Snapped tabs

[Khadgar]

Ok so over the course of the past 10 years or so the rear quarter panels in my interior are missing some tabs, and they rattle and don't want to stay down around the edges. Besides buying new panels ($$!!) what other course of action would be able to keep rattleage to a minimum, and hold the edges down, while also not being permanent?

[GODspeed1320]

Well, therea are many different ways to go about this. some ways will be very very ghetto...such as duck tape or cotten balls. Ofcourse if you choose those ways...you will be made fun of. And then there are better ways like inserting sections of dynomat(used for giant speakers)behind the rattling panels. Which ever way you choose, just make it the best decision because it's your car after all.

[Khadgar]

I'm not just looking at stopping the ratting. I also need the panel to be held down. I was thinking about that great stuff because I also hear it is adhesive, I would think if i held down the panels while it set it would hold them in place.

[A//// Guy]

Black screws? I dont know buy new tabs at mitsu. You can ussually buy almost any tab or clip seperate as I have.

[Khadgar]

By tabs I mean the ones that are built on to the panel. They stick out 2-3 inches from the panel, cant really use a screw or anything. I'll try to figure something out when it goes back together if no one else has tried anything before.

[Bode]

3M makes a probuct that I used for bonding panels together on a camaro I am working on and it worked very well. That would probobly solve the problem, the stuff is flexible and is almost as strong as welding if not stronger in some cases. I will see if I can get some for you, I dont know what the name of it is, but i will find out.

[JET]

Do you still have the rest of the tab that broke off? If so just use some JB weld or something on them.

[Khadgar]

Yeah I still have the tab, I just doubted that it would hold, but I will try it out since I've been saving all the broken off pieces. Thanks for the suggestion

I guess my main issue is, I dont think repairing the tabs is going to work, they only attach to the panels with a few thin lines of plastic, and just pulling them out like they are supposed to be removed snapped them, unless the glue is going to make the bond stronger than it originally was, I don't see it working.

[CDeutsch]

If you want to do it like a pro see these videos by 3M.
http://www.3m.com/us/auto_marine_aero/aad/solutions/video/index.jhtml

The "Bumper Tab Repair" vid would be the one to watch in this case.

I'm guessing that's way more time and money then you want to put in to this. But the info could come in handy some day. ;)

[LightningGSX]

You want to use cyanoacrylate(CA) adhesives on plastic.You can find a donor piece of plastic, cut a new tab, and bond it to the backside of the panel.This way, you can make the bonding area as large as you need, which will guarantee, a stronger than original tab.Also, if you want the original repaired, I have 2 plastic welders(both air and airless), and they work really good on most plastics.