When did it start leaking? After 3-4 years I'd be inclined to get a new windshield in. But of course up here we get rock chips like crazy, also some areas you get sandblasted pretty good. My current vehicles windshield is pretty badly pitted. I will be replacing it after the winter season though.

 

Exactly^^^



Ok your Not the First to mention this^^

So I have to ask Why?? Not trying to be a SmartA$$ either

What Happens??overtime to a Windsheild??
I can see the Sealant going Bad/Hard and that creating a Leak

I most likely have a rock chip or two but there in the Field not on the edge Now I'm not 100% shure there is No rock chips on the Edge But I will check it out tomorrow when I can see Good

 

Well just around here windshields don't generally last that long anyways. I guess though I had the windshield in my 03 for the 6 years I owned it, my 99 dodge I put a new windshield in it when I bought it in 2001 and never replaced it although it did get cracked after the truck was towed with no motor. Just for me 3-4 years if something goes wrong then it has done its job and time for a new one. Something as relatively cheap as a windshield anyways.

 

the stuff can be cut with a wire, just like regular urethane,
cause it is urethane.

but 3m makes it, and i've yet to find them making a bad
product in any field.

i buy it by the case, at $6 per cartridge from my electrical
wholesale house. the solar roofing guys love the stuff. they
never have any leaks with it at all... i started using it about
a year ago, and that is all that i use anymore. no silicone
sealant at all. this stuff is awesome.

i had a brand new US made windsheld put in my E-350,
by two people who actually know what they are doing.
not the wavy chinese cheap glass, installed by someone
who speaks no english, and doesn't care if it leaks next year.

it was all of $245. we pulled out the safelite junk, found the
adhesive had delaminated across about 3' of the top of the
windshield, and replaced it.

find yourself a good local installer, and have him fix it
right. doing it mickey duck will let water get trapped
behind the glass, and while it won't leak into the cab,
it'll rust out the glass pocket.

that was what had happened with the crummy installers
work the first go around with my windshield. his gouge
took off all the paint, and i had buckets of rust under
the sealant. that is now fixed, rust reduced and epoxied,
and a proper install job done of the new glass.

get someone to do it. doing it yourself is a pain, and it's
even money by the time you get the trim off, you'll have
a running crack on the windshield.

 

Windshields are actually fairly cheap anyway, at least from my Ford dealer in NLR. I wouldn't muck around with trying to reseal one either. A REAL professional can have one out and in in about 30 minutes or less. The only downside is the vehicle has to sit so the sealant can dry.

 

Another thing to consider, on many vehicles these days the windshield is part of the cabs structural integrity. Another reason for a strong bond.

 

Blade. Don't you have a lower insurance deductible for glass.? My 2005 has it's 4th windshield this summer. 200 deductible, insurance pays about 465 for windshield and install.

If you do, all you need is a good rock chip in your field of view and get your insurance to sign off. Make sure you get a professional installer as the windshield is structural protection. Don't go cheap. Also, with all this water getting in I would be sure they clean up, paint and seal, before installing a new windshield as others have said.

All I got to do is follow a low bed hauling something heavy and I will have a rock chip in no time :-)

 

wonder if theives are getting into cars thru their windshield now since its so easy and fast.

 

A friend of mine used to do glass and said that there are two ways to do it.
Right and wrong.

Anyway he also said that if you have one that is leaking you need to check the
fram structure under the urethane for rusting.

I would be willing to remove the glass but NO WAY will I try to put it back in.

My understanding of the way the quick places get away with it is that they use
a butyl backing seal along with the urethane and sort of cheat. That way they
can get you out of there service bay fast and stuff a car in again and so on.
Turn over the way to make a fast buck.

And then there is the people that have a sun/moon roof. Got to check the drains
every now and then. Plugged drain and you get water on your head.

Sean

Posts: 4,957

 

Interesting about the windshield being Structural

Makes sense though

 

Maybe not all but most on new vehicles today the windshield is calculated into the cab structural integrity.

 

pretty sad day when glass is the strongest part of a new car..

 

Been that way for years. Not strongest but part of the equation.

 

Yes I can see the Glass Having some Shear strength Value for shure

 

I believe the windshield also helps stiffness of the roof

Sent from my Sprint PC36100 using IB AutoGroup