LED adhesives

[mr500]

Put some LED's on the ol Voyager only to wake up today and one is hanging from under the tank. Cant get it to stay put on the high dollar tape..

Have any one you ran into this and how's to fix it.

Tank has irregular shape so Im thinking maybe silicone or something??

Any ideas will be appreciated. Trying to get this all fixed for the Thunder Beach rally....

Thanks

[mbarr10]

Put some LED's on the ol Voyager only to wake up today and one is hanging from under the tank. Cant get it to stay put on the high dollar tape..

Have any one you ran into this and how's to fix it.

Tank has irregular shape so Im thinking maybe silicone or something??

Any ideas will be appreciated. Trying to get this all fixed for the Thunder Beach rally....

Thanks

Looking for some great answers here myself. I want to have it nailed down the first time. No pun intended.

[mr500]

LOL yeah. I hear ya.

[BrokeAss]

3M Super 77 spray adhesive. Spray it into a paper bowl or cup then apply with a detail brush while it's still wet, let it set up a while on the LED strip, then reapply it to the tank and press for 20-30 sec.

[mr500]

Yeah I was thinking the 3M spray. I think I have some out in the shop..

Thanks

[DragonLady58]

I just gotta laugh about this! Yea, its kinda a sticky question cause the more people you talk to will tell you diff. things....Also, the install instructions are all over the place on how to do this....
Took me about 1 1/2 years on my own schit to find what works....
Most all soft, flexible LED strip kits come with this dinky sticky crap on the back, which is guaranteed to fall off when things get hot!
What I do on tanks is mount a strip of industrial velcro on each side, almost the full length of the tank. Then, I put the velcro on the rear of the LED Strips. But, that is just me! I did have a really nice 3M taped expensive LED setup. Operative word....I DID....
I stopped on the road during one of my trips at a Kawa Shop, their great Factory trained mechanic just cut the wire when they pulled the tank, then threw it (the tank) up on a work bench, pratically messing up my LED strips on the bottom of the tank. Then they yanked the strips off.

Needless to say, I went into the service dept. and started fragging folks who even walked past my bike. Well, it was my own fault, I was tired, not feeling good. The Kawa shop was close to the Hotel, so, I called, they said they could get me in really fast. So, I did it. Never again!
If you use the types that have the 3M tape, all you have to do is use some isopropyl alcohol, wipe the tank where you want to mount them. Get all that wax off. Then, I get some of the spray on decal remover, spray some on a rag, wipe it down again, to get it down to the clear coat. Some of the waxes have some silicon in them to give the surface a really slick surface so stuff won't stick. Then, I wipe it with alcohol again.
Install the light where you want it. Whatever you do, leave about a 3" pigtail on the light, install connectors, so when they, you, them, whoever pulls the tank, the lights came be unplugged, they can lift it off. Just use a old piece of carpet to sit the tank on so you don't screw up the lights.
And if you take your bike to the shop, be sure to tell the service mgr. that the lights can be unplugged, and to sit the tank on something soft....
Me, myself, I use the industrial velcro, I pull the lights off when I pull my tank....
You have to do some prep. to use velcro, or the engine heat will melt the adhesive on the rear of the LEDs.
If using Pod Light LEDs, use the 3M tape that they use to stick on vent shades and bug deflectors....you can get it (a small roll) from Amazon or from O'Reillys, AutoZone, or NAPA....
Hope this helps....

[mr500]

Velcro... Another Idea....

Yeah I installed them with connectors under the seat for the tank. I ran into that problem on my old 800. Had to cut the tank wires and re wire it as the original owner never thought he'd remove the tank :crazy:

Ill look into cleaning the area(s) better also.


Thanks!