I have had my Rapid Red 6.7 CCLB for 16 days now, and have put a whopping 264 miles on it. All highway miles. It truly is an awesome truck.

But – the windshield already has a chip in it. It hasn’t cracked yet. The chip looks like it was made by a rock about the size of a BB.

It’s not just Ford. It seems like all windshields have gotten thinner and/or softer over the last 10 years or so. A friend’s Toyota Avalon’s windshield cracked at 800 miles. He replaced it with an OEM windshield and that windshield now has a crack. I think he has 11,000 miles on it or so.

Is there something we can do to help prevent this? Maybe put a film or coating on the windshield?

The bed has not even been Linexed yet. That is scheduled for next week. I have seriously thought about Linexing the whole truck. But that is for another thread…

Thanks.

 

There are options, one example:
https://madico.com/dealers/automotiv...tion/clearplex


I have a friend that put something similar on, but know that most states won’t allow anything applied to the windshield, other issue he had noted is if you use wipers often the film will scare easier than the windshield.

If you can live with though this might be an option, but not inexpensive....

 

you can add a clear film,,like a clear bra.to the windshield. .I was quoted 450.00...since my windshields are covered under my insurance policy with zero deductible I decided to leave it as is.

I have a star in my drivers view from a rock and since its not a crack, it cannot be repaired. My GMC has a safel-lite windshield, have had a few rock strikes but no crack....very small chip. I wonder if their glass is stronger than OE ??
Ford also offers a Gorilla glass but the one I saw was 800.00

 

my windshield is ceramic coated, the entire truck is ceramic coated, 5 layers. and clear bra on the entire front and the lower 2 tone. I have had a few rocks hit my windshield and no chips so far.

 

When you have the bed linexed , go ahead and have them do the windshield as it would surely add durability.

 

It's just the luck of the draw. I'm at 37K and haven't chipped the windshield yet.

 

I had a 2014 Jeep Wrangler with 8 miles on it when I bought it. Driven it home from the dealer I was on the highway wham a rock hit dead center in front of me. I had it filled the next day before it cracked. By the time I got rid of that Jeep I think there was 8 or 9 filled in areas, that thing was a rock magnet.

With my 2016 F150 I had a few rocks hit square on the windshield but didn't chip or crake it. I put one of the front wind deflectors on and it seemed to stop the rocks from hitting the windshield.

I have been holding off on doing it to my F250 to see how the rocks fly so to speak.

 

I like your signature........................"For you are a slave to whatever controls you"...........We are also a slave to our possessions, those held in higher regard hold more power. I'm guessing you did the ceramic and expel. That's well protected. This aluminum, I can't hang magnetic material on the sides for when I plow and I won't mount magnets inside panels. I have seen static adhesion mounting on protective film applications, but that wouldn't work for me plowing. Five coats so you have what 5-8 mils on there, that's some armor huh...............

 

Thanks
here is who did it. https://immaculatedetailprescott.com/ceramic-pro/
totally happy with it, I also had the interior done.

 

Thanks.. I'll pull the trigger one day. I use griots 3 in one ceramic. I'd never try a real ceramic myself things can go bad quick. Kind of like my uncle pouring his concrete pool deck with his son in the summer by himself.

 

right, it took them 5 days to do everything to my truck. there are about 6 guys working in the shop, 1 is dedicated to doing the clear bra.

 

I just put a coat of Griot's Glass Sealant. But, I doubt it or any other 'wipe on' ceramic-type coating are going to protect the glass much from any projectiles like pebbles.

My 4yo F150 has a couple of chips in the windshield, one of which was professionally fixed, but I think is starting to expand. I have the insurance glass coverage, but if I had to replace the windshield, I'd probably spring for the Gorilla Glass windshield, just because any little smear / streak / chip / scratch on the windshield really annoys me.
https://hyperformanceglassproducts.c...d-htf-dw02578/

 

I just had my windshield replaced due to a crack. The 20-something year old installer said he had done over 100 of these newer Ford trucks.