Crack Repair - OOPS

[vinyl-4ever]

Hello All. Just when I got comfortable with repairing 6" to 8" cracks? I had a job tonight when I got to the job the crack was about 7", bottom center of windshield. Temp was about 24, warmed up the windshield using defroster, drilled a hole for a mini bull at end of crack, dried crack out with moisture evaporator. I proceeded to fill crack and everytihng was pretty smooth until about the last inch of crack. This part would not fill it was like the pressure just stopped, I tried to add more pressure, nothing. This is where I think I f----d up. I tried to flex the inside of the windshield a little and it happened. The 7" crack grew by about 23". I informed the customer about there car, Called Lynx and informed them that the crack had become unrepairable. I then set the appointment up for the customer for replacement. I have a buddy that does replacement, he kicks me back a little cash for referrals. The customer was really cool about the whole situation. I guess I need a little more practice..

[Jerry Martin]

No when you try to make a subsurface crack to surface, that is the risk you take. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. I do think by the temperture changes you were putting that glass through, you were asking for trouble.

[GlasWeldTech]

I would think if the crack was already 7 inches that it is already a surface crack.

[wilz]

The last inch of the crack, i feel would be a subsurface break. From where you pop your mini bulls eye, fill from that point and it should take care of that bit. Works out for me all the time.

[texas jim]

Next time try this. i know it may sound crazy but works for me better then applying pressure on the brake. use your polishing wheel inside the glass. ok from the inside of the glass at the point where the fill has stoped. it will heat the glass some and will in most cases for me fill. this technique is what i always use after i have drilled and set my bullseye. set your injector over the bullseye slight pressure and heat from inside and watch the crack start to fill. we all use differant techniques but this one was shown to me buy a 22 yr vet. good luck. oh ps. watch out useing the defrost on cold glass with a crack.

[Sneck]

The best results on repairing cracks for me have been...

1. Cool the windshield if it is too hot, but I don't ever warm up the windshield if it is cold. I think a cold windshield is fine (unless you have to remove frost or snow or something). The less you have to play around with changing the temp of the glass, the better off you are on a successful repair. If you must warm the windshield, use the heater in the car, (not the defroster).

2. Drill & pop a mini-bull.

3. Run the crack into the mini bull if it is not already there. (Usually I don't have to do this).

4. Using the type of equipment that allows you to "slide" the injector along the crack, start first with the mini-bull, and glide and fill the crack starting at the mini-bull.

5. I don't begin curing until I have the entire length of crack completely filled. Other techs probably do it differently, but I have had fantastic results with this process.

By starting at the tight end of the crack, any air that may be present will be "pushed" by the advancing resin down the length of crack and into the break body from which the crack originated from (or the edge of the windshield).

Starting at the tight end of the crack, the resin travels very slowly at first because the crack is pretty tight, but soon the resin picks up speed as the resistence against the advancing resin becomes less and less because the crack is wider and wider as you go.

After filling the crack, the last thing to fill is the original rock-chip.

[screenman]

When doing cracks I find it easier, quicker and safer to drill a second hole, this is after you have drilled and popped the stop hole. This hole is drilled and popped the same as the end one but it is about half inch in from the end, this is the hole we fill from. Resin will slowly fill the end of the crack whilst rapidly filling the rest. This method open the crack nicely. I would say the majority of 7 inch cracks are open to the surface so there are many methods you could use. It is up to you to find one that works. Becuase I run a training centre we tend to stick to the one's guys pick up easiest.

[toab]

So that would be 3 holes that you are drilling??the edge of the shield side of the crack(cleat stop),the bullseye at the point and also this other one for filling purposes a half inch in??This is news to me.

[screenman]

Toab,

That is correct, as I have stated in other posts I write what I do if anyone chooses to try it that is up to them. I do a lot of cracks on large buses, coaches and trucks with bonded screens. Due to the bad state of the roads in the UK a chip will often turn into a crack before the vehicle even gets back to base. Using this method we do not get failures. Do you have a problem with my description of the repair procedure? or are you not happy with the amount of holes drilled. It has stood me in good stead for 19 years now so I think I have it tested. The starting price of most of the screens in large vehicles over here is about

[GlasWeldTech]

I agree with Screenman. DO what works for you and don't worry about what everyone else thinks is wrong with the procedure.Results and non-failure is what we strive to get.