Replacing your car's windshield? Here is your windshield survival guide.
Safety first
The windshield of vehicles provides residents with a barrier against road debris and external elements. But most people do not know that the windshield is designed to ensure the safety of the structure in the event of an accident, especially overturning. The windshield is the third most important element of vehicle safety behind seat belts and airbags.
The windshield is like a basketball backboard for airbags. Therefore, if you have a damaged windshield, your airbag may not work properly. This can lead to swelling of the windshield cavity, and not to you. Or it will not adsorb any pressure, because your windshield simply pushes.
Most consumers are not aware that when technicians replace your windshield, there are significant scratches for “pinchweld” where the glass connects to the car. These scratches should be prepared using paints and precautions. They should not just leave open scratches where moisture from the outside can cause rust.
Here are some questions you should ask your autoglass:
- Is a new glass maker?
- Did they remove the markings on the windshield?
- Does the new glass have a shade that matches your old glass?
- Is the new windshield the same colored glass? (the glass is actually painted, it is not clear)
- Does your windshield have a rain sensor?
- Does your windshield heat up? (companies will install unheated and charged for heating)
- Does the windshield have a right bracket for your rearview mirror?
- Does the new windshield have the same third visor as the old glass? (painted black design that you can see around the rearview mirror on most cars)
- Do they use a universal lining or cast part for your car?
- Does the company pay to fix scratches on paints, if they are made by autoglass?
Always check a piece of glass for scratches and distortion before it is installed.
Types of automotive glass
The windshield is actually two layers of glass with a laminated material between the layers, which is called "laminated glass" , Laminated glass is extremely difficult to pierce or break. This is why a large object, such as a stuntman, can impact the windshield without wading. The strength of laminated glass combined with the proper adhesion of the windscreen to the car body provides massive strength to the roof, which is compressed when tilting.
All other windows of your car "strained glass" , which means that they are broken into tiny fragments to reduce harm to the denizens. (a small part of the vehicles has laminated side and rear windows)
Windshield Urethane
Today's vehicles use urethane as an adhesive to bond the windshield with the vehicle as glue. Some urethane after complete curing, which can take 2-4 weeks, can hold 500 psi of pressure. This is one of the reasons why you could never just push out the windshield. Impossible! Some urethanes allow you to drive for one hour after installing the windshield, hardening sufficient to counteract traffic accidents. When your replacement is complete, make sure you inspect the inside of your car around the edge of the glass. Make sure that the urethane is not leaked inside or on the interior of your car. This is more common when people are aware and need to be fixed right before the glue hardens!
The urethane is usually heated, then applied to the glass or car body at elevated temperatures. Depending on where you live or in the application, they can use different types of urethane, even cold temperatures that do not heat up. Temperature has a huge impact on the adhesion properties of the windshield. I would recommend never replacing your windshield at temperatures below 55 degrees or higher than 105 if possible. This is easy if you have glass replaced inside the store or in a shaded area. Direct sunlight can heat the windshield to more than 125 degrees!
The urethane has an expiration date, so be sure to ask about this before the technician starts to replace the glass in your car. Using the expired urethane average minimum traction and windshield has a chance to get out at the time of the impact. The entire urethane is manufactured with an expiration date printed on the tubes and if they do not call someone else!
Paint scratches, rust and proper windshield installation
Deep scratches for a car can be a serious problem later. Moisture enters through the scratch and attacks the body of your vehicle, causing rust later. For people living by the ocean, it can be disastrous for the structural integrity of your car on the road near the windshield. If you are buying a used car, make sure you check it around the edge of the glass and under the lining to prove rust. Rust will spread under your paint, it is surprisingly aggressive.
If rust spreads to pinch-welding, where the urethane is located, the urethane will not bind and the windshield will flow or even push out. This could result in thousands of dollars being damaged by water leaks or could even lead to death in an accident! If rust moves into this area, the technician must remove it before applying the urethane, or the vehicle must be sent to a body repair shop for repair.
Make sure the technician takes steps to prepare and repair the scratches on the pickveld. There are primers, metallic rust treatment chemicals and other scratch coating methods to reduce the appearance or spread of rust. The most important areas where water will be in contact with the body of your car, especially under external facing molding. This finish is not enclosed by water between the case and the glass. Sealing water comes from urethane beans.
It is very important that you, if possible, monitor the installation of your car, do not leave. If a professional cannot perform work while watching, they should not work on your car and call someone else. A technician can cause significant paint scratches for your red work using improper methods. Some even use nail polish or paint to hide the damage. Some even rubbed dirt into a scratch to make it look old! Make sure the technician uses vehicle protection equipment, such as seat covers, floor mats, tape on the body where it is next to the glass, and a protective mat over your hood.
Make sure the technician removes parts of the body, such as the windshield wiper arms, and the fairing (located in the benefit of the wipers) are removed if the edge of the glass is covered with these parts. Most technicians simply take a ton of urethane under the hood and “fill” the glass by sliding it into the glue and under the hood. It is very dangerous! The technician does not even know whether the urethane has created a proper seal, or if it is safely connected. For proper installation of the windshield is necessary that the glass is located directly on the urethane ball. In addition, it ensures that the urethane is not shot in all parts under the hood, like wiper nodes and wiring.
Windshield and OEM equivalents
OEM means original equipment manufacturer. So, if your car is a Honda Civic, OEM glass will be purchased from a Honda Vehicle dealer. Automatic glass installers can simply order OEM glass from a dealer. Make sure the glass has an OEM label. A square-inch windshield tape is usually located at the bottom corners of the glass. Sometimes OEM glass talks about the actual production of glass, and not about the dealership car. Contact your local dealer for what to look for.
Many companies specializing in automotive glass will tell you that they are installing the OEM Equivalent part. Because consumers do not know what to look for, most often use a glass without a label or after-sales service. Do not buy glass when the label has been etched or removed. No one knows where it came from! Always check the label.
The only scenario in which you can find an equivalent glass is to buy a windshield produced by the same manufacturer that made the OEM glass. It can even be from the same production line and mold from OEM production!
Car windshields after sales service
Do not be fooled into thinking that the after-sales windshield coincides with the OEM glass. Aftermarket windshield is manufactured using reverse engineering instead of the original mold and production line.
Auctions in the after-sales market have a more noticeable light distortion when viewing glass at an angle, and the dimensions are not exactly the same as those of OEMs. All glasses that are bent have a level distortion, yes, but this is much worse with after-sales production. You can even see the distortion by looking right through the after-sales glass.
Aftermarket glass is transported in different processes than an OEM dealer glass. Much of the OEM glass is transported, covered in plastic, and using strict delivery methods, and the edges of the windshield are protected by foaming. But aftermarket glass is transported in various ways. Most automotive glass companies do not use protection covering all glass surfaces for transportation. And sometimes pieces of glass were delivered to the customers and returned to the distributor or the store. So aftermarket glass has been processed many times!
Now I am not saying that aftermarket glass is unsafe or unsuitable for use at all. I simply state the facts about the truth, your education and insight. I feel that you need to get an education about this part of your car, which essentially protects your family on a regular basis.
Rain sensors and other accessories, such as heated glass
If your car has a rain sensor, it should be located near the rear-view mirror. Many times it looks like a circle, square or triangle. This option allows wipers to speed up or slow down automatically depending on the amount of rain. Make sure you get the same designed glass. If the rain sensor includes a gel patch, make sure the technician does not leave many air bubbles when installing it. These air bubbles can cause sensor malfunction.
Some vehicles, such as the Land Rover, have traffic jams located under the interior trim of the A-pillar. On some convertibles, such as the new Ford Thunderbird, most of the interior may need to be assembled to remove the front strut trim. On the Honda Ridgeline, the heater plug is located behind the glove box. Some new vehicles also have Lane departure sensors located near the rearview mirror.
You can always find out what you need by calling your local dealer and giving them your VIN from your car. If your car is important to you, and you want to save investments, always call your local dealer and ask for advice about your particular car.
Windscreen color and windshield
All autoglass has a shaded color. No windscreens are fully visible. Typical shading colors are blue, green, bronze and gray. Remember to get the same color. You will see that all the pieces of glass in your car are the same color, with the exception of glass and tinting.
The windshield may have a shadow strip over the top of the vehicle roof. This area is preferred. You have to decide whether you like it or not. He tends to hide the edge of the headliner when looking at the car outside. Neckbands have different colors, but not all windshields
Most windshields can be ordered without shading. But you can find that a piece is really more expensive because fewer people order it. The presence of a shadow strip does provide some shading between your sun visors, but it does little to sharply shade the sun. Note that the shade will be darker at night.
Exterior finish and molding
Your car may have exterior trim or moldings covering the edge of the glass and / or covering the edge of the body. If injection molding is just rubber, make sure you know what this specialist uses to replace him. Some companies now require that technicians use only a universal type of aftermarket molding, and not one that is specifically designed for your car. You must also have an OEM casting part that is exactly the same as your original casting. Please note that OEM cost is always more.
You can see plastic and / or metal trim moldings covering the edge of your windshield on the outside. Usually they have some type of plastic or metal clips that attach them to the glass or to the body of the car. Make sure that the company has replaced damaged clips or parts to remove these parts. If your car is over 3 years old, these parts become very fragile and easily damaged. You may be warned about the details, which always break, in which the company may ask you to also purchase this item ahead of time. You may find that many companies simply stick these parts in place, instead of replacing broken parts.
Car windshield logo and VIN window
On cars such as the Ford Mustang and the Ford F150, you may have a logo in the third visor above the rearview mirror. These windshields can be ordered without a logo and cheaper. Make sure you ask about your options.
Most windshields have a small narrow window for viewing the VIN ID number near the bottom of the side window. Make sure this window is in the right place on the glass. When the work is completed, make sure that the glue did not block the VIN, the VIN number number was not turned off, or that it was not badly damaged. The police or the DMV will make it harder for you if the number is not legal or is completely absent from this place.
