Garmin eTrex rubber band problem
The Garmin eTrex outdoor GPS devices have a troublesome manufacturing defect: the rubber band comes loose after a couple of years; especially when the Garmin is held in the hand during use. Repairing by Garmin provides only a temporary solution, the band will always let loose again after a while.
Glue for silicone rubber
Note that the rubber band is made of silicone rubber, this material is hard to glue, almost no adhesive will stick. So, I did some research. I tried all kinds of adhesive, but nothing works: super glue, polyurethane glue, Bison kit, Bison Poly Max, etc. Finally I found out that a good adhesive for silicone rubber is ordinary silicone sealant; the reason is that both materials are made of silicon.
By the factory, the rubber band is glued with double-sided adhesive tape; you can try to use this too. However, not all kinds of tapes will stick to the rubber, see HERE for a demonstration.
Repairing the Garmin eTtrex rubber band with silicone sealant
- Remove the old adhesive with white gasoline.
- Sanding is not necessary.
- Do not damage the transparant waterproof sealing tape underneath the rubber band.
- Spread out the silicone sealant onto the device with a finger.
- Assemble the rubber band and fix it temporary with tape.
Fix the Garmin Etrex rubber band temporary with tape:
The Garmin eTrex de-mummified after one day.
