Glue for Rubber Surrounds?

Sanc

Sanc

I'm Hiding in Honduras
Hey all, have a problem with my ADS 780/2 speakers. The surrounds on one of the woofers is about halfway unglued from the frame. They are rubber surrounds so I am unsure as to the best glue to fix this. They don't need refoaming and I think I'll be able to fix it myself per recommendation in this thread I started earlier.

So my question is, what would you guys recommend for reglueing the surrounds to the frame? I've read stuff about Aleanes, rubber cement. Any suggestions? Thanks.

The thread I started earlier
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=6830808#post6830808
 
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I don't have any experience, but my sense is that rubber cement would be ideal. I'd coat each surface and let it dry to the point of tackiness before pressing them together.
 
I would try the stuff they fix bicycle inner-tubes with. I imagine if it can hold and flex under those conditions, a speaker surround is nothing...
 
Simplyspeakers.com sells refoam kits. The glue they include is the best I have come across.
It is clear, sets up fast and holds extremely well. One tube will do 2-3 complete refoams.
Shoot them an e mail, Im sure they can help.
 
Sanc said:
Hey all, have a problem with my ADS 780/2 speakers. The surrounds on one of the woofers is about halfway unglued from the frame. They are rubber surrounds so I am unsure as to the best glue to fix this. They don't need refoaming and I think I'll be able to fix it myself per recommendation in this thread I started earlier.
Click to expand...

I use the vinyl cement that they sell in very small bottles at Walmart in the camping goods section. It's meant for patching air mattresses. I use several coats. It dries very fast and stays flexible. I know butyl rubber isn't vinyl but it adheres to it very well. Good for patching water beds, too.
 
Thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. I think I'm going to shoot Simplyspeakers.com an email asking for their advice as they sell refoaming kits for ADS speakers. I'll report back here with their response.
 
I have the same problem with a pair of ADS. I ordered the speaker repair adhesive
from simply speakers, it was 10.33 with shipping.
 
Sanc said:
Thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. I think I'm going to shoot Simplyspeakers.com an email asking for their advice as they sell refoaming kits for ADS speakers. I'll report back here with their response.
Click to expand...

I think you will be fine with the contact cement for inner tube repair. You could get it about anywhere and cheap.

But i suggest if your sure the voice coil is still centered, go ahead and reglue the area that has come loose and just let the surround fall back in place after you lift it up to put the glue in. You may not really need to tape it down till it dries. Just push it down with your fingers and come back and push it down again a few times after 5 or 10 mins. You will be able to tell that the glue is drying and is holding it down.

I also suggest that after a day of drying you might want to get under the areas of the surround that was still attached by original glue with a small pick or hook tool to see if it is stuck really good and that it don't easily break the glue joint. If it does go ahead and break the glue loose and reglue like you did the other areas.

One thing you could try to make sure the voice coil is centered before you glue is use some good masking tape and tape down the areas that is loose real good and play some music and make sure it sounds correctly. Might just have to be easy on the volume a bit but it should handle quite a bit of volume.

If it sounds good go ahead with the reglue. If it dont seem to sound right you may wanna have to completely Unglue the surround and recenter the voice coil.
 
Great recommendations everyone. Important that if you use a solvent based rubber glue, keep the area well ventilated as sometimes the solvent fumes may affect other glue joints in the driver.
 
I repaired a rubber surround with a glue called "Pliobond". It remains very pliable when it cures. Seems to have worked very well.
 
allsmith said:
One thing you could try to make sure the voice coil is centered before you glue is use some good masking tape and tape down the areas that is loose real good and play some music and make sure it sounds correctly. Might just have to be easy on the volume a bit but it should handle quite a bit of volume.

If it sounds good go ahead with the reglue. If it dont seem to sound right you may wanna have to completely Unglue the surround and recenter the voice coil.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's fine. I tried playing a few songs with moderate volume and the songs that were not heavy on bass sounded fine. The woofer surround is not moving around at all. It is still stationary but not completely glued down anymore to the frame.
 
Ok so I bought three things. What y'all think would be the best?

Elmer's Rubber Cement
Weldwood Contact Cement (can be used for rubber and metal, etc)
Loctite Ultra Gel Super Glue (can be used for rubber and metal, etc)
 

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The stuff some surround suppliers send with the new surrounds is white and I think latex based. It rinses with water. The stuff holds good. I have old AR's that I fixed around 10 years ago and they are still good.
Funny the original surrounds only lasted 5 years but the fix surrounds are going on 10 rears and look fresh to me.
A second AR set I fixed is also fine and going on 4 years.

Paul
 
Check the linked thread I posted in response to your other ADS L780/2 thread... need to do something about that frame corrosion before you do the reglue job, or it'll just come apart again soon.

John
 
I did. The frame itself is not rusted or corroding. It's just the original glue that has cracked.
 
If you look closer, I think you'll find it's corrosion... mind you I am just going by the one picture, but that's textbook ADS frame corrosion based on that pic. Happens due to a chemical reaction over time between the glue and the painted steel surface.

If I'm wrong it wouldn't be the first time, but having seen dozens of ADS drivers with that problem I do know what the signs are... and if I'm right, your chances of a successful one-time repair are way better if you address the corrosion before regluing. Also that means you're regluing the cardboard ring to the frame, not the rubber surround - again, I can only go by what shows in that one pic.

John
 
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