Cracks in the windshield are an unpleasant phenomenon that every second driver encounters. Not only is this defect a constant eyesore when you’re driving, but the crack has the ability to gradually grow to the edge of the glass, begins to limit your view of road traffic (which is dangerous), and sometimes even leads to traffic police fines. At the same time, you will be fined not for a cracked windshield (there is no fine for that), but for a faulty car if the area of damage to the glass surfaces is more than 50% of their area.
Replacing a windshield is an expensive service, and many car enthusiasts try to solve the problem with little expense: glass repair. How to do it? How difficult is it? Is it possible to repair a windshield yourself and save on service costs?
What factors lead to defects?
Cracks in glass are a common occurrence that worsens the appearance of a car and negatively affects the view from the interior.
The formation of a defect is promoted by:
- sudden temperature changes;
- impacts from stones, spikes, bolts, nuts and other parts found on the roads;
- road traffic accidents.
If a stone hits the windshield and forms a pothole, the following measures should be taken:
- Cover the damage with clear tape or tape.
- Repair the glass as soon as possible.
Sealing the impact site will prevent moisture, dirt and grains of sand from entering the fracture site. This will improve the quality of repair in the place where the crack appeared.
Sudden supply of warm air to the windshield in winter should be avoided: this will prevent the appearance of defects. Temperature changes cause the part to expand, which often leads to defects. This effect is called thermal cracking.
In an accident, the power structure of the body receives a strong shock and plays to absorb the impact. At this point, a large gap may appear that is difficult to hide or repair. To eliminate the defect, you will have to dismantle the old part and fix the new one.
A crack appears due to a strong blow from a stone or other hard object. The defect spreads due to temperature changes, body vibrations and tension of the load-bearing frame when driving over curbs. To avoid an increase, it is necessary to carry out glass repairs as quickly as possible.
Glass bonding
To glue cracks together, you need a special glass glue. It must be heat and moisture resistant, not destroyed by vibration, and have a high degree of transparency. The following compositions meet these criteria:
- Done Deal DD6705;
- First Glass;
- UV SM 510;
- PL-106 Pit Filler.
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Also for work you will need:
- detergent;
- degreaser;
- transparencies;
- syringe;
- glass expander (preferred);
- pump (preferred);
- UV lamp or hair dryer (preferable).
It is very important to thoroughly clean the crack, remove glass chips and force air out of the crack.
In auto repair shops, glue is injected under pressure. Therefore, many people prefer to use a repair kit for repairs at home, consisting of an injector, glue, film, blade and syringe.
Popular sets:
- GlassProfi;
- Windshield Repair Kit;
- Done Deal DD6584;
- Permatex;
- WIEDERKRAFT WDK-65182.
Types of damage
A crack in glass is divided into the following types:
- ray-shaped;
- rounded;
- branching;
- double sided;
- mixed.
Defects in the form of a beam appear from a strong impact. As a rule, they are long and extend to the edge of the windshield. Repairs are carried out with a length of no more than 10-12 centimeters.
Rounded cracks are caused by a sharp blow from a hard object. Such defects are dangerous because they suddenly spread over the entire surface of the glass and require mandatory drilling. Repair is advisable with a total length of up to 15 centimeters.
Branching ones are formed due to a sharp temperature change or impact with a heavy object. The difficulty of repair lies in the need to drill each beam. Otherwise, the defect spreads throughout the glass. Sealing is carried out at sizes not exceeding 8-12 centimeters.
Preparatory stage
Stopping a crack in your windshield with your own hands is easy. To do this you will need the following tools:
- glass repair kit;
- clean cloth;
- liquid detergent;
- scotch;
- blade.
Auto glass repairs are carried out in a warm, windless room with a constant temperature of at least 15 °C. Before starting work, you need to thoroughly wash the car and do a wet cleaning of the room. Dust getting on the damaged part will worsen the final result.
Restoration methods
Reading the forum, studying reviews and stories from motorists, and also taking into account personal experience, I can identify 3 main methods.
- Professional restoration. Here we just look for a good workshop where specialists assess the damage, select the necessary materials and carry out the work. In cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg there will definitely be more than a dozen specialists. If you know the address of good masters, you can write in the comments for our readers;
- Independent expensive method. The high cost is due to the need to collect a set of materials and tools, the price of which is not the lowest. But this practically guarantees the elimination of serious chips and cracks if the work is done correctly;
- Cheap DIY method. Here you will also need a repair kit, but it is cheaper. A simplified version of the previous method, which involves purchasing a special kit for glass repair. It is only suitable for eliminating smaller and insignificant defects. Here I’m talking about sets like Sikeo, which can be bought for 280 rubles through Aliexpress.
Now consider which one is right for you based on your financial situation and the extent of your windshield damage.
Sealing process
Repairing glass cracks using a professional kit is no different from working in a service center. If the instructions are followed, the defect is completely hidden and filled with a special polymer that protects the glass from cracking without reducing its strength characteristics.
How to stop a crack in your windshield yourself:
- Drill out all the beams.
- Clean the surface from debris and dirt.
- Degrease with a special compound.
- Carry out repair work.
A transparent polymer will help hide the drilling site; it flows into all defects and becomes invisible as it crystallizes. When choosing a kit for broken glass, you should trust professional kits from well-known manufacturers:
- Visbella;
- 3M;
- Vints.
The kits contain everything you need for do-it-yourself repairs and are found in departments with chemicals for vehicles. The set can be used repeatedly.
When working with chemical liquids, you must follow safety precautions and also use a respirator. In case of contact with skin, the aggressive product must be washed off with warm water and soap.
How to drill out a defect on a windshield
Crack repair technology involves stopping the rays using drilling. A properly stopped defect will not be able to progress under the influence of various factors.
A small hole relieves stress on the glass at the repair site and is completely eliminated with the help of a polymer. Thanks to this technology, it is possible to prevent the spread of damage and perform quality repairs.
Drilling cracks:
- Take a Dremel, drill or screwdriver.
- At low speeds, drill the end and beginning of the crack beam.
- Drill holes in all crack tips, not reaching the layer with the transparent film in the triplex.
To prevent the crack from spreading further during the operation, you need to use a sharp drill and not put much pressure on the glass during the procedure.
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- Poly 500 PL;
- Super Pit Filler PL;
- Poly 25 PL;
- Pit Filler Plus;
- Pit Filler PL;
- Permatex 16067;
- Crystal Clear;
- Windshield, etc.
In general, there are quite a lot of options. I only advise you to first read reviews about manufacturers and study the instructions on the packaging.
Each glue has its own transparency coefficient. It is selected based on the color of the glass. Otherwise, after application, the treated area will visually stand out.
In addition to the glue, you will need to collect an additional set of tools and materials. It includes:
- Injector. It comes in plastic and metal. Plastic is disposable mainly, and is suitable for treating one damage. Metal ones are reusable, but expensive;
- Scribers and pumps. These two components allow you to clean the damaged area and get rid of air bubbles;
- Drill. Moreover, it is better to use a diamond drill to relieve stress from the crack. You will have to make 2 holes;
- Ultraviolet lamp. Will speed up the drying process of the glue;
- Sponges and cleaning products.
To minimize your costs, if you have minor damage, simply buy a ready-made repair kit. It costs up to 5 dollars. In fact, this is a smaller copy of everything listed above, minus the drill.
Cost of service in a car service
Repairing cracks in auto glass is an expensive service that is provided only by specialized services. Some workshops repair damage using clear varnish, which turns white over time and spoils the appearance.
There is no point in repairing long defects, since repairing one centimeter costs from 200 to 350 rubles. If a crack more than 10 centimeters long occurs, it is better to remove the old shield and install a new one.
The average bill for restoring the surface of the shield reaches 2000–3000 rubles. The approximate cost is calculated before starting work; for this, a special program is used that takes into account fluid consumption and other costs.
Necessary tools and tools
Materials:
- Specialized polymer of varying viscosity;
- A set of translucent celluloid plates.
Tools for auto glass restoration:
- Drill with diamond conical drills;
- Scriber for marking holes;
- Scraper blade;
- Crack expander (suction cups on the rail);
- Ultraviolet lamp.
Operating a car with a cracked windshield
Is it possible to drive a car if a stone has broken the windshield? The Code of Administrative Offenses does not provide for punishment for operating a car with a cracked dashboard. However, the inspector can fine the driver 500 rubles for driving a faulty vehicle, but this is a fairly rare case, since there is no official fine for a crack.
If the windshield is severely cracked, problems may arise during maintenance. The inspection staff will issue a form refusing to issue a technical inspection until the malfunction that interferes with the review is eliminated.
A clean and transparent shield provides good visibility on the road and does not distract the driver’s attention, and also reduces the age of the car and has a positive effect on the appearance.
Windshield chip repair
The windshield must be clean, dry and cool (not exposed to sunlight).
Procedure:
- Remove glass shards from the chip (with a vacuum cleaner or a pin).
- Remove the protective film from the ring from the set and stick the ring onto the chip (the protrusion should be directed upward).
- Remove the protective film from the other side of the ring and install the appilator on the ring (align the protrusions).
- Place the syringe in the appilator hole.
- Pull the syringe plunger to the mark and turn it to secure it with the stopper (wait 30 seconds for air to escape from the chip).
- Release the piston from the stopper (the piston will lower).
- Smoothly press the piston until resistance appears.
- We repeat the air removal procedure (steps 5-7) 3-4 times.
- Release the syringe plunger and leave it in the down position for 15 minutes.
- Check that the chip is filled with repair compound (on the inside of the glass). If there are voids, repeat the air removal procedure (steps 5-7).
- Remove the applicator and ring residue with a blade.
- Cover the chip with cling film.
- Place the car in the sun for 20 minutes to polymerize the composition (on a cloudy day for 1 hour).
