Best Adhesive for 124 Spider Wing Window Latches?

[MrWampus]

Well barely a week after I last posted that my latches were holding fast, the mistress got angry at me for leaving her uncovered in the rain and she threw an "earring" at me. Yep, the passenger side latch popped off. Any suggestions on how to get the dried JB Weld off the latch so I can reglue it?

[124JOE]

a dremel with a cutting wheel

[MrWampus]

What if I leave the dried JB Weld on the latch and reglue it? Will the JB Weld stick to itself? The current layer is only about a mm thick and it might provide enough additional gap so that the latch won't be so tight when it's closed.

[kmac33]

Yes, the JB Weld will "bond" to itself.

[RRoller123]

This raises a question I have had for some time. My vent window latches are also off and eventually I want to reattach them. It seems that when I hold them in place against the glass, the closure forces would be very high, much more than needed to seal the window. Not surprising that they eventually come off. So maybe some kind of standoff spacer would help. Has anyone tried this? Any recommended thickness? You would need a stable intermediate material that would accept the adhesive on both sides. I suppose at some point we could just drill a hole through the glass and mount the latches with a decorative SS screw/SS fender washer. Anyone tried that?

[124JOE]

no i never tryed that

[RRoller123]

I wonder if a high speed dremel bit could drill a hole through for a mounting screw. Probably a waste of time and a window.

[dantye]

Has anyone found the ultimate epoxy or whatever for this?

I used alcohol, MEK and fine sandpaper to clean and prep both surfaces, but I glued it with $1.79 Cyanoacrylate-based Super Glue from Wal-Mart. (You need to mask the area, since that glue runs easily.) Then measured and clamped it carefully in the open position - first making sure the device is actually IN the open position! I let it cure for 2 days before removing the clamp. It has withstood closed trips over many a rumble strip. (Mine latches are the hinged type.)

Getting the seals clean and lubed, and clean glass helps, but no matter what you glue these with, the secret is, even if they WILL close, to close them ONLY when necessary and NEVER STORE THEM CLOSED. Here in the frozen NORTH, at about -10F to -20F, you can bet they will pop right off! Also, never pull on the handle to close the vent - pull on the VENT, then turn the handle.