The Hodaka Club Forum

Gentlemen, does somebody know what is the best adhesive to use for adhering the tank badges onto a gas tank. Correct me if I am wrong but I think the badges do not come with any adhesive backing on them, or do they? Thank you.

I've used double stick automotive molding tape. This is the tape used to attach molding on cars. I think most people use Silicon. If you use Molding tape, it will most likely never come off. If it does, the paint will come off with it.

Roger

Excellent suggestion, I remember now that tape is super sticky, probably a 3M product. 3M makes the best stuff. Thanks for your help!

I use Yamabond

Silicone keeps it on but allows non-damage removal....

I agree with the silicone. It also allows you to align the badges after putting them on, which you can't do with 3M molding adhesive. Victor

Sika make a product called Sikaflex. It is a silicon/adhesive. Used extensively in marine industry. Better than any straight silicon product.

OK, I used tape but put to much on the badge after I put the badges on you could see the ends of the tape. Also, once you stick them on you cannot rotate them for correct positioning. One was crooked. Managed to get them both off without damaging them and decided to use a threebond product called 1184 grey very similar to Yamabond but not quite. After they were on nice and straight the red paint on the backside of the badges started to wrinkle badly, Looked like hell so I took them both off. I had another nice new pair so I stuck them on with clear silicone. Can be adjusted once they are on easily and did not wrinkle the paint on the back of the badge.
If they ever come off with the silicon I will use tape again but only in the center area of the badge. Also I may wet them like you do with decals when you put them on to give you a chance for alignment. After a while the water drys and they are on for good.
Another learning experience, Thank you all for your comments and help gentlemen!

Here is a pic of that beauty with badges and all.

That is one fine-looking work of art. Should be mounted on a pedestal in a museum.

Permatex Right stuff better than silicone also

Rich

the pedestal is the frame I am going to put it on and the museum will be my business I am planning on having with motorcycle décor.
Where I live in central texas we get a lot of motorcyclists coming through town to ride whats known as the three sisters. Three highways thru the texas hill country that are a spectacular drive on a motorcycle.

Rich, which permatex are you talking about exactly?

Go with a Polyurethane type adhesive....such as Sikaflex above

Permatex right stuff is just called the right stuff

I find generic silicone cement works well. You can put the badges on, Center them and get them the way you want & a little blue painters tape to hold them in position while the silicone dries over night. And if they need to be removed for any reason, some basic fishing line will cut through the silicone easily. Victor

X2 on using Right Stuff. It is a silicone product, but is gasoline and oil stabile and used for gaskets and such. It also repairs sneakers, and makes metal dog bowls non-slip when applied to the bottom. It is incredibly strong compared to regular silicone. Get some. Try it. Use it for whatever you have going and you will see what the differences are. Cures over night so you have time to make adjustments just like silicone glue, but cures with far more resilience than Shoe Goo if you have ever used that product. It is also dishwasher safe, which means it won't just let your badges fall off.

Is The Right Stuff an RTV compound like silicone adhesive or a solvent-based compound like Goop? If solvent-based, I'd have a concern that the solvent would affect the paint on the back of the badge.

yeah the threebond adhesive that I used ruined the paint on the badges. that's one thing to be carefull with. Those badges are sixty bucks a pop.

Room temperature vulcanizing. It is not a solvent based adhesive like Honda Bond 4. And no, it doesn't lift the paint on the back side of the badge. My badges have been stuck to a Clarke tank for three years now and I don't think I could get them off without cracking the badge.

I am going to get a tube of that "right stuff" next time I go to town. I have another tank coming back from Salt Lake Chrome in a day or two and I will use it on that tank. Its nice to be able to get those badges on nice and straight, the tape is very strong but its hard to get them centered and aligned just right with tape. Thank you gentlemen for your contributions to my question.