Repair of broken speaker grill tabs

[Naturelover]

Hello,
Several grill tabs of my home theatre Quad Lite speakers have broken and need repair.
Request advice for the same. I see DIY push tabs and magnetic tabs on diyaudiocart.
Really don't have DIY skills, though :sad:

 

[Vivek Rao]

I have solved similar issues long ago on my old speakers. Patience and some amount of dexterity of the fingers will help you solve this issue. Have listed it even though you mentioned not having DIY skills. Well we all have started at some point of time.

Process would be as follows.

1. First remove the broken grill tabs from the locking hole of the speaker - use a small nose player to gently pull this out.
2. Drill a very small hole ~ 1.5 dia perhaps through the center of the broken tab - till atleast half of the tab length. Keep the tab in a vice while doing so and drill gun should be handled with care to avoid drilling at an angle. Advice you to try on some wooden blocks first (plastic is softer careful)
3. Get a suitable nail which goes through this hole - should be a "sliding fit".
4. Cut the nail so that the nail head protrudes from the tab by about 3 mm.
5. Align the tab and the frame and mark where the nail head sits on frame. Drill the frame deep enough that the nail head is fully covered.
6. Apply Araldite sufficiently and allow this to set (use good compression) for 24 hrs.

Note - Plastic heat gun will not work - strength is not sufficient - Only Araldite....

 

[Vinod.R]

I had a broken tab problem with one of my speakers. All I did was remove the broken tab as stated above.

Then I slowly moved the broken tab on the speaker frame to find out the exact alignment. Then using super glue I fixed the tab on to the frame.

Now the speaker tab works perfectly. Only thing is to remove the speaker frame carefully when cleaning or removing. No issues at all. What is stated above is beyond my capabilities!

 

[spirovious]

I can also suggest a paper pin in stead of nail as it will be thinner and easy to cut.

 

[Naturelover]

Thanks guys. Let me see what I can do. Meanwhile any more suggestions are definitely welcome.

 

[keith_correa]

Check the depth of the tab hole and get a screw that will fit. Screw in the screw just enough that the head is slightly protruding. Buy Neodymium Magnets from eBay.in [I think they cost something like Rs.100 for ten magnets]. Attach to the frame with Superglue. Magnet snaps over the screw head.

Live happily ever after without the hassle of those lousy grille tabs.

 

[Naturelover]

Live happily ever after without the hassle of those lousy grille tabs.

Love that :lol:

 

[keith_correa]

Love that :lol:

They NEVER last unless you have 4 hands, each exerting precise and equal force while pulling the grille out. hyeah:

 

[Naturelover]

Check the depth of the tab hole and get a screw that will fit. Screw in the screw just enough that the head is slightly protruding. Buy Neodymium Magnets from eBay.in [I think they cost something like Rs.100 for ten magnets]. Attach to the frame with Superglue. Magnet snaps over the screw head.

Live happily ever after without the hassle of those lousy grille tabs.

Finally got around to using the Neodymium magnet method. First drilled out the broken tabs and then used cylindrical magnets to go into the tab holes and stuck flat disc magnets onto the grills. Excellent result. Thanks a lot.

 

[keith_correa]

Finally got around to using the Neodymium magnet method. First drilled out the broken tabs and then used cylindrical magnets to go into the tab holes and stuck flat disc magnets onto the grills. Excellent result. Thanks a lot.

That's a nice touch - cylindrical magnets to go into the baffle! Well done! :clapping: