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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Gaffers on 18 January 2011, 11:12:46

Title: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Gaffers on 18 January 2011, 11:12:46
I have 2 cracks appear in the windscreen one in each bottom corner, they seem to be the result of the cold weather we had over Christmas.

In order to prevent them growing any further I have seen in the past some screen drilled with a tiny hole which stops the crack in it's path thus prolonging the life of the screen.

Has anybody done this, can you give me tips?  :y
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 18 January 2011, 11:24:07
Sounds as though it might be difficult G.

This may help;

http://www.glassonweb.com/forum/view.php?mID=2352

I would have thought that making the hole watertight would have been the main problem.
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Andy B on 18 January 2011, 11:46:23
Quote
I have 2 cracks appear in the windscreen one in each bottom corner, they seem to be the result of the cold weather we had over Christmas.

In order to prevent them growing any further I have seen in the past some screen drilled with a tiny hole which stops the crack in it's path thus prolonging the life of the screen.

Has anybody done this, can you give me tips?  :y

Rusty??? Is that you?  ::) ::) ::)

 ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Gaffers on 18 January 2011, 11:55:41
Quote
Quote
I have 2 cracks appear in the windscreen one in each bottom corner, they seem to be the result of the cold weather we had over Christmas.

In order to prevent them growing any further I have seen in the past some screen drilled with a tiny hole which stops the crack in it's path thus prolonging the life of the screen.

Has anybody done this, can you give me tips?  :y

Rusty??? Is that you?  ::) ::) ::)

 ;) ;) ;)

Cheeky....... C U Next Tuesday!  ;D
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Andy B on 18 January 2011, 11:58:18
Quote
Quote
Quote
I have 2 cracks appear in the windscreen one in each bottom corner, they seem to be the result of the cold weather we had over Christmas.

In order to prevent them growing any further I have seen in the past some screen drilled with a tiny hole which stops the crack in it's path thus prolonging the life of the screen.

Has anybody done this, can you give me tips?  :y

Rusty??? Is that you?  ::) ::) ::)

 ;) ;) ;)

Cheeky....... C U Next Tuesday!  ;D

Moi????????  ;D ;D ;D :y
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 18 January 2011, 12:14:57
there are some firms that fill the cracks with a substance which makes it nearly invisible.. I'm sure, there you have them..
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Gaffers on 18 January 2011, 12:30:09
Quote
there are some firms that fill the cracks with a substance which makes it nearly invisible.. I'm sure, there you have them..

Yes but these cracks are too big and are on the edge of the screen
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Andy B on 18 January 2011, 12:35:46
Quote
Quote
there are some firms that fill the cracks with a substance which makes it nearly invisible.. I'm sure, there you have them..

Yes but these cracks are too big and are on the edge of the screen

New screen I think .... get your hand in your pocket!  ;)  ;)  ;)
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Jimbob on 18 January 2011, 12:49:41
A girl at work was just saying "Jason from Autoglass is coming to inject his special resin into my crack"  Thought nothing of it at the time, then I remembered, she hasnt even got a car!  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Welung666 on 18 January 2011, 13:02:01
It's not so much drilling a hole more of a small counter sink a mm or 2 deep, as a stop gap it'll stop the crack spreading but bear in mind that the windscreen on the mig is a structural component and in the event of an accident involving a rollover could be risking your (and your passengers') life and end up negating your insurance.
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Andy B on 18 January 2011, 13:04:13
Quote
A girl at work was just saying "Jason from Autoglass is coming to inject his special resin into my crack"  Thought nothing of it at the time, then I remembered, she hasnt even got a car!  ;D ;D ;D

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 18 January 2011, 13:04:15
Quote
It's not so much drilling a hole more of a small counter sink a mm or 2 deep, as a stop gap it'll stop the crack spreading but bear in mind that the windscreen on the mig is a structural component and in the event of an accident involving a rollover could be risking your (and your passengers') life and end up negating your insurance.



Indeed :y :y

I personally would want to consult with the professions, like Autoglass, before I did anything.  You could make the situation far worse by any amateur actions like drilling ;) ;)
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Gaffers on 18 January 2011, 13:32:51
I have windscreen cover on the insurance but the policy is only 2 weeks old  :(
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 18 January 2011, 13:39:43
Quote
A girl at work was just saying "Jason from Autoglass is coming to inject his special resin into my crack"  Thought nothing of it at the time, then I remembered, she hasnt even got a car!  ;D ;D ;D


 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 18 January 2011, 13:54:50
Quote
I have windscreen cover on the insurance but the policy is only 2 weeks old  :(


So?! ::) ::) ::)

I wouldn't hesitate to claim Guffer, that is what insurance is for from day 1 of the policy coming into force. ;) ;)
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Andy B on 18 January 2011, 14:10:41
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Quote
I have windscreen cover on the insurance but the policy is only 2 weeks old  :(


So?! ::) ::) ::)

I wouldn't hesitate to claim Guffer, that is what insurance is for from day 1 of the policy coming into force. ;) ;)

Exactly. :y They wouldn't let you make a claim the day after it expired on the grounds that you'd been a policy holder for X years!  ;)
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: russ0205 on 18 January 2011, 18:18:02
Am i missing the point here insurance is from day 1, A new windscreen allways looks good wouldn't bother trying to have it repaired, A mate of mine had a stone chip repaired by autoglass but you can still see where it was, :y
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Omegatoy on 18 January 2011, 19:10:35
its easy to do!!! however i can say that as i have the full windscreen repair kit from where i used to repair cracks and splits!!!
all cracks you need to find the exact spot where the crack ends, then drill into the first layer of glass and not beyond into the plastic laminate!! once you have drilled the exact spot, you then use a punch( :o and break the remaining glass at the bottom of the hole, then put your injection gun onto the hole just drilled then inject the UV resin, having done it for years i can do it in my sleep now, however 2 weeks ago i ran out of resin, so thats oin me shopping list for next time im in uk!!
but to answer your original question ,
get a friend or the wife to hold a mirror on the inside iof the screen near the end of the crack, so you can see the exact poiint to drill prob best using a dremel but mount a tiny carbide burr in
it if you drill the exact end of the crack it will stop it spreading once done, inject a small clear silicon sealnt inot the hole this will stop water getting in a making the screen go milky, :y
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: feeutfo on 18 January 2011, 21:19:09
Autoglass won't give a rats Arse how old the policy is, and the insurers wont know until they get the bill from them, by which time it's too late. It's either covered or it isn't. Stone chips and cracks can happen at any time.

But the reality is that most likely the cracks will be caused by Rusty ( ;D ) areas under the screen where it bonds to the chassis. Are there White areas growing in the black printed area in the screen surround? That's usually the give away. The rust swells up and cracks the screen.

If so, drill it all you like it won't stop the crack until the rust is sorted.

Get on to autoglass, or whoever it is that covers the screen. IMO......
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Ken T on 18 January 2011, 22:11:40
Quote
Quote
It's not so much drilling a hole more of a small counter sink a mm or 2 deep, as a stop gap it'll stop the crack spreading but bear in mind that the windscreen on the mig is a structural component and in the event of an accident involving a rollover could be risking your (and your passengers') life and end up negating your insurance.



Indeed :y :y

I personally would want to consult with the professions, like Autoglass, before I did anything.  You could make the situation far worse by any amateur actions like drilling ;) ;)

I wouldn't call  Autoglass professional. They fitted a rear window, and didn't push it far enough up. result a gap between the trim and the body, just right to catch water and run it down into the body. :'( Plus I had a £75 excess so it cost a fair chunk.

I had the front suffer a bad chip/crack (Lorry pulling out of a building site  :-X ) but found a local mobile chap. £100 new screen fitted, no fuss, good job, he took lots of care, plus receipt.

You choose.

Ken
Title: Re: Drilling windscreens
Post by: Martin_1962 on 19 January 2011, 13:03:09
Full width cracks are stonechip+heater+frost