Cargo cover end busted off

[ZackN920]

Hey guy's. Sometime during my Jeep's frame surgery(fall of 2019) I noticed the end of one side of the cargo cover was really loose. It broke off entirely when I tried to remove it. Just cracked apart inside. I noticed that the "good" side is doing the same thing. Its all cracked and ready to break off too

Any way to fix these? Tried JB weld but it didn't even hold long enough to get it back in the vehicle. There's not much space for something like that when it's all together.
Does anyone make new ends that I can just put on the cargo cover?

Should I just throw the whole damn thing away?

pictures:




This is the "good" side. It's cracked pretty bad as well and doesn't have much time left if put in use as is.


whole cover leaning against my Lincoln...



So, what are my options? The cover is in good shape, but the ends are shot.

[chubbinius]

Two ideas-

Those ends look very similar to the ones I had on the cargo cover in my '90 XJ. You may be able to find some old XJ cargo covers for sale, or see if they offer the end caps as a repair item.

It may be possible to repair what you have using some threaded barrels JB-welded on the central post and then JB-weld washers with the bolt that fits the barrels into the end caps and thread them back on.

[ZackN920]

I've never seen an XJ with a cargo cover. They must be as rare as these ones. Looking at pics I found online, I don't thing they would work even if I could source one.

That is a very interesting repair idea.


Think im going to post a wanted add, see if someone has a ripped up cover with good end's. If I don't find anything, I might try to work with it. Or I may just put it in a corner and forget about it. Sane person would probably just throw it away...

[61Hawk]

Sounds like an excellent project for someone with a 3D printer.

[chubbinius]

I've never seen an XJ with a cargo cover. They must be as rare as these ones. Looking at pics I found online, I don't thing they would work even if I could source one.

That is a very interesting repair idea.


Think im going to post a wanted add, see if someone has a ripped up cover with good end's. If I don't find anything, I might try to work with it. Or I may just put it in a corner and forget about it. Sane person would probably just throw it away...

It was not something I used very often when I owned it, it spent more time rolled up or tucked in the hallway closet than it did covering any cargo.

The 3D printing idea is a good one, if you use one of the stronger filaments.

[ZackN920]

Ha, a 3d printer. Who has one of them? lol I sure don't and im certainly not goin to go out a buy one.

I was looking at this thing again today... I'm not having luck coming up with anything... The more I think about it, I'm pretty sure I can fab something from steel. It'll just have to wait until it gets warmer out, as I don't like throwing dust around in the heated pole building and my personal shop is unheated... It has a tendency to stay colder in that damn building than outside temps.

Yea, mine spent more time rolled up too, but I liked the idea of it being there. Having it just so I could cover the cargo area incase I had some high dollar or highly desirable stuff in the back... Rather not come to find the Jeep with busted out glass.
That and there is the fact that the glass appears to have absolutely no window tint, so everything is in view. You know the old saying- "Out of sight, out of mind". Less likely to get broke into.

[Full Size Jeeper]

You could start with a PCV pipe cap, drill a hole in it. put a bolt into the end with a slot cut in the end bolt. Maybe a copper pipe plug done the same way. Just start looking for stuff that looks like the bad part. Come on man, you can start a new business making these for all the world!!!! Good luck!!

[61Hawk]

Ha, a 3d printer. Who has one of them? lol I sure don't and im certainly not goin to go out a buy one.

Well considering you can buy a decent one for around $300-$400, probably more people than you think.

[ZackN920]

You could start with a PCV pipe cap, drill a hole in it. put a bolt into the end with a slot cut in the end bolt. Maybe a copper pipe plug done the same way. Just start looking for stuff that looks like the bad part. Come on man, you can start a new business making these for all the world!!!! Good luck!!

Hey That's another great idea! I didn't think of doing that. I was just figuring on making something from all the metal scraps I have laying around and some creative bending, banging, cutting, shaping and welding I found that I actually like to fab stuff when I did my frame
Your idea though would be much faster, starting with something that is already in the general shape.

Ha, yea... new business. Too bad there's no market.

Well considering you can buy a decent one for around $300-$400, probably more people than you think.

Huh, I just googled it and your right. They are a lot cheaper than I thought. Whenever I thought of them, I always figured they'd be a $2000+ investment.

Then again though, even a $200 one, how much would I use the thing? and how good is any of the plastics?...

[rang-a-stang]

There are at least 2 folks on here (on ifsja.org) that are printing parts these days. I bet if you ask around where you live/work, you will find someone with one and could pay them to print you some thing if you can design the file. I have access to 3 of them (my boss has one at home that is pretty crappy but works, my work has one that can print metal but its like pulling teeth to get access to it, and my son's high school tech center has one that is pretty capable and easy to get to).

The hardest part of 3D printing is creating the file, then print it, fix the file, then print again. this can take many hours of work.

[stonehengeheels]

How about a small hose clamp? One wide enough to go over both pieces?

[Heep-J4000]

Don't know if you are handy with metal and a mig welder!?

You could make them from thin wall tube.

[rang-a-stang]

More opportunity here, too.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=188270

[ZackN920]

Yea, I saw that. I don't think these things would scan very well. Its not a simple 2 sided piece, its a bit more complicated than that. I think I'm just going to whip something up myself.

Thanks all, for the idea's.

[ZackN920]

How about a small hose clamp? One wide enough to go over both pieces?

Ya know, I took a pic to show you guys that wouldn't work, but still haven't gotten the image on the computer. There is just NO space for an option like that.