Cracked windshield

[Doug Sage]

My Suncruiser has two panes of glass in the windshield. The passenger side has a crack in it. This started when I got a rock chip near the left side and about eight inches down from the top. The weather was quite cold and this chip became a crack which went to the right and curved down for a total length of about ten inches. Here is my debate. We are planning on spending the summer in Alaska this year. There is a good chance that I will get more chips, at least, if not another crack. I hate to have to replace the window twice. Can I leave this crack alone (even if it continues to grow) and replace the windshield when be get back in the fall? Is there a good chance that the windshield will shatter or blow out? What would you experts recommend? By the way, I have called a glass company to see if they would come out and drill the crack to stop it from growing. They said that would not work and might even do more harm to a pane this large.

[AFChap]

Quote:

Is there a good chance that the windshield will shatter or blow out?

Windshield glass is laminated (piece of clear plastic between layers of glass). There is virtually no chance the windshield will shatter or blow out. In some brands windshields can easily pop out, but the way Winnebago windshields are glued into the metal frame/roll-over cage, they are not easy to get out even when they are cracked/crazed beyond seeing through.

[BigRedLancer]

It seems that a cracked windshield is illegal in some states. You can hope you don't get cited for the crack.

[Chuck 1935]

I wouldn't fix it until you get back from Alaska. I am faced with the same problem. I am about to take a 7,000 mile trip and I too have a cracked windshield and am not going to fix it until I get back. If a cop were to say anything just tell him it just happened and you are on your way to have it fixed. Once you get out of the cities and you encounter country roads cracked windshields are a commonplace. Especially going to Alaska.

[AFChap]

Having a cracked windshield might mean you cannot pass state inspection in some states ... it is extremely unlikely to get you stopped unless there is an obvious sserious obstruction to driver's vision.

[Ottawa]

It is my understanding that some of the vehicle glass places can do repairs that can reduce the likely hood of the crack lengthing. I had a chip fixed this way over 4 years ago and it is still as good as new.

[Doug Sage]

I tried that but the glass company said that my crack was too long to fix.

[Chuck 1935]

Thats what they all say. Look for glass repair on line or in the yellow pages and you will find someone that will come out and drill or epoxy it that will stop the crack from expanding. I heard all the same BS. It can't be fixed, I told him to fix it anyway, he bitched and moaned and did it. Imagine....... the cracked stopped expanding !!!

[two-niner]

Chuck is correct. If you can stop the crack from going further, you're good to go.

Kerry

[two-niner]

Put duct tape on the inside where crack ends (both ends). Use small drill bit and drill just barely at the ends in the directions crack is going. Remove duct tape. Using ordinary A&B epoxy force some through drilled holes. Smooth out the epoxy on both side (inside and out, and on both ends. Doesn't sound good but the best fluid to smooth out the epoxy is your saliva.
Once you think it over, what harm can it do? Or call a pro and let him do it.

[Batman_777]

In some cases, they may drill a small hole, vacuum out the crack and inject a sealer, but may not warrant the work. OK... We'll do it... but we cannot guarantee she'll hold..

In other cases, the crack is still small and the sealer has a very good chance to work.

The vacuum pump creates a vacuum to draw the sealer into the crack as it's being injected.

I had that done on a windshield and never had any further problems. The rule was a crack length limit of a dollar bill.

Check your insurance... Some (GEICO) will pay for the sealer without any deduction.