Hail Net Needed

[Dave Lewison]

I built the hail guards for my chase partner Scott McPartland's XTerra. They were added bit by bit over several chase seasons. First, the deployable windshield guard, then polycarb panels on all rear windows, then deployable polycarb panels for driver & passenger. We now have ALL glass protected. I'd say the total cost of materials was in the neighborhood of $500. Total weight is under 100lbs, and gas mileage wasn't affected (the XTerra gets pretty crappy mileage to start with).

Our goal was to protect only the glass. Since we only get 2-3 weeks to chase each year, we needed to protect ourselves from chase-ending window replacements. Didn't care about the body so much, since you can still chase with a dented car...but not without windows! Details are here:
http://www.facethewind.com/XTerra/index.shtml

The problem I had with laminated glass is that it doesn't really increase the glass strength...it just prevents the shattered pieces from going everywhere...effectively still providing some protection, even when the glass shatters. Polycarb replacement windows were horribly expensive and so was the installation.

So, I took a page from Eric Nguyen's over-windshield design and built one myself that could fold back when not in use. It's made from thin wire mesh so that it doesn't act like a sail and rip off the roof rack at highway speeds. Deploying it takes 20 seconds...and it has been PROVEN in softball hail!

The Polycarb panels on the rest of the windows are hard-mounted using various techniques. And none of them are permanent...no drill holes. They can all be removed with a socket wrench in a couple hours and the XTerra looks stock again (minus the hail craters in the body!). Had to go with polycarb on the side windows because we need to see and film out of those windows. Metal mesh was unacceptable for that.

 

[Doug Ott]

Rhino lining and security laminate on the windows is the way to go IMO. It cost me $1500 total, added 200 lbs to the car is all (like one person in the car) and like Jeremy says it looks clean and does not effect your highay mpg. Two other extra benefits: 1) no one can smash and grab your gear through the laminate and 2) the Rhino makes the car much quieter on the highway. The 1/8" rhino acts like an insulator to the road noise.

Do you have a hard time keeping your rhino line clean? I have little bit on my pickup and I can t keep it too clean. Mine is black. The dirt gets into those pores and for me it s almost impossible to get out. I suppose some colors would be easier to keep clean than others. I ve seen your vehicle before and that looked really sharp with the rhino line on it. Don t remember if your was black or if it was grayish color. How bout oily spots on wet roads do you notice any of that oil sticking to your rhino line and not being able to get it out? I would like to find a product that could shine mine up. I thought of rhino lining my entire pickup in 2007, but didn t want to anymore after I seen how hard my little bit of rhino line was to keep clean and shiny.

 

[L.B. LaForce]

Good lord..watch where you are going in the storms. keep an eye on the VIL. I always keep my distance, and biggest yet (intentionally encountered) was 0.75"
I still have a lexan hailguard for my sunroof though just in case escaping the hail cores is next to impossible.

 

[scott r currens]

The only downside to consider with using window laminate is that if you ever drive into a lake or are in a crash that results in a vehicle fire, you are probably going to die a horrible, agonizing death. There is a reason that side and rear windows asplode into a brazillian little bits when you smack them hard enough.

It seems unlikely that you would be able to break a window to escape a vehicle in the situation you mentioned unless you have something to break it with.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

It seems unlikely that you would be able to break a window to escape a vehicle in the situation you mentioned unless you have something to break it with.

This is true, but the small pointy hammer required to break out a side window only runs around $5 at Walmart. You can even get a springloaded device that will fit on your keychain. Personally I'd go for the hammer over the keychain device; in such a situation it'd be way more cathartic.

 

[ScottKoenig]

You could always installs a few "Hail Cannons"...... Only $50,000 each.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/16/sonic-boom-gun-control-weather/?test=faces

 

[Drew.Gardonia]

If you have a compound window you'll need to do it in strips.

any good experienced window tinter can apply tint or a tint like substance to most compound windows without having to do it in strips. the secret is to get a wide enough sheet to cover the entire window (which you can do if you get it from the right place) and lay it on the outside of the window and cut it to fit the window. then apply to the inside of the window.

i've seen my window tint guy do this many times, amazes me every time he does it. he can even do a corvette rear window in one piece, and that is hard to do.