Cracked Windscreen - what next?

[Lukeis]

Hey Guys

Pretty simple one, while driving north recently a stone cracked my windscreen, figure I have two options:

1) ignore it and hope it doesn't crack further
2) I've seen adds where O'brien glass etc use the silicon to fix the hole which they say prevents it cracking more - does anyone know if this works?

Picture below, its pretty small - maybe 1cm in size and located middle of the windscreen near the bottom.

thanks, Luke

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=110407&stc=1&d=1466394735

[Lukeis]

Just as a side note too - if someone can teach me how to imbed a picture rather than attach it as a thumbnail that would be brilliant

[jonesfam]

It will crack more!
The repairs they do have limitations.
SWMBO had it done on her Delica, if the crack/chip is to big, the wrong shape or close to the edge they can't repair it. Also, although the repairs are pretty good you can see where it was done.

If you have glass replacement with your insurance wait until it cracks some more then get it replaced on insurance.

Jonesfam

[p38arover]

Just as a side note too - if someone can teach me how to imbed a picture rather than attach it as a thumbnail that would be brilliant

Go to your thread and edit. Change the URL tags at the beginning and end of the link to IMG. Next time, click on the https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/10/807.jpg button and paste the image link there.

[LRD414]

Good advice in this thread Luke:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-4/224180-windscreen-damage-what-do.html
Two main points:
(1) It will develop & repairs are sometimes successful
(2) Most important thing is to get a genuine replacement when the time comes.

I carry a small repair kit on long trips only to halt its progress and get me back to home for replacement.
Even then, I'd probably only bother if it was early in the trip.
I haven't actually used the kit but did see it recommended on here somewhere.

Cheers,
Scott

[Tombie]

That crack is only going to get worse!

Temperature changes will speed it along, as will road surface vibrations.

As recommended. Only accept a genuine IMO. And make sure they get NEW clips for the trim panels.

[Disco-tastic]

I have used $30 supercheap repair kits on other cars with success. when finished it looked like a small stine chip in the gkass, not a crack. Never had it open again over a few years on my D1, nor in my camry. Its the first thing I'd try.

Cheers

Dan

[BobD]

I think the important thing is to get an Opticool windscreen, not that it is genuine. Even aftermarket they cost about double a plane glass windscreen. I have an alternative Opticool replacement and I find it is better than the original in that the cracks don't propagate in the same way. I now have three stone chips from my last three remote area trips and none have propagated. I have only repaired one because I was scared it would crack further but the other two are bigger and have not caused any problem.


I got one stone hit on my OEM screen near the bottom centre, and the crack went for most of the width of the screen horizontally and also vertically from the crack within a week.

[Lukeis]

Thanks Gents!

I just took this from my Insurer's policy document, good luck getting a genuine repair let alone Opticool if that is more expensive!!

AAMI - Glass repairs
"For windscreen or window glass repairs, we might use glass that is different from the original but the glass and repairs will meet Australian Design Rules."

Given I work in the Insurance industry suddenly I feel like the plumber with a leaking tap.. Looks like a trip to Auto Bahn to start!

[Stuart02]

Good advice in this thread Luke:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-4/224180-windscreen-damage-what-do.html
Two main points:
(1) It will develop & repairs are sometimes successful
(2) Most important thing is to get a genuine replacement when the time comes.

I carry a small repair kit on long trips only to halt its progress and get me back to home for replacement.
Even then, I'd probably only bother if it was early in the trip.
I haven't actually used the kit but did see it recommended on here somewhere.

Cheers,
Scott

Yeah the kits are a helpful bandaid for cracks and can stop small stars but that's about it.

I'm with GIO who use Obrien. They got my replacement wrong first time because the optikool wasn't listed separately in their inventory. To their credit when I pointed out it wasn't like for like they put an optikool glass in no questions asked.

[MR LR]

I think the important thing is to get an Opticool windscreen, not that it is genuine. Even aftermarket they cost about double a plane glass windscreen. I have an alternative Opticool replacement and I find it is better than the original in that the cracks don't propagate in the same way. I now have three stone chips from my last three remote area trips and none have propagated. I have only repaired one because I was scared it would crack further but the other two are bigger and have not caused any problem.


I got one stone hit on my OEM screen near the bottom centre, and the crack went for most of the width of the screen horizontally and also vertically from the crack within a week.

Do your rain sensing wipers still work?


Thanks Gents!

I just took this from my Insurer's policy document, good luck getting a genuine repair let alone Opticool if that is more expensive!!

AAMI - Glass repairs
"For windscreen or window glass repairs, we might use glass that is different from the original but the glass and repairs will meet Australian Design Rules."

Given I work in the Insurance industry suddenly I feel like the plumber with a leaking tap.. Looks like a trip to Auto Bahn to start!

Our D4 has had a stupid number of windscreens (country car), but almost every time it's had two windscreens, as they'd only replace it with aftermarket, until we convinced them the rain sensing wipers wouldn't work, so then they'd have to replace it again with a genuine screen. These days (and thanks to it being on record) it just gets a genuine screen first go.

Don't let them use aftermarket unless they can guarantee your rain sensing wipers will work, they have to correct the damage to "as good as original" in a repair, so hold them to it.

[l00kin4]

And make sure they get NEW clips for the trim panels.

There is a good thread about this (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-4/219487-plenum-chamber-panel-3.html) - important to get the genuine clips or the trim could pop off. Part # LR026343 x 2 (1 set per trim)

David

[BobD]

No issues with the rain sensing wipers or auto headlight. If anything they work better with the after market screen.


Insurance paid the extra to go to Optikool, once I pointed out that it is standard on the D4. My windscreen supplier had the option of two screen types for the D4. One was equivalent to Optikool, although I don' think they call it that.

[MR LR]

No issues with the rain sensing wipers or auto headlight. If anything they work better with the after market screen.


Insurance paid the extra to go to Optikool, once I pointed out that it is standard on the D4. My windscreen supplier had the option of two screen types for the D4. One was equivalent to Optikool, although I don' think they call it that.
I forgot optikool was the OEM supplier these days :)

[BobD]

Will, I should have made it clearer that mine is the after market version of the Optikool, not the genuine. I think it is a Chinese version or something! My last post made it seem like I had the proper Optikool brand name.

[MR LR]

Will, I should have made it clearer that mine is the after market version of the Optikool, not the genuine. I think it is a Chinese version or something! My last post made it seem like I had the proper Optikool brand name.
So the Chinese copy is better? Interesting!

[vee8auto]

I used to do a lot of driving up north in WA for my job on the gas pipeline. Had a troopie all kitted out. On several occasions I got stone chips right in my field of vision, but the vehicle fleet manager wouldnt replace the windscreen. Next time it happened I waited till I was 10 ks from town on my way back, pulled into a parking bay and thumped the windscreen from the inside. Look, the windscreens badly cracked... :angel:

Just sayin.

[Lukeis]

Thanks Vee8auto, sadly this is my car not a company car.. Though I'm sure some might do this before their insurer tries a repair instead!

[MR LR]

Thanks Vee8auto, sadly this is my car not a company car.. Though I'm sure some might do this before their insurer tries a repair instead!
It's bad karma!

I got a stone chip a week after having the new screen put in when I did that! Haha!

But being body on chassis (the D2), it, nor any of the other chips have ever propagated.

[Hugh Jars]

The only way to prevent cracks propagating is to stop-drill the ends of the cracks, then pump a special resin (not silicone) in under pressure. It will usually prevent further damage, but if there's glass missing from where the object hit, your wiper blade will be destroyed in a short time unless you place one of those clear patch stickers over the damaged area.

[DrOsteo]

I just had the same thing happened to me last Thursday. Also insured with AAMI. They put me onto windscreens O'brien. They told me that they would be using an aftermarket windscreen but that everything would work the same. And it would look the same.
Anyway they installed it on Saturday, took a couple of hours. When I returned to the car the replacement windscreen was a genuine one! Very happy.