How to Fix a Chipped Windshield
By Marc Howe on Jun 23, 2010 with Comments 0
If you want to save your time and money then you have to repair the small chip or nick on the windshield before it is too late. Windshield is long lasting but a tiny chip can cause your whole windshield to destroy. If you have a chipped windshield, it is not necessary to replace it you can repair the chipped part with ease, which is far economical than replacing.
Reason to Fix a Chipped Windshield
One strong reason to fix a chipped windshield is its structural design. It is built to share out the damage. When you have a one small chip or nick this means that it will shatter the whole windshield gradually. The reason is that laminated structure of windshield has multiple stress points which are interconnected through links which make it strong. If that link conceives damage, the small chip will lead to many tiny cracks with the passage of time; finally the whole windshield will break. You need to repair the chip or nick as soon as you locate it on your windshield.
Instruments
Following tools are required to fix the chipped windshield:
Repair Kit: Windshield repair kits are easily available at automobile shops. The windshield repair kit contains a cone, plastic disc, suction cup and a syringe which contains resin which is enough for more than six windshield repair jobs.
Cleaning Stuff: You need a window wiper, soapy water, window cleaner and chamois cloths. Remember dirty windshield is very difficult to clean.
Instructions
Following instruction will help you to repair the chipped windshield:
- Make sure that you have cleaned the windshield, especially the chipped area and chipped holes from all sorts of dirt and chipped glass.
- Take a suction cup and stick it exactly behind the chipped area from the inner side of windshield (interior side).
- Take a plastic disc and take the adhesive covering away from it. Recline it on the chipper area of the windshield.
- Make a small hole in the center of the plastic disc with the help of tip of the cone.
- Take a syringe and insert it inside the cone. To create an air seal between suction cup and instrument take the plunger out of it.
- Now carefully release the plunger to fill the area with resin. Remember fill the area with enough of resin. Do not fill excess of resin because it is easy to top up rather than to remove it.
- Leave the resin to cure for about ten minutes with all the instruments at place. Later take the entire instrument out and leave the resin to settle for four hours.
- In the end examine the windshield carefully. There should be no bubbles of air or stress spots on the chipped area. Clean the windshield properly to finish the job.
It is always better to remedy the problem in the start before it becomes too big to handle. Same is the case with chipped windshield. If you ignore the small nick you will have to suffer later by replacing the windshield. But you can repair the small chip to avoid major damage.
Filed Under: Guides/DIY