Tiny windshield crack

Message from Suanne Lippman written on 2/3/2006 8:59 PM:

It shouldn't have passed your state inspection in that condition. It could get worse.

Not really. It all depends on what caused it in the first place.

Maybe. It again depends on what caused it in the first place.

If you bought it privately then take it to a glass shop and see what kind of money they want to repair it, then talk to the person you bought it from and see if they will pay some or all of it. If you bought it at a dealer take it back and talk to them about it. They should fix it under warrantee unless you bought it without one.

Depends on what state she's in. Here in Montana a 3' long crack will pass inspection, because we don't have a safety inspection....

Cracks, bullet holes, etc. will generally pass in Texas as long as they are not directly in front of the driver.

My uncle repairs holes and cracks in glass, it's very likely it could grow, which would be even more of a problem. Friend of mine had a small half inch spot on his window, within 6 months or so it covered over half the windshield.

On a related note, I was in the local pep boys yesterday and noticed they had a windshield glass repair kit.

I did -not- read the box carefully, so this is only a notice rather than a recommendation. But I think it might be worth looking into further. I don't have any idea how it *works.* Nor did I notice the cost.

Then again, you can take the car to a *glass shop* and get it done right, but I try to avoid *shops* as my money supply is non-existent.

Lg

I've used those kits a couple of times to keep pecks and small cracks from growing. I am very satisfied with the results so far.

My Reatta had a small crack at the top of the windshield, which I patched with one of those kits. So far, so good. (A new windshield, if you can find one, costs $1800 at last check.)

They have a syringe containing a low-viscosity light-curing adhesive with approximately the same refractive index as glass. You inject the adhesive into the crack, it fills the crack, and because there is no longer a glass-air-glass boundary, the crack "disappears". In theory.

I have found them to be very effective on bullseye type damage. for instance. I haven't had such good results with linear cracks.

Yes, chances are very good that it can be repaired cheaply at a good glass shop. They won't be able to remove the crack but should be able to secure it so it doesn't spread and it should be less visible when they are done.

The damage has a small chip on the outside and a small crack on the inside. The crack is about an eighth of an inch.

So, it might not get bigger, but probably will; right?

I have found two ways to fix it; they are both $60. One shop drills out the damage and fills it in with clear resin. They say it will be invisible when done. The other puts resin into the damage to stabilize it. They say it will look pretty much like it does now, but will not break further.

Since they are the same price, the first one seems rather better. Any opinions here?!

The repair process I've heard of places the cracked area under vacuum and injects a resin into the crack.

I'm not familiar with the drill out process. I'm prety conservative when it comes to repairs so I would think twice before making a hole that could be 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter.

The first one has a higher chance of the crack expanding during the repair. The second one looks worse. You pays your money and you takes your chance.

None of these repairs will be guaranteed, most of the time. If either shop offers a guarantee, go there.

--scott

Well, the cheapest place ($25) says they will deduct the cost from a new windshield if it breaks later on. I suppose that is probably as good as it gets. They are also the cheapest on windshields, so I guess that is okay?

Ever hear of Diamond Triumph?

They drill the end of the crack to remove stress risers. This helps stop the crack from propagating. It is a standard process with metal as well as with glass.

Both methods can do a good job.

And here I thought you couldn't drill safety glass because the tempered layers would shatter. Learn something new every day.

I don't know if you can drill tempered glass or not, but the windshield isn't tempered, it is safety glass. There is a difference.

Tempered is your driver's side window. Tap it and it shatters into a million little pieces, theoretically none large enough to harm. Try that on the front windshield, and you get a localized crack. The front windshield isn't tempered...at least in the way the other windows in the vehicle are. Evidenced by head impacts I've seen, which leave a red spider web design of cracks in the windshield, but it is all (usually ) held together with the adhesive laminate in the middle of the glass sandwich. That is only true for the front windshield.

Now the bruha about drilling THROUGH the front windshield to place a stress relief hold has to do with allowing moisture into the sandwich which could lead to delamination of the windshield layers. My opinion, is drill through the damn thing and put a stress relief hole there ( very small ). I did that with a machine of mine that had a plastic case and it stopped the crack from *growing* dead in its tracks.

Now the trick is to seal it so it is waterproofed ( in the case of the windshield ) so it can't delaminate.

Lg

When I had my truck window fixed, he drilled it to allow a good point to create the vacuum and allow an injection point for the resin.

Any method to repair a crack is moderate at best, it depends on the level of the crack; some will be easy and more likely to disappear, others will always be somewhat visible no matter what repair is used.

Steve

If it was my car and my money, this is the option I would chose. You really have nothing to lose.

------------- Alex