Glass Treatment/RainX

[Onsite]

Ok here is a question for all.

What is the best product to remove a glass treatment like rainx off the area you need to repair?I found repairs do not work to well unless you remove the glass treatment.

I have my thoughts let me hear what all of you have to say.

[AGSS]

XPHOBE available from Glass Technology and another long crack company that cannot be mentioned here.

- Chris

[GGWSR]

Hi... I've been told that RainX contaminates by etching the glass, making it porous, is this correct? What about the stuff I'm hearing about that claims to "prevent windshield damage" in the first place. What is this stuff?

[splitpit]

I would say both are false. I absolutely hate rain-x, but I doubt it etches the glass. Just coats it with silicone and that would make it anything but porus.
Maybe they think an extremely slick windshield won't damage as easily!
In some cases, if rain-x has been applied and it has contaminated the damage, I turn down doing the repair.

[grouselab]

How can you tell if the Rain-x on the windshield? I asked the customers first before I repair their windshield if they applied rain-x on it.. most of them just say " I don't know, I'm not sure".. :eusa_thin

[screenman]

If the Rainx was applied before the damage happened why would it make the repair harder. Maybe rainex is used more in wet area's and they tech is not drying out the damage properly. Anyway we have found a quick flush with acetone or such like will normaly clean most surfaces.
Drip it in the chip and dry out fast no problems. As even with resin if left in the repair to long uncured they will soften the PVB. So just get it in and out fast.

[splitpit]

RainX applied before the damage occurs is a problem for a couple of reasons.
The crushed impact point, depending upon how severe, will have silicone on it which has been pushed into the damage. And in some cases, rain, car washes, or running the car's windshield washer will cause the silicone to work it's way down into the damage. Some people even use washer fluid that has RainX in it. Often times damage that has silicone contamination will clear out and look great under pressure but edge lines and dark spots will reappear quickly when the injector is removed because the silcone is repelling the resin, just like it would any liquid.

I've found that silicone is even impervious to acetone so flushing out isn't always effective. Nothing really breaks down or neutralizes silicone. If the damage is fresh and has not been subjected to having moisture filter the silicone into the damage, I've found that taking a piece of duct tape and placing it over the damage and then removing it, will lift the existing silcine off of the damaged area. You may have to do it a couple or more times with a fresh piece of tape.

[screenman]

Spitpit, I just went out to the workshop and tried some acetone on a hydrophobic solution and it seemed to clear it well. Also tried a pit filler test on a piece of coated glass which I did not try and clean and it stuck well. Maybe your Rainex is different, anyone want to send me some and I will run some tests.

I stick by my idea of people not drying out properly.

[screenman]

Funny

.http://www.windtrax.com/featured_products/25_rain-x.asp

It says Rainx is soluble and can be removed with water maybe thats what is in the chip.

[splitpit]

Silicone is not water soluble. Water alone will not break it down or change it's composition in any way.