Thread: Rear Window 110 wagon.

Originally Posted by dham

The glass is flat - should be able to make a template and have one cut at a windscreen place. Some years ago a wedgetail came through my Defender windscreen. The windscreen bloke in Newman (WA) pushed out the broken but together screen and used it as a template to cut a new one on the spot. I was on the road again within a couple of hours. If the glass had been curved would have been days waiting for one! Back window should be same story? (without demister though).

Worth thinking about - one problem is that laminated glass in the rear window may not be a good idea - it cracks too easily
(too easy to bump it while loading or when load shifts), although less completely than toughened glass, and is quite a bit softer, which means the wiper working in the dirt on the back would scratch it more readily. Also, costs may be higher. I have been toying with the idea of using polycarbonate, cut it myself, but this raises the problem of scratching even more, although the lack of demister would be less of a problem, and it would be unlikely to break again. Anyone have an idea of the life of polycarbonate in Australian sunshine?
John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Worth thinking about - one problem is that laminated glass in the rear window may not be a good idea - it cracks too easily
(too easy to bump it while loading or when load shifts), although less completely than toughened glass, and is quite a bit softer, which means the wiper working in the dirt on the back would scratch it more readily. Also, costs may be higher. I have been toying with the idea of using polycarbonate, cut it myself, but this raises the problem of scratching even more, although the lack of demister would be less of a problem, and it would be unlikely to break again. Anyone have an idea of the life of polycarbonate in Australian sunshine?
John

My workhorse (1998 Falcon ute) has polycarbonate headlamps (OEM price $370 each !!) These get a rough to the feel brownish skin from exposure to sunlight. After being frightened by the price, I worked out the following fix. Remove rough brown skin with 1000 grit wet & dry used wet. Finish off withh Kitten No2 or Repo, followed by a final buff-up with Silvo. Makes them like new again.

Hi John,

Polycarbonates ain't polycarbonates...

It depends on the grade...

http://www.mulford.com.au/main-frame.htm

Some grades are UV resistant.

Another issue is that they can scratch easily and the coefficient of expansion is high so they need room to move.

Originally Posted by one_iota

Hi John,

Polycarbonates ain't polycarbonates...

It depends on the grade...

http://www.mulford.com.au/main-frame.htm

Some grades are UV resistant.

Another issue is that they can scratch easily and the coefficient of expansion is high so they need room to move.

I didn't know about the different grades, but I did know about the scratching - hence my wariness of it. The expansion would not be a problem the way the window is installed in the back door.
Thanks for the information; haven't quite decided what to do, but I'll probably get the one available locally - the s/h one in Sydney is dearer than the new one that's already here by the time you add freight - it seems the cost of shipping glass is high!
John

Well, just got back from Dubbo. I bought the one available locally from Scott's parts. After looking at it the thing that decided me was that it is a tinted one, same as my other windows, even if it is the thinner one and without a demister. I knocked him down to $195, which is cheaper than a second hand one from Sydney by the time you pay freight - as I said earlier, it seems shipping glass around the country is expensive!
Should get it in in the next few days.
John