The wife got a good little star crack in the windshield on the way home from work tonight. I went up to Autozone and got one of those windshield repair kits by Loctite. I figured the crack was small and I caught it early enough not to have the windshield replaced. I think I applied it correctly but you can still see the crack. We both were a little disappointed after the application. At the very least I don't want the crack to spread.

My questions are:

Can I put another application or will it do no good because the epoxy has already filled the hole?

Is this epoxy supposed to both prevent the crack from spreading and make it fairly invisible or are you always going to see it?

Will the crack be less noticable once the epoxy has dried coompletely? A different windshield crack repair manufacturer said to let the epoxy set in direct sunlight.

Thanks for any info!

 

I used to repair windshields for a living. A lot of the over the counter kits they sell for repairs just aren't capable of doing the kind of repair that an experienced pro can do with good tools.

If you are still seeing dark spots, it means that you probably didn't get all of the air out before injecting the epoxy. If there aren't any dark spots but the crack is still quite visible, it could be due to not getting enough epoxy into the crack. that is the problem with over the counter kits. They usually lack the force needed to suck all the air out and then force the epoxy in.

As far as putting more epoxy in, you are really out of luck. Once it is set up it is very difficult to get any more into the crack. If all of the epoxy went to the one side of the crack, you may have a chance to repeat the procedure for the rest of the crack as long as there is no epoxy in the way of the area you are injecting.

A fully repaired crack should be barely visible to the naked eye. It should both repair the crack and conceal it. If you are still seeing anything it is probably do to one of the reasons above. If you ever have a professional repair a crack and you can still see it when he's done, then it wasn't done right. Demand a refund! There are many so called professionals out there who don't really know how to fix a crack. Ask to see some of their work before you turn your keys over to them.

Now, You are probably thinking, "will my crack spread because it wasn't repaired properly?" The answer to that question is....only time will tell. It depends if you got enough epoxy into the weak parts of the crack.

To be safe, I would keep an eye on it, especially in extreme weather. Don't put any pressure on it, and don't site in your deer rifle on the hood of your truck! Believe me, I know! I cracked my windshield by doing this. If it does start to crack, take it to a pro. They should be able to drill a small hole at the end of the spreading crack, fill it, and stop it in it's tracks. Don't wait, do it right away or it will get out of hand before you know it.

Hope this helps!

 

Thanks for the info, freebirdz!

 

Sounds like you got all the info needed, but just an FYI, if it happens again check with your insurance company. Most will pay for windshield repair without tapping into your deductable... Reason being? A crack is cheaper than a new windshield, so they want to make sure you get it fixed...

I had one done here a few months ago. Looks very nice, and I was only out about a half hour of lunch time. Even got a can of window cleaner out of the deal...

 

Closer9 is exactly right. I have been out of the business for a while and didn't know if insurance companies still did this. I figured it would never last because the customer truly gets the best end of the deal here. It is way cheaper to have a windshield fixed than replaced. Glad to hear that it is still like it used to be!

 

on my experience i had a small crack done by a pro and it
did not look any better wasted 35 bucks i think its one
time it works next time it don't

 

Well I filled it with epoxy. I don't think a shop good do anything with it now. I guess I will have to hope it won't spread. If it does, I guess it's time for a new glass. I am sure the cold weather doesn't help.

As always, thanks for the great info, guys!

 

I got one the first week right down in the lower corner. 1/2 on the black. I took it to a few places and was told that due to where it is that it can not be fixed. He said that if they put the machine on it, where some is in the seal then it will not flex properly and cause more problem. He then went on to say that a factory windshield was on $300 cdn .. So its not too bad, and definitly not woth an insurance claim...
Dave


04 Screw Larait