TapeCase 1 in Width x 5 yd Length, Converted from 3M VHB Tape 5952 (1 Roll)

This is a seriously strong adhesive tape!I am using it - okay, I know this is going to raise some eyebrows - to attach a luggage rack to the trunk of my car. It is working brilliantly. I have made aluminum pads as mountings to attach the rack hardware. The pads were then powder coated silver. Each of the four pads has approximately 7 square inches of contact area, for a total contact area of 28 square inches.I removed all car wax and polish from the painted areas of the car that the pads rest on. That raises the 'contact energy' of the area to an amount that is greater than water. This is confirmed by water NOT beading on the paint. A final cleaning with alcohol was used to prep the surface.The tape was applied to the cleaned bottom of each aluminum pad and the pad was set in place. After all four pads were in place the rack was mounted to the pads. I then placed heavy weights onto the rack and let it sit overnight.I left it alone for several days and drove the car normally. After that I tested the rack with gradually increasing weight while driving. So far, I've had up to a 40 lb load.The rack has now been on for about three months. Lots of So Cal sun with some 100+ deg days. I can tell you with certainty that the rack is securely mounted. I've tugged on the rack and tried to shift it laterally with much more than 50 lbs of force and it is not budging.Of course, I probably wouldn't use the rack to carry anything more than 50 lbs or so. But I am very impressed with how well the adhesive tape is doing the job.Here's photos:https://www.dropbox.com/s/b0gjdwmujut9vkc/2014-09-22%2010.58.51.jpg?dl=0https://www.dropbox.com/s/b0je3e3qja0wgdf/2014-09-20%2012.14.46.jpg?dl=0

I highly recommend that if you need any of this 3M tape, you buy it directly from 3M. My first purchase was from 3M for a LOT of it (3 rolls of 3/4" at 36 yards per roll). What I noticed on the case from 3M is that this stuff has a shelf life! I used the 3/4" to adhere some .063 5052 aluminum to steel, and at one point I needed to "adjust" one of my "adhesions". It wasn't happening! I was actually bending the aluminum trying to get it off, but no luck. It (as it's advertised) was virtually welded together.This batch, however, doesn't seem to be holding as strong, and it's 1" wide! I've used it to adhere two pieces of aluminum together, and the "bond" started failing two days later--a stress-free bond!My guess is this company buys in bulk from 3M and re-packages. The tape was put directly on cardboard spools, ending up with about 6-8 inches of tape that is no good. And like I previously mentioned, who knows when this was due to "expire".This tape does what 3M says it can do, but if I want those expectations in the future, I'll be sure to get it directly from 3M.

Amazing grip, instant installation, really feel solid. I installed a 60" x 30" solar panel on top of an RV trailer made of fiberglass, and drove at 70 mph for 4000 miles, without a itch. Nothing moved, the whole installation feels strong as steel.I first cleaned the surface of the trailer with acetone, and laid down the tape with good downward pressure. Then I removed the backing on the tape, and pressed the aluminum frame I wanted to fix to the roof of the trailer. Because the solar panel is really heavy, I installed a couple of screws through everything, and covered the screws with liquid rubber. We caught some heavy rain over the last two weeks, and nothing's moved yet!

If there is one thing I can say from experience is that it is never worth it to save a few dollars and buy generic "VHB" type tape. This is the genuine stuff from 3M, and it is absolutely worth paying a bit extra for it. This particular tape has a dark gray (almost black) color to it, that makes it very easy to disguise when used (unlike a lot of the thicker and weaker, white foam tapes out there)I use this for lots of odd-and-ends projects around the house, and have found that it will stick to pretty much anything you can imagine. One recommendation I will pass along is that I have found that the tape adheres much better when you clean the two surfaces you are joining with rubbing alcohol first.

If VHB 3M tape is useful to you, buying a large roll on Amazon is more cost efficient than from my local hardware store. I like this stuff!