraceMaking yeah it requires some investment, and its a next step for those who are tired of this lil bubbles :) I know because it happend to me :)
Would this method work for my situation : Using your diffuser as an example, I have a duckbill wing, and similar to where the crack is in your vid, I have my duckbill “splitting” open, but running the length along the edge, maybe about 1-2 inches. Like my best example by “splitting” open is a deep cut in your skin.
Probably will work fine. Might be a little trickier working on the edge because the resin will want to run, but if you build it up slowly you can probably do it and it will come out better than having a split in it!
Hi sir..I really need your help..in minutes 6:42 how actually it happen? Its the something on the brush? I really don’t understand how it work..please help me.
Hey i have a pretty deep crack on my hood all the way to the fiber and i can literally pull off the cracked parts so If i pull off the cracked parts ill have a spot where the fiber is exposed so do i fill that up with resin and then block sand it so it can be smooth?
I would try that, but feather the edges around it so the resin has something to stick to!
hope this works on my cf intec taillights
I hope so too! what vehicle are they for?
Question is this Epoxy Resin Specific for Carbon Fiber or can i use the RESIN EPOXY that they use For Table Counter Tops ?
Looks the Same to me .
reason is slightly Cheaper and not alot of place to Mend ,
my Mountain Bike Cranks have chipped Clear Coat with Exposed Carbon
Good question! Not something I've ever looked into. If the countertop resin is epoxy and not polyester then it might work if it's all you can find? It may not have UV protectant in it. There are probably various additives in resins for specific purposes... but if you're willing to be a guinea pig, give it a try and report back!
I have a front carbon splitter that got hairline cracks in it, do you think I would need to reapply resin or could I get away with just sanding down the cracks and applying a clear coat?
I guess you could try sanding first... see how deep you have to go. If it is deep enough that you would notice a low spot then use resin. If it is extremely superficial you might get away with just some clear coat...
How long did it take for the resin to harden?
I believe I was giving it a full 24 hours before considering it fully cured
is it working for carbon exhaust? would resin stand the exhaust heat? im really on it need ur advice thx,,,
I think you can buy special resins for high heat applications.
Super stupid question, but i guess you remove the tape before the resine complety dry?
I would
Not sure you can help me but since you've obviously worked with carbon, I thought I'd bounce it off you. I have carbon fiber forks on my Cervelo Tri-bike, although the appearance is much more just a straight black shiny surface , rather than the carbon as visible as it is in your video here. There is a gouge in the fork of maybe 1/8 inch deep by about 1/2 inch long. I would like to fill it and then buff it back to somewhat of a shine. Rather than the clear resin you used here, is there another black epoxy that you could recommend? I could send you a pic if that would give you a better idea. Thank you.
You can always just add dye to epoxy to color it but for your bike forks you might want to make sure the damage isn't structural? 1/8" deep sounds like its way into the carbon...
Do we work the same way for coloured carbon fiber bike frame?
Bike frame is structural... not sure to be honest with you, you'd probably have to reinforce with new cloth. You might want to google how to repair structural carbon fiber.
Mines stayed hazy after wet sand and polish what do i do to fix this? Used same stuff as you.
What kind of polish did you use and what kind of cloth? Maybe you are using something too coarse still?
What if you have a crack down to fiber and can’t access back side. Can you repair from the front?
Hi Jay, yes you can still patch it from the front side but it will obviously be noticeable. Your best bet is to try and remove this piece to gain access to the back somehow.
why isn't there links to buy this stuff
Can you give me a list of all the tools needed? I am kind of new to this thanks!
A good light, a fine sandpaper assortment from home depot, blue tape, razor, alcohol or acetone, a 2 part UV clear epoxy. Mixing cups, gloves, hair dryer, clean cloths or blue towel.
Did you at all use the hardener that comes with that the resin?
Yes you must use hardener for the resin to cure properly
Hey man where did you get the resin? Thanks
Check easycomposites website, your local composite store, even a local boat repair shop or some auto body shops might have it.
What about a trim piece that has a stress crack? Looks like just the resin layer cracked in a long thin crack
Clean and try to get resin deep into crack. Follow the steps to smooth and should be good
On my Carbon diving fins..
I use a heat gun on Low setting to pop the tiny bubbles.. 😎
And not too close... Just until they pop. Much easier if the part was flipped, so the repair area is more flat, not vertical.
Yeah on large projects people use the propane torch
Were do I buy it can you please tell me by way great video
Which thing are you looking to buy?
did you remove the masking tape after you applied the exoxy straight away?
You should
Did you have to mix new epoxy each time you came back to recoat it?
Yes... I mixed small batches at a time
What if it's a HUGE crack? For a frame of a fork? Will this work for that?
I wouldn't use this method to perform a structural repair. This is mainly for looks
Does anyone know if this will work on a cf muffler? I’m trying to do the one on my bike
there are resin that they are heat resistant not wih standard resin but it is fixable
Sick I’ll look into that, thank you!
Can you tell me where I can find that resin that has carbonfiber chunks in it?
doesnt exist.. thats added before aply..
What if you are re-doing the whole resin on a front lip for example? Do you still do it in batches?
If you mix too much at once, keep in mind that the heat from the reaction can get intense! It will cure very quickly before you can work with it and in some cases get so hot it can actually start smoking and catch fire! Many years ago I had it melt right through a container! Read the labels!
@@EmbraceMaking Thanks I actually really didn't need a lot even for the whole lip.
So I got a carbon fiber hood used that's cracked really bad here and they're down to fibers. So do I need to use the carbon fiber resin and hardener? like I can't just use regular fiberglass right it's not fiberglass? I don't know anything about carbon but I want to repair it and either wrap it or paint it. I know I can't repair it back to carbon fiber..sadly
Yes, use the epoxy resin and hardner when working with carbon fiber. The polyester resin commonly used with fiberglass is not as strong and may not bond well to the piece that is already made from epoxy resin.
@@EmbraceMaking wow I don't even know where to find carbon fiber resin and hardener. Like I said I never worked with it before but I got this Hood really cheap and it's really nice. So can I just sand the clear coat off that's peeling, repair the cracks and damage, and just have it wrapped?
Will this get yellowed if I put on my car roof?
Make sure the resin you are using has UV resistant properties, or if you clear coat it after, the clear coat should have UV protection.
What kind of hardener did you use for this ??
I believe the hardener was from west systems epoxy ...
Where can I find that reson at? do you have a link?
Look up easy composites online, they have a nice selection of resin products for carbon fiber!
Does this apply to carbon bike frames?
You could fix cosmetic damage... but I would trust structural damage to a professional.
What if I got a hairline crack on my front lip how do I fix that
Just follow this video!
Would this same process work if its spidercracked all the way through to the fiber. Not concerned with keeping the carbon look, more or less just looking to save the piece without the cracks showing back through. Had tried fiberglass several years ago and the cracks reappered.
Hi Stephen, if the spider cracks are all the way through, then just carefully sand down as far as you can until they disappear. Just try not to sand the actual fiber weave if you can avoid it! Once you build the resin back up it should hide almost everything.
Hello, does anyone do this type of work in the NYC area?
Look for boat repair shops!
Will a scuff pad suffice instead of 100 grit
Go to home depot