Show us your crack (windshields)

[parb]

I just filled in a crack in my windshield today. Big rock from a semi hit me. I had film on the windshield, without it I'm sure I would have lost the entire windshield.

 

[ORSO]

when you replaced the glass were you able to order the top gasket too? It doesn't seem to exist as a spare part.

 

[Shopkeep]

when you replaced the glass were you able to order the top gasket too? It doesn't seem to exist as a spare part.

They exist:
Drain Gutter IE-GRA-7E21-005990

 

[Coastalguy]

Here’s my picture.

 

[Lollo050968]

Second stone in one year, is not to be repaired, because in the “sight field”, new windscreen is available, ordered, but stocked until offroad tour in June Paid by insurance, excess 300€. (full cost>2000€)

 

[HereinDaRockies]

Someone on the IG group on Facebook posted a video that captured a distortion in the windshield reflection, implying uneven pressure across the glass, leading to cracking. The distortion happens to be in the center of the glass, where many people experience the same pattern of cracks

 

[Fieldmaster]

Someone on the IG group on Facebook posted a video that captured a distortion in the windshield reflection, implying uneven pressure across the glass, leading to cracking. The distortion happens to be in the center of the glass, where many people experience the same pattern of cracks

I saw this too. My truck has this as well. I noticed it early on when I first picked it up and was giving it a good wash. Just thought it was part of the manufacturing process but now it has me worried

 

[AWo]

Someone on the IG group on Facebook posted a video that captured a distortion in the windshield reflection, implying uneven pressure across the glass, leading to cracking. The distortion happens to be in the center of the glass, where many people experience the same pattern of cracks

That seems to go into the direction of what I wrote here earlier:

I just had a chat with my workshop hirer, who is an experienced car glass guy. He told me, that if a stone cracks a windscreen, almost always only the outer glass pane is affected. In that case the heater can increase the crack. But an undamaged windscreen (which was mounted correctly and where no other problems exist) can not be cracked by the heater. In summer it has to take much hotter conditions and a heater is not a new invention, so car glass manufacturers know about them and which stress they produce with all these temperature differences etc.

I showed him the pictures and he said, he often saw this kind of cracks. The root cause can be:

- rust - Windscreens do not tolerate too much steady pressure against their surface, especially at their edges. If rust produces pressure it can be too much stress over time and it will crack like this, most of the time, both panes crack (inner and outer one).
- welding fissure - If there is a welding fissure (too big) it has the same effect as rust. I creates a steady pressure against the flat surface which leads to a crack. He saw this kind of crack often at the Fiat Ducato and it was a manufacturing problem (which was fixed by Fiat).
- torsion - if for whatever reason reoccuring torsions are transferred against the surface (like the rust and the welding fissure) it can also cause stress which leads to a crack
- hard bed - If the windscreen is glued onto a too hard embedment which allows no movement, stress from the chassis is transferred onto the windscreen, causing fatigue cracks

Another issue led to such cracks with the Ducato. It were too stiff front shocks, which are located under the windscreen. There were many broken windscreens and wheel bearing problems. FIAT changed to a softer shock and both problems were gone.

AWo

 

[Skydance]

Following others, I chose to fit a windscreen edge protector on the bottom only, for a neater look. Whilst fitting this using a trim tool to push in the rubber, the most difficult area was in the middle of the windscreen. This area is the most shallow part (when I stick my trim tool in) and I do wonder if the bodywork protrudes which makes it more prominent for windscreen failure. I guess only a windscreen fitter can check after taking the windscreen out.

 

[CRH]

Following others, I chose to fit a windscreen edge protector on the bottom only, for a neater look. Whilst fitting this using a trim tool to push in the rubber, the most difficult area was in the middle of the windscreen. This area is the most shallow part (when I stick my trim tool in) and I do wonder if the bodywork protrudes which makes it more prominent for windscreen failure. I guess only a windscreen fitter can check after taking the windscreen out.

where did you get yours from?

 

[Skydance]

where did you get yours from?

T Shape Universal Weather Seal Strip Car Hood Door Edge Trunk Trims Rubber | eBay

Easy to install.No need to paste, stick directly to the gap on the line. This part is a universal part made to fit ALL cars. Material: Rubber. Highly fits the gap in the center console of the car,it is stable and it does not easily fall off.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Davgerman64]

Not an invitation for our antipodean friends to photograph their arses but rather our windscreens.

I saw a thread on one of the Facebook groups where it seems a common occurrence for a mystery crack to appear in the middle of the bottom edge of the screen. 5 or 6 people reported the exact same thing.

I wasn’t aware of a stone chip but I jumped in one day and saw immediately a 3-4” curving crack that actually follows the shape of the wiper pattern. It’s grown and grown but screen is being replaced tomorrow.

Anyone on here had this?

View attachment 7837313

Just had my windscreen replaced following a tiny stone chip that became a star shaped chip and then became a horizontal crack across the passenger side over a period of a few weeks.

 

[Bluesurf]

Today I added ExoShield Installation by Extreme Off Road and Performance. In Katy Texas. +12813984385 I stopped in to meet with the Salesman on Friday Feb. 28, 2005. My goal was to get my windshield protected with ExoShield Protection. We discussed everything involved and I booked my appointment for this morning March 4th @ 8:30am. The entire process was under the 2.5 hours as stated. I will honestly tell you, Extreme did a outstanding installation job. The skin went out to the very edges of the entire windshield. Its nice and thick. A computer cutter prepares the specification for a perfect fit, no razor cutting. Its as good as it could ever get. This Windshield is almost at 90 degrees and glass is known to crack easily. If you don't have the proper insurance in place its a 4K replacement. This ExoShield product is thick and very clear. Like stated, Its looking as good as it can ever be. It was explaned to me what to do and allow the window Protection a few days to dry out. I was also told how to care for extending its life. This location is a 5 STAR Operation. Highly Recommended to you if you have something you want to well protected. Think about changing out a Windshield, it is a real pain in the neck to get it perfect. Why deal with a broken windshield if you can protect against breakage in the first place? I received an AWESOME installation.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

Today I added ExoShield Installation by Extreme Off Road and Performance. In Katy Texas. +12813984385 I stopped in to meet with the Salesman on Friday Feb. 28, 2005. My goal was to get my windshield protected with ExoShield Protection. We discussed everything involved and I booked my appointment for this morning March 4th @ 8:30am. The entire process was under the 2.5 hours as stated. I will honestly tell you, Extreme did an outstanding installation job. The skin went out to the very edges of the entire windshield. It’s nice and thick. A computer cutter prepares the specification for a perfect fit, no razor cutting. It’s as good as it could ever get. This Windshield is almost at 90 degrees and glass is known to crack easily. If you don't have the proper insurance in place it’s a 4K replacement. This ExoShield product is thick and very clear. Like stated, Its looking as good as it can ever be. It was explaned to me what to do and allow the window Protection a few days to dry out. I was also told how to care for extending its life. This location is a 5 STAR Operation. Highly Recommended to you if you have something you want to well protected. Think about changing out a Windshield, it is a real pain in the neck to get it perfect. Why deal with a broken windshield if you can protect against breakage in the first place? I received an AWESOME installation.

Total cost?

 

[Fieldmaster]

I just had Xpel windshield protection film put on my truck on Friday. I’m super happy with it so far. They charged $450 USD to do the install including materials. I have 3000 miles on my truck and when I brought it to them, there were all ready two small craters that needed to be filled before they could even install the film. Word to the wise….. get film on there as soon as you take delivery.

 

[Krabby]

Got this impact from a stone the other day. Some asshole cut across the shoulder and sprayed rocks like birdshot.

But then, next day, this crack - which is a good ways away from the impact spot - appeared. Interesting that it seems to be in the same area many other cracks have appeared. Now that I think about it, I actually used the defroster yesterday - I wonder if that played into it?

 

[CrazyOldMan]

It’s almost like it’s under tension - there’s a chip, it’s weakened, maybe a temp fluctuation, it goes - so many of them right in that same area. Crazy.

 

[DoubleDoom]

Got this impact from a stone the other day. Some asshole cut across the shoulder and sprayed rocks like birdshot.

But then, next day, this crack - which is a good ways away from the impact spot - appeared. Interesting that it seems to be in the same area many other cracks have appeared. Now that I think about it, I actually used the defroster yesterday - I wonder if that played into it?

View attachment 7888799View attachment 7888800

Your stone hit is about the same as mine. The crack leads off like mine. And in my case, it happened at -6c when the heating was on full (and on warmer days, the aircon puts a freezing cold misted spot on the screen in the same area on screen). So, stress caused by a weakened area does seem to fit.

 

[MileHigh]

I've done all I can do! New windshield installed last week. Installed Racing Optics this week, installed the foam around the live edge that Shopkeep found, also 3d printed a defrost deflector (first design). Triple pronged approach to address the three leading theories for cracking. Obviously the true fix would be a more robust windshield option but since we only have this one I've done the best I can do. The film covers up to an 1/8" from the live edge, the foam covers the live edge and the deflector keeps the bottom of the windshield from roasting. The only thing I have left to do is add the strip of clear outdoor tape to the top edge of the film. I did that on my last optics film because the car wash jets would pull it away from the glass along that edge. If this one cracks it is out of my control!
View attachment 7887057

Could you share more about your 3-D printed defrost air deflector? Thanks.

Got this impact from a stone the other day. Some asshole cut across the shoulder and sprayed rocks like birdshot.

But then, next day, this crack - which is a good ways away from the impact spot - appeared. Interesting that it seems to be in the same area many other cracks have appeared. Now that I think about it, I actually used the defroster yesterday - I wonder if that played into it?

View attachment 7888799View attachment 7888800

This is what exactly happened to me. I was sitting in traffic for the Vail pass yesterday and the windshield was starting to ice up so I turned on the defrost with the button. I thought it was quite warm. And it had only run for a few minutes when we heard a huge snap, and there was a crack emanating from the edge right above the defrost vent. We were sitting perfectly still, and there wasn’t even any traffic on the other side. No movement at all. It definitely was the defrost that did it. The outside temperature was probably in the teens Fahrenheit. I’ve used the defrost in exactly the same situations more than a few times and not had a problem. I recently had my one year service and I’m almost wondering if the new software changes the temperature of the defrost to make it hotter. after we got that crack, we turned off the defrost function, but we still had to try to keep the windshield warm, so we use the HVAC controls to turn on the defrost vent and then manually adjusted the fan and the temperature. I felt like even at full fan and full temp. We didn’t seem to get anywhere near the temperatures that the defrost function did. The issue is that if you want the side mirrors to be heated, I think you have to use the defrost button, correct?
Because that leads me to the second issue of the fact that these Grenadier don’t handle ice and cold as well as they should. I know there is a cold weather package, but I think they need to have an extreme cold weather package that addresses heated windshield wipers, heated jets for the headlights, and something about on the left-hand drive models that big clump of ice that accumulates on the edge of the windshield.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

Would be hilarious if every grenadier at the aspen even had cracked windshield