weil@dataio.UUCP (Steve Weil) (08/16/85)
Recently a rock hit my windshield cracked it. The whole damage is
only about 1 inch in diameter. Before I spend big bucks replacing it I
would like to hear about some alternatives. I have heard about a
repair technique where they drill a hole through the window and fill it
with some sort of plastic filler. Has anyone had experience with this
type of repair?
If it makes any difference, the car is a Mazda Pickup ('83) and the
cracks are in the outer layers of the glass only.
Thanks in advance,
Steve Weil Data I/O
ucbvax!lbl-unix!uw-beaver!teltone!dataio!weil
dual!unisoft!teltone!dataio!weil entropy!dataio!weilben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (08/17/85)
>Recently a rock hit my windshield cracked it. The whole damage is >only about 1 inch in diameter. Before I spend big bucks replacing it I >would like to hear about some alternatives. I have heard about a >repair technique where they drill a hole through the window and fill it >with some sort of plastic filler. Has anyone had experience with this >type of repair? > >If it makes any difference, the car is a Mazda Pickup ('83) and the >cracks are in the outer layers of the glass only. > Thanks in advance, The repair process will probably not work in your case. The repair is designed for small chips, not for cracks. Basically the repair involves drilling a small hole in the windshield and injecting an acrylic resin between the layers of laminated glass. It is a much cheaper route than replacement ($20 verses $200), but the results are not perfect (you can see the outline of the repair). I opted for replacement, since it is a much better repair, and since the insurance company was picking up the tab anyway. Ben Broder ..vax135!petsd!moncol!ben ..princeton!moncol!ben
kev@voder.UUCP (Kevin Hoskins) (08/20/85)
> Recently a rock hit my windshield cracked it. The whole damage is > only about 1 inch in diameter. Before I spend big bucks replacing it I > would like to hear about some alternatives. I have heard about a > repair technique where they drill a hole through the window and fill it > with some sort of plastic filler. Has anyone had experience with this > type of repair? > > If it makes any difference, the car is a Mazda Pickup ('83) and the > cracks are in the outer layers of the glass only. > Thanks in advance, > > Steve Weil Data I/O > ucbvax!lbl-unix!uw-beaver!teltone!dataio!weil > dual!unisoft!teltone!dataio!weil entropy!dataio!weil If you decide to replace it (my recommendation) just make sure that the person doing the repair does not intimidate you and screw around with your car as someone did to me (I was young, it was my first car, and I choose not to take the sage advice of my insurance agent). Make sure that they remove the damaged windshield from the OUTSIDE and not by sitting inside, placing their size 12s against the glass and pushing. Oh sure, the window came out, but in the process small glass fragments covered the dash, the car's front floor, and the seats. His hoofs caught the vinyl covering on the dash and ripped it. (Oh don't worry, your insurance will cover it.) It didn't. I had to speak with this person's supervisor to get the dash fixed. He hesitated. I threatend to go to HIS supervisor. He relented and it was finally taken care of. But quess who got to repair the dash. That's right, Mr. Size 12s. He did not like that he was repairing his mistake with his time and money. And he really let me know (threats of bodily harm). I have since been able to see the correct method of windshield replacement using proper techniques (from outside the vehicle) using the correct set of tools (and there wasn't a boot to be found). BTW, this all happened at a Toyota dealer in Boise, Idaho.
bellas@ttidcb.UUCP (Pete Bellas) (08/22/85)
Summary: Expires: References: <777@dataio.UUCP> <472@moncol.UUCP> Sender: Reply-To: bellas@ttidcb.UUCP (Pete Bellas) Followup-To: Distribution: Organization: Transaction Technology, Inc. (CitiCorp), Santa Monica Keywords: >> I have heard about a >>repair technique where they drill a hole through the window and fill it >>with some sort of plastic filler. Has anyone had experience with this >>type of repair? >> >The repair process will probably not work in your case. The repair is >designed for small chips, not for cracks. Basically the repair >involves drilling a small hole in the windshield and injecting an >acrylic resin between the layers of laminated glass. > >It is a much cheaper route than replacement ($20 verses $200), but the >results are not perfect (you can see the outline of the repair). On the contrary, I have had it done on a windshield with quite a few long cracks. It was hit by a rock and had a very small star (< 1/4") and 5 cracks about 4" to 6" long. They drilled a small hole and forced in an acrylic resin. The cracks are not visable, however there is a small imperfection right where the star was. My insurance company picked up the whole bill ($70) waiving the deductable ($250). If you have a low deductable (~$50-$100) then I can see just putting in a new windshield, but if it is fairly high I would suggest this route. -Pete- ps. Is the new "twin turbo corvette" previewed in Road & Track going to be produced or is it just a pipe dream (a factory car doing 191 mph seems like a dream these days).
goldman@ittvax.ATC.ITT.UUCP (Ken Goldman) (08/22/85)
> Recently a rock hit my windshield cracked it. The whole damage is > only about 1 inch in diameter. Before I spend big bucks replacing it I > would like to hear about some alternatives. I have heard about a > repair technique where they drill a hole through the window and fill it > with some sort of plastic filler. Has anyone had experience with this > type of repair? I have seen sold a filler that is injected with what looks like a big hypodermic needle. It states that it is for bulls eye type damage only (meaning that the cracks are circular, not radial). As mine is radial, I didn't try it. P.S. My damage is now 11 years old and the same size. I think that the story that it grows in the winter from expanding ice is a myth. My advice: wait and see what happens before you spend a lot of money replacing the windshield. Unless you have it done by a really good shop, the new one will probably leak. I'd rather live with the crack!