Polycarbonate Windshields and Windows (Anti-Shatter)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Drew.Gardonia
  • Start date Start date

Drew.Gardonia

I was thinking about this the other day as I was watching a video at our local storm spotter training course with Adam Reagan...there were some guys in a truck in the video that were getting pelted with baseball size hail, and it broke their windshield and everything, but here's a solution....

http://lexanwindshield.com/

http://www.polyshields.com/main.html

http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?form_cat_id=209,587&action=category

http://www.plastics4performance.com/default.asp?



For the DIY'ers wishing to save a few bucks

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/diy-polycarbonate-lexan-windshield/15096/page1/


the drag strip racer boys use these polycarbonate windows on their drag cars, maybe the storm chasers can use them as well, might be a worthwhile investment for some who are tired of submitting claims to get glass repaired and seeing their insurance go up after punching a hail core with large/damaging hail.
 
Only problem is polycarbonate is REALLY expensive and scratches fairly easily. It yellows with time, and is going to cost almost more than it's worth to install. You'd have to break several windshields to make it really worth it, IMO. If I had the money I might do it however, since it would be sweet to be able to drive into nasty cores for fun when your storm isn't looking so good.
 
I'm looking into the feasibility of using polycarbonate panels temporarily mounted with Stickypod-type industrial suction cups. For my car, a Honda Fit, one 4'x8' sheet can be pieced to cover all windows that affect driveability: windshield, driver- and passenger-side front windows, and the rear hatch window. That would leave rear side and small wing windows for additional pieces. 3/16" sheet stock cut to size and shipped is around $200. Suction cups and hardware run around $125. If the windshield is covered with two 2'x4' sections all pieces can be easily carried as cargo and using some as temporary protection against smash-and-grab theft -- it's not easy to release those cups from above!

Interestingly the Fit has rather humongus headlight lens assemblies made of polycarbonate AFAIK. They would cost about $300/pair to replace. They can be further treated with resistant film for $100 or so from what I read. FWIW.
 
David Wolfson said:
I'm looking into the feasibility of using polycarbonate panels temporarily mounted with Stickypod-type industrial suction cups. For my car, a Honda Fit, one 4'x8' sheet can be pieced to cover all windows that affect driveability: windshield, driver- and passenger-side front windows, and the rear hatch window. That would leave rear side and small wing windows for additional pieces. 3/16" sheet stock cut to size and shipped is around $200. Suction cups and hardware run around $125. If the windshield is covered with two 2'x4' sections all pieces can be easily carried as cargo and using some as temporary protection against smash-and-grab theft -- it's not easy to release those cups from above! Interestingly the Fit has rather humongus headlight lens assemblies made of polycarbonate AFAIK. They would cost about $300/pair to replace. They can be further treated with resistant film for $100 or so from what I read. FWIW.
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I've considered similar ideas, but there are several factors contributing to possible failure. For one, you'd have to rig up a wiper system for the windshield. Also fogging could be a significant problem. If it were easy to do, I'm sure a lot more people would be doing it. Not that you shouldn't try... you might come up with something better than anyone else has come up with to this point! I would LOVE to be able to do it... but it just doesn't seem feasible at the moment. Maybe if I had more money...

Also, is that the price for scratch-resistant poly? Prices I've seen would be more like $500 for a windshield.
 
Would the suction cups mount to the glass or the body? (If the glass, wouldn't that still break your windows as the shock from a really hard hit would transfer through the cups?)
 
We've been down this road before (but I know search won't help anymore). The basic consensus I remember from before is that it isn't worth it. There is a reason that no one has done it, but you have seen hail nets/guards, etc. Side glass is a little different, but not the front windshield.
 
Jason Foster said:
We've been down this road before (but I know search won't help anymore). The basic consensus I remember from before is that it isn't worth it. There is a reason that no one has done it, but you have seen hail nets/guards, etc. Side glass is a little different, but not the front windshield.
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I've had a Polycarbonate Windshield for about 4 years now and I love it. I ended up paying about $250 by putting it in myself. Rain rolls off like Rain-X and huge stones do nothing but perhaps leave an almost unnoticeable dot on it. The only issue I've had is during the winter months, the plastic seems to shrink in certain areas not allowing the wipers to do a good job on ice. But back in the warm temps, it works great. I won't go back to glass.
 
Skip Talbot said:
Jerry, do you have some sort of anti scratch coating on the polycarbonate? The scratching was one of my biggest concerns.
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I do. I originally bought this because I was shattering windshields because of rocks every year. At $500 a shot, this made sense to try. It's the 1/4 inch style and does move in the wind a little so mounting a web camera to it just wouldn't work. You don't notice the movement unless you're looking for it.
 
Jason, there's some related discussion in the recent "hail guards" thread, but I don't think there was much resolution, other than it may not have been tried.

Todd, almost all cups would mount on the glass. There are sufficient suitable spaces where the wipers don't go. The plastic would mount to clear the wipers, so rain-shedding would be important for the windshield guard; but since the guard is only for temporary use I don' see this as a definite critical flaw. I think it's the hard and/or sharp edges to hail that contribute to its window-breaking impulse. My theory is that, provided the shield doesn't itself shatter, the stand-off elasticity of the mounting plus the impulse-spreading smooth lower surface should significantly improve the window's shatter resistance. The theory could certainly use some testing with a scrap window, appropriately thick polycarbonate, and a good throwing arm.
 
Aside from what I am pretty sure I read some place about anything other than DOT approved safety glass being used as replacement glass in registered vehicles being used on the highways, the thing I think I would worry about most is, what happens in an accident? I think I would rather have my windows shatter in a million pieces like they are supposed to than break into large, razor sharp shards that could decapitate me or worse, rather than just pelt me with little pieces of glass.

And thus the catch 22. Any replacement "glass" that is strong enough to withstand baseball hail is also likely to be illegal and deadly in a car accident.
 
Oh... Something that I forgot to add about the polycarbonate windshield is that it's tough to glue in because of the non-scratch coating. It simply is like Teflon where things just fall off the surface. I had to find out where the windshield glue was attaching to the surface and use a Dremel tool to score/sand the surface. If for some reason I decided to try and fly, and out the front windshield at that, I'm sure that the whole piece would come out with me.

If you are going to do this, you'll certainly have to score the surface as well or install it like a stock car with screws all around the edge. I'm guessing that it won't pass inspection if a inspector sees those screws. My shop where I had all the work done told me that they would ignore the change as long as it wasn't just apparent to them. They're really looking for cracks, etc when they perform the inspection.
 
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