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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rubber bumper

My back rubber bumper has suddenly got a load of "wobbles" in it - could it be from cleaning it (hopefully!) or, sadly more likely, the snow, or something completely different?
rachmacb

"wobbles"

Cant be snow...
Any pictures?
Arie de Best

Wobbles? You mean like ripples and stuff?

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

My back bumper too has ripples in the top of it, I was thinking of gluing the rubber back down to stop this?
C Carter

Steady there, Gryf.
Nick

Is it the part of the bumper under the fueltank filler?
Arie de Best

Hi

Sorry - am trying to get a "good" photo to show the wobbles - aka ripples!!!!

It's along the whole of the bumper, not just under the fuel filler - so no - I don't think it's that I dribble!

I did put some blackening polish on it last May(ish) time, so, don't know if that might have reacted with it too?

If the weather ever improves enough to take a photo, then I will put it on - they are saying we might actually get some sun on Thursday ...!
rachmacb

I only use Armerall on my '75 bummpers. So far are just fine and stay black and not weathered. Of course I keep it in my garage and never run it the rain. I drive in the summer months and take it for a half hour run every couple weeks as this Washingtion weather allows.
RC Bishop

LOL - can't afford to keep a car for that - she was doing about 600 (UK) miles a month in all weathers and hasn't seen the inside of a garage - if she's lucky, I'll chuck a cover over her!
rachmacb

Blah blah - it's on the front one now too - and I can't seem to work out a good way to upload an image that works and shows it at all well.

Perhaps I should just take them off - and learn how to brake .......?
rachmacb

and steer!!!

If you decide to take them off and you want to do it nicely it does involve some new paint and most likely welding.
Although i never disliked my bumpers i decided after crashing the front to leave them off.
Never regretted it, loose a lot of useles weight(= gain speed!) and i like the lines of a bumperless midget.

Can you set your camera to low pixel setting?
This way it can be put on here without any problem.
Arie de Best

Oh gee - take away ALL of my fun why don't you!

I'm contemplating taking them off, but, I am a tad wary of doing that knowing the habits of people to use other cars to stop themselves.

I was going to have her resprayed before going to Canada, which is now off anyway, so, suppose it's something I could do prior to that as there's not as much hurry.

How much welding is involved?

Going off to wander aimlessly with my iPhone to take pictures in the rain ...... hopefully will e-mail them to the computer and upload them from that - seems to be the only way that I can do it at the moment. I "lent" my camera to someone and, well - it's on the list - after the barn, haylage, transport of new colt from Spain ...
rachmacb

ok - here goes:




rachmacb

second attempt for photo 2!



rachmacb

AHA - you've got to put some text in too?!?!?!



rachmacb

OK - my computer is now saying NO MORE - so, hopefully those will give an idea of what is happening?
rachmacb

Rach-
I've seen this, and don't know the answer; thought about it but not much. It comes down to either the edges are too big for the middle - chemicals, temperature, age; or there is something under the rubber that is inducing the waves.
Chemicals have odd effects on material like this - it's a kind of polyurethane blend, and they are all different. Some chemicals shrink it, some expand it, some are reversible, some are not. Hard to pin down without knowing exactly what the blend is exactly, but there are tables of chemical effects on polymers that might give an idea.
I never actually took one of these apart, but typically they have a steel piece under there somewhere. Rust or road debris/ice build up betwixt steel and rubber would do it. Seems to me that the cars I've seen it on don't get worse and might get better. I'm a bit handicapped since over here nobody drives the things in the winter any more, so I no longer get to see the seasonal continuity of the process. I've not actually followed a car as it developed the problem and then after. One MGB I serviced for a while was pretty bad when it came but got better over a couple of years - I could only put it down to me and the new owner not using something that was previously applied.

FRM
FR Millmore

Thanks for your answer - I shall leave it well alone then, and not blacken or polish it again (not that I need too much convincing of this, and I don't think it's been done since my dad did it last May or June!) If it improves in spring/summer, I'll let you know - she pretty much does all weathers, and, even if I'm not driving, well, there's a vague rumour that, if I can sell the sleigh - she MIGHT get a "garage" when I get around to rebuilding the carriage shed!

Suppose the only thing would worry me then would be rust developping, but, I guess, at that point - it can either be changed or dispatched.
rachmacb

This thread was discussed between 24/01/2010 and 04/02/2010

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