Kenworth T880 Short Forward Axle Repair Kit Installation on a Damaged Hood

The Kenworth T880 set-forward front axle hood is susceptible to damage of the strut mounts. Polyvance has designed a kit to repair the damaged strut mounts at a fraction of the cost of a new hood. This video shows the step-by-step process to repair a damaged strut mount.

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Featured Product:

• Kenworth T880 Short Forward Axle Repair Kit (KEN T880SFA)

Other Polyvance Products Used:

• 1001-4 EcoPrep plastic cleaner
• PlastiFix Adhesive Applicator Gun

Video Notes:

• English Closed Captions have been provided for this video. Click on the CC button to turn them on or off.
• The length of this video is in no way representative of the actual time required to perform a complete repair and therefore should not be used for estimating purposes.
• Music ©Polyvance

Narration:

• Rob Rode

English Transcript:

The Kenworth T880 set-forward front axle hood is susceptible to damage of the strut mounts. Polyvance has designed a kit to repair the damaged strut mounts at a fraction of the cost of a new hood. This video shows the step-by-step process to repair a damaged strut mount.

First, clean the aluminum casting thoroughly with 1001-4 EcoPrep to remove any production oil residue. Clean the damaged area of the hood to remove any dirt or grime that could contaminate the repair. Because fiberglass wicks moisture, it is very important to allow the hood to dry completely before doing any other steps. Use a heat lamp on the area for one hour to force any moisture from the repair area.

Once the hood is dry, place the casting over the damaged area and trace the casting with a permanent marker. Mark the three hole locations at the top of the casting. Drill the three upper holes using a 5/32 inch drill bit.

Using a Roloc disc, thoroughly sand the inside of the casting where it will contact the hood. Hand sand any areas missed with the Roloc disc. On the opposite side, sand the surface of the casting where the fork will be bolted on. Sand the fork to remove all traces of the OEM adhesive and fiberglass. Completely sand the hood inside the traced area where the casting will mount. Hand sand any areas missed with the Roloc disc.

Loosely screw the casting in place to keep it aligned while drilling the 1/4 inch hole for the elevator bolt. Carefully drill a 1/4 inch hole through the hood, using gentle pressure and high speed. This will help prevent tear-out on the outside of the hood. Using a 3/8 inch drill bit, counter-bore the 1/4 inch hole about 1/4 inch deep to provide clearance for the bolt’s shoulder. Place the rubber washer over the elevator bolt and insert it into the hole. Use a hammer to seat the bolt in the hole. Secure the bolt with tape to prevent it from getting knocked out when placing the casting on the inside.

Remove the three upper screws and carefully remove the casting from the hood. Apply adhesive to the fork where it mates with the casting. Apply a generous amount of threadlocker to the two bolts included in the kit that will attach the fork to the casting. Install the fork to the casting using the bolts, lock-washers, and flat washers. Make sure the bolts are tight. Clean up any excess adhesive.

Apply a very generous amount of 2510 PlastiFix to the inside of the casting. Apply PlastiFix to the hood, bonding as much of the OEM hood damage as possible. Be generous; there should be no adhesive left in the cartridge!

Carefully place the casting onto the hood. Gently snug the nut onto the elevator bolt and loosely insert the other three screws. Once all three screws are in place, tighten them completely, along with the nut on the elevator bolt.

Wipe away any PlastiFix that has squeezed out. Put threadlocker or a dab of PlastiFix onto the elevator bolt threads. Let the PlastiFix cure for 24 hours before installing the hood onto the truck.