Legend C Seal Repair

[+tronaminer]

I have a legend C that is a great unit. Problem is, the rubber seal around the sides and end of the unit is releasing. I need to get it fixed. Can I do it myself or do I need to send it in to a repair shop. It looks like a 1/2 inch wide rubber band that goes around the whole unit and covers the side push buttons. Help anyone

[+Les Nomades]

I remember there was a thread for this problem not long ago and the way to repair the unit. Unfortunatly couldn't find it and with the search option dissabled, makes it more difficult to find.

[+Kai Team]

The challenge may be getting the right gasket to fit the unit. I would call or email Garmin Technical Support and ask them about it. It's an 800 number, and they've been helpful when I've contacted them with questions in the past (I usually email if it's not urgent - allow a few days to a week to get an answer).

[+tronaminer]

Thanks for the quick replies. I am not wanting to send this unit in, although it would be still under warrenty. I too checked the search and was disabled, I wonder why. If you come up with anymore help, send it my way.

[+Les Nomades]

Thanks for the quick replies.  I am not wanting to send this unit in, although it would be still under warrenty.  I too checked the search and was disabled, I wonder why.  If you come up with anymore help, send it my way.

Just found the thread I was talking about. Go to page 13 and look for the thread Etrex Legend Question (adhesive problem) It's way down on page 13.

 

Here are the answers: Clean the old adhesive off with alcohol; glue it back on carefully with standard RTV silicone rubber

 

I used the RTV silicone adhesive as well when this happened to my old Venture. Although, the tube I purchased was for sealing leaks in chimneys. Nonetheless, it worked great. The hardest part was getting the old adhesive off. YUCK!

Edited December 21, 2005 by Nomade

[+Maingray]

I did the same repair myself. I rubbed the goo off with my fingers and a cloth, and it came off eventually. Don't pierce or glue over the clear plastic under the buttons on the unit itself. It's an easy job.

[+Hynr]

This is a common problem for the entire Etrex line. I have 2 in this line and both have this problem. When I first tried dealing with it I heard that Garmin was pretty generous with making the repair under warranty even if you were a bit out of warranty. But mine was too old and I used silicon bathtub sealer. It worked pretty well but you have to be careful not to use too much since that makes a serious mess. In my case the repair did not last as long as I wanted and I have to do it again. You should make sure not to break the seal of the plastic tape under the rubber. If that is broken, then I would be a bit hesitant to use silicone adhesive.

[+WindChill]

Ive had my Legend apart a couple of times to fix the "lines on the screen" problem. The last time I tore the rubber band at the top, right at the edge of the connector flap. I emailed Garmin to see if I could get a replacement band and the goo to repair it. They said those parts affect the waterproofing of the unit so they could not provide just the parts.

 

I had already tried hot glue and silicon caulk without much success, so this time I tried some stuff called BadgeMagic (www.badgemagic.com) that I had. It is essentially a very thin two-sided tape/goo that is used for attaching patches to uniforms.

 

Before cutting a piece the size of the band, I put a few small scraps at 3-4 points around the unit. To my surprise, the small pieces have held as well as the original goo. Even the piece I put "across" the tear is holding. Time will tell how well it works, but after a couple of outings it is holding up better than the other things I tried.