Best glue to fix leaky values

[JaZone]

Manufacturers need to come up with a better system for attaching the valves. Sucks when an otherwise perfectly good kite can't be used anymore because the valves are ungluing. It's not like they are unaware of the problem with the valves.
Most people I've spoken to will say they've had the valves start leaking on their kite eventually.
A friend of mine described it the best when he said it's a virus. Once one start leaking , only a short time til the next one , and the next one , and the next one goes.

[FLandOBX]

"Planned obsolescence" is the term manufacturers use for a weak link in a product that makes some people want to just buy a new one. Not saying everybody will buy a new kite just because the valves start leaking on the old one, but we might be surprised how many people actually do.

[martinongtt]

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/ ... 048&rt=rud

Is this the 3M 5200 fast cure sealant you all taking about ?

Tks a lot

[JakeFarley]

That's it but it comes in a tube as you won't need that much. Also, after use put it in your freezer compartment. It will stay fresh longer. I used it to re-glue all the valves on my 2009 Best HP Nemesis last year and it is holding up well.

[SWO_kite]

I recently used Kite Aid 'Donut ring kit' to fix several failing valves. I was skeptical at first, but the process is just the same as installing a brand new valve. I was forced to chose this product recently because all other local sources for valves would have taken months to get. For the price of a kit, you can fix 5 valves instead of replacing a single valve. Given that I've never thrown out an old valve I've replaced, these rings are really awesome to have on hand. I would strongly recommend these as an alternative to replacing with a packaged valve. Ideally, you would carry both replacement valves and these rings in your repair kit.

https://www.kiteaid.com/collections/all ... -donut-kit

My advice to OP: In the future, if you have a failing valve, it's always better to remove and replace rather than attempt to fix a leaky portion. In my experience if the adhesive is breaking down enough to produce a leak, other areas in the valve are already compromised. Many times I've had a leaky valve, give it a tug and the whole thing basically falls off.

[juandesooka]

I have a quiver of kites where all the valves started coming off at once. Maybe 3 years into their life, I suspect they got over heated in car in summer, as I tend to leave them in there (not overly hot where I live). I've probably repaired 10-12 now and they still come up periodically.

EDT's suggestion above is good. I had earlier went with the process described in earlier posts, which is using 3m 5200 to stick the valve to a piece of TypeA Tear Aid, then stick that on. But I found the tear aid isn't affixing that great, had some failures. It worked to add some aquaseal around the tearaid to seal it up. But now I am just using aquaseal directly, seems to work great. It's a hassle, but once used to it, a pretty quick fix. Also, if you are able to do it without completely removing the bladder, just the section you're working on, that's way easier.

[edt]

I have used the donut ring but have decided it's not a very good fix. All the donuts I have used failed after about 3 years. Aquaseal is the best probably, seems to last the longest, 5200 red fast cure is my favorite merely because aquaseal takes 24 hours to cure and you can get back on the water with 5200 red fast cure in 1 or 2 hours. After using 5200 red fast cure for 7 years I have had my first failure on it, so it's not lifetime of kite like I had supposed earlier, it does seem to eventually fail (for the same reasons the original valves always fail, leaching of the plasticizer, see the old posts for the chemistry of why this happens). The donuts have had the worst failure rate they seem to hold well for 1 or 2 years but after that I have had a significant failure rate and will not use them again. It's better I think to use 5200 or aquaseal or just buy a whole new valve. The pre packaged valves are the best option if you can afford it. When you have an old kite with a dozen bad valves, it's not viable, you would be spending about $200-$300 on valves, and the kite isn't worth it, so you will need to use the glue. The reason using a prepackage valve is nice is because through the life of the kite, a valve keeps getting more and more brittle, and after about 10 years or so, you get to the point where the valve almost crumbles to the touch. I had a 2002 Naish Torch where all the valves basically disintegrated (all the male parts broke off and crumbled inside the leading edge) and as much as I liked that kite had to trash it, couldn't justify buying $400 worth of valves to fix it. Donuts are ok if you only want the kite to last 1 or 2 more years if you want your kite to last longer, I would use glue or buy a new valve. Anyway if you are interested in why valves fail go back to the old post about plasticizers and why we have to use them in valves, why the valves are a different material from the bladder (which is why you can't weld them).

[SWO_kite]

@EDT; I totally agree with you. Rings are definitely not as good as a packaged valve. I just thought I would share my positive experience with them as of lately. At $3(CAD) a ring and instant set adhesive, I would consider a 2-3 year fix a total win.

I do believe that the root cause for most of my valve failures was keeping my kites in the hot car. Since I've stopped leaving the kites in the car during summer, I've noticed a significant decline in the rate at which my valves fail.

[rtz]

I have used this stuff before with good results. Had a 2006 Rally and all the valves were literally falling off the bladder. Glued them all back on and they held. I think this stuff is even on the shelf at walmart:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-Weldwoo ... /100195615

[thekitemonster]

But now I am just using aquaseal directly, seems to work great. It's a hassle, but once used to it, a pretty quick fix. Also, if you are able to do it without completely removing the bladder, just the section you're working on, that's way easier.

I have found the same thing, 5200 eventually peels off the valve surface (same surface that let go of the bladder in the first place). Aquaseal or Seamseal seems to be the best but the preparation of that valve surface is also key.