How to remove a crack on the windshield?

Unfortunately, on the road, no motorist is insured against minor, but annoying troubles. Even with very careful driving, a stone can fly out from under the wheels of an oncoming car and damage the windshield of your car. In such a situation, the owner of the damaged car faces the question of how to remove the crack on the windshield? Go to the car wash or try to fix the problem yourself? Today we will tell you how to eliminate the crack on the windshield with your own hands and do not overpay for expensive repairs, but this, of course, if the glass does not fall completely and is not covered with cracks, like cobwebs.

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Damage types

It should be noted immediately what kind of mechanical damage can be eliminated by yourself. These types of damage include:

• Chipped. They need to be eliminated immediately so that the branching does not go away.
• Simple cracks formed as a result of a sharp and constant temperature drop. This can happen if the car is warmed up incorrectly and the temperature is not respected inside and outside the cabin.
• Shattered. The reason for their appearance is a mechanical effect.
• Branched cracks. Unlike simple cracks, such damage is difficult to remove. Sometimes an untimely solution of the problem can lead not only to the appearance of deep branched cracks, but also to a complete replacement of the windshield.

Important! Any mechanical damage can lead to the complete unfitness of the glass, if not removed in a timely manner.

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What factors lead to the appearance of cracks?

Automotive glass can get damaged mechanically by striking a foreign object. However, cracks on the glass may occur for other reasons. Here are just some possible causes of the damage:

• Sharp temperature fluctuation. This is one of the main reasons. If a stream of cooled air gets into the heated glass, and - vice versa, if a hot air stream is applied to the cooled glass, a crack may appear. Often, the damage is fixed in the place of heating the wiper.
• Low-quality glass. A gross violation of production technology can lead to damage to the glass, which simply does not withstand too much stress.
• Serious deformation of the vehicle body. In this case, the crack does not form immediately, but gradually.
• Unseen chips, which lead to the destruction of glass.

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How to avoid problems?

Now on the market there are various proposals for the protection of windshields. One of the most popular options is a protective film sticker, which protects the expensive part of the car from mechanical influences.

In addition, the car owner should adhere to the following rules of the machine:

• Control the degree of heating of the front and rear windows. Do not direct cold air to a hot glass.
• Replace the part only with a quality option.
• Regularly inspect the car for chipped and other defects. If damage is detected, secure them securely with a special sealant to prevent the crack from splitting.

Important! If on the road you "caught" a pebble, then, first of all, it is necessary to prevent the ingress of dust and dirt into the crack. Cover the place of damage with adhesive tape along the entire length. This will not only protect the crack from further deformation, but will also facilitate the final sweep in the future. Otherwise, the dirt accumulated on the bottom of the chip will be visible inside the glass after repair.

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Can I remove the crack on the windshield?

There is an unequivocal answer to this question - not only it is possible, but also it is necessary. Many drivers are slow to solve the problem and drive with a damaged glass. But at such driving there are other problems:

• Visibility on the road is getting worse.
• A crack flashes in the sun, distracting the driver.
• Driving safety is reduced.
• Excessive loads and pressure have a damaging effect on cracks. And this can lead to serious consequences and a problem that only experienced masters can solve.

In order not to bring the matter to costly repair or replacement parts, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the repair process and remove the crack on the glass yourself, in a timely manner. Moreover, professional services of most car-care centers are not designed to eliminate one single problem.

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How to remove a crack on the glass?

The essence of the repair is to fill the damage with a special photopolymer composition to the full depth. The glue will perform two functions:

• Connects the edges of the crack and will not allow it to expand.
• Will make the damage almost invisible, due to the fact that the refractive index of the medium is approximately equal to the refractive index of the glass.

So, for self-repair damage, you will need the following materials and equipment:

• Photopolymer adhesive. The product is designed specifically for automotive and other glass. The solidification of the polymer occurs due to the action of the directed ultraviolet. Curing time: 15 minutes when using a UV lamp, 45 minutes - with natural drying.
• Ultra-violet lamp.
• Plastic( disposable) or metal( reusable) injector for glue.
• Applicators, which allow to fix the injector on the glass.
• Electric drill with diamond drill. It will help remove the internal stress in the glass and prevent further deformation.
• Vacuum pump. The tool is needed to remove air from the crack.
• Mirror for defect boundary detection.
• Scraider for cleaning the damaged surface.
• Cleansing liquid and wipes to remove moisture and dirt.
• Alcohol( medical or isopropyl alcohol) for degreasing the repair site.

Important! Instead of a drill, you can use a dental log, which is sold in Medtechnika. Use it carefully so as not to drill through the glass.

Having prepared the necessary set of tools and materials, proceed to repair, following the instructions below.

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Step-by-step instruction for repairing cracks in glass:

• Thoroughly clean glass and crack edges from dirt. Use degreaser and pump for this purpose. Blow out all road dust and dirt from damage, degrease the entire repair area. The quality of the entire repair process depends on how well the preparatory measures are carried out qualitatively.
• Loosen the tension of the glass. This must be done so that the scale of damage does not increase in the course of further activities. Follow this procedure with a drill as follows:
  1. At a distance of 2 mm from the crack, drill a through hole in the direction of expansion of the damage.
  2. Bring the crack to the hole with a slight pressure. As a result, the crack will reach the drilled hole and will not go further.
• Strip the edges and the area of ​​damage with the help of a scribber.
• Prepare the treated area with a cloth moistened with a special cleaning fluid. You can degrease the surface with alcohol.
• Allow the affected area to dry.
• Prepare the polymer adhesive according to the instructions.
• Install the injector support( bridge).To ensure that the bridge is securely fixed to the glass, place the suction cup on the vaseline and set it so that it is directly above the damage.
• Prepare the injector for use. To do this:
  1. Remove the oil seal.
  2. Piston downwards.
  3. Drop a few drops of glue into the injector.
  4. Lift the piston to the top of the cylinder.
  5. Install the injector with glue on the bridge using applicators. Make sure that the center of the injector coincides with the center of the crack.
• Lift the piston and allow 1.5 minutes for the glue to fill the damage completely.
• After filling the entire crack with glue, stop the injection. Remove the injector and bridge.
• Set over the crack UV lamp for 15 minutes.
• After the glue dries, remove all of its residues from the glass with a blade for the mounting knife.
• Polish the repaired surface with a soft cloth and polishing paste.

Repair is finished. If the sequence of measures is observed, the crack will become invisible.

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Useful advices:

• Use for the introduction of photopolymer adhesive can be a special set. It is produced by many manufacturers. The kit consists of glue and accessories. When buying a product, give preference to the world famous brands - Done Deal, Permatex, Abro.
• Observe the process of pumping the glue is most conveniently from the interior of the car, flashing on the side with a flashlight or a portable lamp.
• Curative UV lamps for home use are excellent for the polymerization of the adhesive. If you have such a device, then use it. You can wait for the glue to dry completely and naturally. But this process can take up to 10 hours.
• After you remove the injector for the glue and applicator, apply a transparent finish film to fix the product and lay it flat on the glass surface. Lay the film from the center to the edges so that air bubbles do not form under it. Smooth the film with a flat object. Remove the film after the glue dries out with a plastic scraper or wooden plate.

We hope that our advice and simple recommendations helped you to extend the life of the glass and save on expensive repairs in the workshop. Good luck and good roads!