Hey Everyone!

Had a bad experience with 2 local windshield shops that led me to do some research on our windshields. Thought I would share the info for future generations :}

Here are the part numbers for our windshields:
Ford uses Carlite brand windshields. If you request a Carlite windshield it will have the FORD logo on it and will say "SuperDuty" at the top.
~Carlite~
1999-2016 With Top Tint: DW01537 or DW01505(Pre 2002) Interchangeable
1999-2016 NO Top Tint: DW01522 or DW01319(Pre 2002) Interchangeable
Some installers are Saying The only Part is DW01522GBY (Top-Tint) and DW01522GTY (No Top-Tint)

~Aftermarket~
1999-2016 Benson With Top Tint: 43R-001703
You Can Get These on ebay for $90 LINK

Most of the installers I have talked to since my fiasco have said that the aftermarket is just as good. If you want to put your own logo at the top, go aftermarket. Otherwise ask for "Carlite" Glass and verify the part number for top tint. They will probably insist on aftermarket for an insurance claim, since they make a butt load more money on aftermarket glass claim repairs.


My Story:
I decided to "Go-Local" this time to get my windshield replaced. There are only a few shops here in Nacodoches, TX and apparently 2 of them are in Cahoots. First company took my name, year, make/model and dealt with my insurance company. When I got to the shop the next day at the scheduled time, I had to wait a while with an "Out-To-Lunch" sign on the door. They then told me to drive to the other windshield shop whom they apparently sub-contract all of their work to.

I was very clear that I wanted Top-tinted, Carlite (FORD) glass, and would prefer no "SuperDuty" logo on the top (Because I want HHC Diesel up There Instead

When I got to the first place the lady said they got the glass I wanted, when I drove to the second place they said they got the glass I wanted, but you can't get Carlite glass without "SuperDuty" at the top. I said OK and left my Truck.

Not only did it turn out to be not top-tinted, they did a complete hack job, cracked my cowl in many places, didn't even bother to pull some of the push pins and just broke the cowl off instead. I do use black zip ties for the the 3 hols that hold the wire loom turbo diverter on, because, let's face it, those push pins are not good to hold both the wire loom holder and the cowl after one use. They only bothered to cut one of the zip ties. They got urethane hand prints on the grab handles, lost a grab handle screw cover, forgot to re-hook the wiper fluid tube, left glass all over the place, etc...

Moral of my story:
Going local is not always better, especially when 2 of the 3 companies are in cahoots and have a bit of a monopoly going on. The insurance companies prefer safelite because they know there is a standard of training and pricing that they can count on.

See For YourSelf:

New Video Without Cussing & More Details

My Original Aftermarket Top Tint Glass:


My New Non-Top-Tint Hack Job:

 

Wondering why you signed off on this crappy job and left? I think I'd still be there with my insurance agent and the cops while they replaced that glass with the correct one and replaced all of the broken/missing pieces.

 

Never signed anything actually.
Picked it up right at closing on Friday.

I was honestly so busy looking for the missing grab handle screw cover that I missed the glass and didn't even think to look under the hood at the time.

It will get fixed right, not going to trust either company to do it though. They can eat it and deal with the insurance company.

 

I left a long response on youtube. it looks like the sub'd shop flat rated the job and boogered it all up. make sure you check for leaks above the passenger side. thanks for the part numbers, I was looking for the brow tin windshield

 

I can understand. One wouldn't think to see if the cowl was broken after installing a windshield. Those installers must have been absolutely clueless.

 

Update:
Insurance Company Told me I Had to Deal With Them as They Should Guarantee Their Work.

The result:
Them: "They don't make a top tinted Carlite windshield"
Me: "Yes they do, here is the part number"
Them: "Well that part number is discontinued"
Me: "No, it's not. I've been talking to installers all week. I have a few valid part numbers"
Them: "What I'm saying is we can't get that windshield, not even from FORD"
(Long back and forth ensued, but she would not yield the point, kept stating they can't get it in their supplier network)

They are sticking to their original statement.
They are going to replace my cowl. I of course told them I would just pick up the parts and do it myself. They said they had already ordered the grab handle cover from Ford.

New Video without cussing added to the top post.
If anyone has other aftermarket part numbers for tinted and non-tinted, maybe even a non "Superduty" top logo windshield (like maybe from and excursion?) post it here so I can update the top post.