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Old 05-26-2018, 04:02 AM   #1
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Five Months, Three Windshields

I hope this trend is finished. January just west of San Antonio we took a rock from an oil rig truck that broke the windshield. Had it replaced in Quartzite in February. In March we took another rock in Florida that broke the windshield.

Both rock hits were on the blacked out area across the bottom of the windshield. Both hits were from a passing truck in the left lane.

Had it replaced after we got home the beginning of May. About ten days after that replacement with it parked in the driveway on the tires, fairly level, no jacks, it cracked from top to bottom. Got it back yesterday with yet another new windshield. Very discouraging. Has anyone else had this kind of luck with windshields, or are we just lucky?

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Old 05-26-2018, 07:11 AM   #2
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We're on our third windshield in five years. Two just cracked from top to bottom for no apparent reason. This one cracked from something hitting it high up near the top. Then we just watched the crack work it's way down the rest of the trip.

Something hit it but not sure what. I had a friend who owned a green house business and he said he had to replace a lot of glass each year due to spend bullets falling on them. This kinda looks like that.
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Old 05-26-2018, 07:57 AM   #3
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Been hit a few times and always by a passing big rig or a pickup towing a "garden" trailer. Although there are laws in many states that state a mud flap has to be used on anything with dual wheels on the rear it doesn't stop the rocks that fly of to the side.

I even have some dings on the side of the car from a few rock hits. Two windshields on the TOAD and one when it was 1 week old. That one even hurt my feelings.
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Old 05-26-2018, 08:54 AM   #4
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Incredibly bad luck! Sorry
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Old 05-26-2018, 05:14 PM   #5
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Yeah, pretty bad luck there. You should be proud you've defied the odds!
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Old 05-26-2018, 10:55 PM   #6
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Wow, that must be some kind of windshield record! We have had a couple of chips (repaired by Safelite) but still have our OEM 2012 windshield.
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Old 05-27-2018, 06:20 AM   #7
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OEM Windshield still intact, did have 3 rock chips all in the same day (road work north of Vega on 360, chip and seal crap with no signs that they were repairing road), all from impatient cars that passed us in a no passing zone without road lines. Had windshield repaired by Safelite in Amarillo Tx. (no fee as it fell under our Insurance company Gieco). If I look closely I can see the repairs, but fortunately they have not cracked or traveled in over a year. My suggestion to anyone is as soon as you get a chip, immediately get it fixed before it travels and becomes unrepairable.
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Old 05-27-2018, 06:59 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooperhawk View Post
We're on our third windshield in five years. Two just cracked from top to bottom for no apparent reason. This one cracked from something hitting it high up near the top. Then we just watched the crack work it's way down the rest of the trip.

Something hit it but not sure what. I had a friend who owned a green house business and he said he had to replace a lot of glass each year due to spend bullets falling on them. This kinda looks like that.
I wonder if the two that cracked top to bottom weren't caused by rust in the window frame? This is a well known issue with Journey's and Itasca's and probably other Winnebago models. The leaks on the upper seal of the windows allow water to penetrate and over time, rust grows...crowding and injuring the glass which eventually cracks. Usually from top to bottom.

You can often tell your rust is bad and may require the windows to be removed to address it if there's puddles of rusty water on the dash after a rain.

It's a big job to get rid of all the rust in the window frame and costs a bundle. Many shops will only quote two new windscreens on the job because they often break when they're removed.

When I heard about it, I gathered the info I could find and wrote an article about it for my blog. Here's the link: Weather Proofing, & Windows... | Chaos Leaves Town
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Old 05-27-2018, 08:40 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek View Post
I wonder if the two that cracked top to bottom weren't caused by rust in the window frame? This is a well known issue with Journey's and Itasca's and probably other Winnebago models. The leaks on the upper seal of the windows allow water to penetrate and over time, rust grows...crowding and injuring the glass which eventually cracks. Usually from top to bottom.
I may have read your blog a while back, anyway I removed all the trim around the windshields and found no rust at all. None, Nada!

I think the first two may have been caused when the silicone they use to place and hold the glass hardened over time and when the unit flexed they cracked. The last one though has a definite big chip where the crack started.
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Old 05-27-2018, 06:01 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooperhawk View Post
I may have read your blog a while back, anyway I removed all the trim around the windshields and found no rust at all. None, Nada!

I think the first two may have been caused when the silicone they use to place and hold the glass hardened over time and when the unit flexed they cracked. The last one though has a definite big chip where the crack started.

Hmmm. Then I wonder if you repeatedly drive a certain road where you must rack the RV once or several times in order to get to where you're going? A relatives weird driveway or a favorite camping spot perhaps?
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Old 05-30-2018, 07:03 PM   #11
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2 windshields replaced between September 2015 and September 2016, on a past motorhome.
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Old 05-30-2018, 07:51 PM   #12
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“I think the first two may have been caused when the silicone they use to place and hold the glass hardened over time and when the unit flexed they cracked.”

Your opinion is based on? Guess? Education? Analysis of how many windshield problems?
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Old 05-30-2018, 10:59 PM   #13
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Based on my recent experience with my pickup and minivan, I'd highly suspect stone hits near an edge are the main causes of windshield cracking. Alaskan roads are just murder on windshields, but despite a few small spider cracks and bullseyes in the middle areas, there wasn't any long cracks in either windshield. But when both were hit within about 3 - 4 inches of an edge, the cracking started pretty quickly and of course eventually went across the drivers field of view. I also suspect stresses from thermal expansion and contraction may be at work. When I was washing one of the vehicles that had a small crack, after rinsing off the soap with cold water the crack ran another foot or so right before my eyes. I've noticed that many newer Class-As have huge, one-piece windshields and wonder if that might somehow contribute to stress cracking.
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Old 06-01-2018, 07:23 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryW View Post
“I think the first two may have been caused when the silicone they use to place and hold the glass hardened over time and when the unit flexed they cracked.”

Your opinion is based on? Guess? Education? Analysis of how many windshield problems?
Well, how about all three if you must know. Course the give away there is (I think and may have been). Reading comprehension a weakness of yours?
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Old 06-01-2018, 07:27 AM   #15
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Hmmm. Then I wonder if you repeatedly drive a certain road where you must rack the RV once or several times in order to get to where you're going? A relatives weird driveway or a favorite camping spot perhaps?
Another little ray of sunshine. Nope, no weird relative. We travel the whole country. No certain road either.
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Old 06-01-2018, 08:49 AM   #16
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OK, Cooper, it could have been as you suggested...hardening of silicone. Big sheets of glass make me nervous.
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Old 06-01-2018, 10:43 AM   #17
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Hi, sorry for your bad luck. I have a suggestion for the black area below. I have a band of metal painted about 8 inches wide separating the windshield and the front bodywork and a blacked out portion of glass 6" wide on top of that. The front end except for theseveral two areas came protected from the factory with the 3m clear paint protector film. I took my motor home to one of our local tinting and paint protection vendors and had them put the same film over the two black areas, full width of the front end. That should help the low flying rocks the type that generally come from under rear tires of other vehicles. As far as flying objects higher than thsee I am not sure what to do, other than to make sure you have good insurance, with the windshield rider policy in place. RV Windshield replacement is not as easy or the same as a car. Because the structure of the front of some units are not as good as others, if done improperly, various stresses of just daily driving, leveling or just parking the unit on uneven uneven ground can stress the glass and will break it. Normally, replacement requires special equipment that lines up the glass according to the make and model, not just 2 or 3 repair people juggling a very heavy bulky object hoping to get it right the first time they set it on the frame. If not and they have to try to adjust it, nearly impossible once set, it will either put the glass in a possible bind, cause wind or water leaks or worse. Make sure your not using a wanna be RV glass shop!
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Old 06-01-2018, 10:47 AM   #18
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Newhorizon1's suggestion is interesting and worth review.
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Old 06-01-2018, 06:48 PM   #19
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Urethane

Urethane is what's used for car/truck windscreens.
Suspect the same for an rv.
It really doesn't dry that quickly, and can be slid a little if it lines up a little off.

This one we just bought, had a crack that went across the black lower part of the drivers side. I had them replace it before the purchase.
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