Garmin Etrex rubber sleeve coming unglued

[+Westwoods 2]

Thanks for your reply,rubber still holding-will report back in a years,time! We also have an Explorist-so far so good!

[+GrateBear]

Funny this topic should come up, because I just decided to fix mine. Replaced my Legend Cx with a Dakota 20 and want to use the Legend for biking. Asked Garmin about repairs--send them the unit and $90 and they'll send a refurbished unit. And a code so you can transfer any maps you bought onto the new unit. Well, great, but I have better things to spend $90 on, as the only problem is the rubber sleeve. So, bought a tube of clear RTV silicone, stuck the sleeve in the freezer overnight to shrink it up a bit, and put it back on last night. Got a good deal on a bike mount and I'm ready to go.

[+ecanderson]

...So, bought a tube of clear RTV silicone...

Excellent choice. You will be pleased with the long term results.

[+GrateBear]

...So, bought a tube of clear RTV silicone...

Excellent choice. You will be pleased with the long term results.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I got that from a post of yours that I found using the search function--a search that actually worked! Of course, now I have enough of the stuff to fix a couple of hundred more

[+ecanderson]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I got that from a post of yours that I found using the search function--a search that actually worked! Of course, now I have enough of the stuff to fix a couple of hundred more

You'll find it's good for cache building as well. It sticks to a great many things, and doesn't fracture when coefficient of expansion differences between it and bonded surfaces comes into play with temperature - unlike epoxy, which has caused me a lot of grief.

[+DustyWalker]

I used Loctite extreme on my old e-trex vista about five years ago and it is still holding.

[+ecanderson]

I used Loctite extreme on my old e-trex vista about five years ago and it is still holding.

Do you mean Loctite Stik'n Seal - Extreme Conditions? That's another good RTV (silicone) product.

[+sword fern]

I am surprised that this is a hot topic.

[+Blue Meanie]

This has become a problem with my Legend I bought in 2008. Going to affect repairs soon.

[dr_barger]

I tried RTV, rubber cement, contact glue, and tire patch glue. They worked for a while, but eventually the band would come loose again. After several attempts, the band stretched to the point that I had to cut a portion of the band off to get it to fit around my Vista HCX. At that point, the buttons wouldn't line up with the switches. My solution was to make my own band from a piece of inner tube.

 

I've used this modified band for 8 months without problems. If I can make a band that works, why can't Garmin?

 

To see some pictures of the modification steps, check out this site:

http://users.wowway.com/~don_barger/rubberband.html

 

Don

[+ecanderson]

I tried RTV, rubber cement, contact glue, and tire patch glue. They worked for a while, but eventually the band would come loose again.

What did you use to clean the surfaces before using those adhesives?

[dr_barger]

What did you use to clean the surfaces before using those adhesives?

 

I read in a forum somewhere to use mineral spirits, but I used lighter fluid to clean the existing band. I also tried to rough-up the inside surface of the band with sandpaper. I left the original double-sided tape on the unit, since it was stuck to the case very well and provided the seal for the seam. All the adhesives that I used would stick to the case but not the band.

 

I use my Etrex for golf, so it gets used at least once a week. I usually have liberal amounts of sunscreen and sweat on my hands (a reported failure mechanism). It also gets stuffed in my pants pocket so that I can swing the club and gets rained-on and left in the car (another reported failure mechanism). OK, so I treat it rough, but my old black & white Vista went through the same punishment and I never had a problem with its band.

 

Before trying the inner tube replacement experiment, I was thinking of using the Etrex without a band. Or replacing it with the one from my old Vista (it's a different size). Or using rubber bands around the edges of the band. Or buying a GPS that doesn't have this defect.

 

Don

Edited June 23, 2011 by dr_barger

[+soleful2001]

I have wrapped my Vista HCx with "Live Strong" bracelet. Works ok.

 

I believe heat is the culprit.

[+soleful2001]

Judging from the pictures I have seen, the new Etrex models seem to have done away with the rubber band thank goodness. Since I like my Vista so much, I will be watching the new Etrex 30 closely on the forums.

 

It might be my next replacement.

[+Chungaz]

I have some of this tape if anyone would like it .I will cut off enough and send it to you until I'm out I have the clear.i have used glues and had no luck but this tape seems to work very well

 

A 2 mil (50 micron) glass reinforced transfer tape with an aggressive acrylic pressure sensitive transfer adhesive and excellent oxidation and ultraviolet light resistance. Designed for both interior and exterior applications. This transfer film has good quick stick and high shear properties, and wets out to metals, high surface energy plastics, most elastomers and treated olefins and coated and plain papers.

 

Available in Clear and Red

[+ecanderson]

Interesting sounding stuff. Manufacturer and product code available?

[T-trex]

I read a lot of posts concerning the rubber sleeve. I tried the shoe goo. No help. A few had posted that RTV silicone adhesive worked for them. I tried it and it works great.