I've got 2 rock chips in the windshield of the beater I use for rain and winter driving. Just wondering if anyone knows the easiest way to repair them before they turn into windshield cracks?

 

You might find inexpensive replacement glass at a wrecking yard if insurance won't replace your glass. Any glass repair shop will put a drop or two of their stuff into your chips to prevent them from running for next to nothing. I replaced the glass on my granddaughters Toyota Corolla with new glass for $120.

Good Luck!

VETFVER

 

The chips are not that bad. I was hoping I could just fix them myself somewhat easily before they become cracked. Since the car is a beater I really don't care what they look like. I was hoping someone knew of a do-it yourself kit.

 

Somewhere I read about a window repair kit from some catalog I had but can't remember which one is was. You might try a search on the web for "windshield repair kit" and see if you come up with any hits. Good Luck,

PS Just found a link:
www.alwaysbrilliant.com

 

Check with your local glass guy, I just had a pretty nasty stone chip fixed in the windshield of my Silverado and you can't even see it anymore. It is called glass medic and uses a vacuum pump and some type of clear epoxy. Worked great for me and saves the hassle of changing a windshield

Dan

 

There is a company on Long Island NY who use to distribute a product I believe was called "Clear Star". It was a kit sold at auto zone for windshield chip repairs. I paid about $10.00 about 5 years ago.

http://www.detailplus.com/windshield.htm

 

Polishing Glass:
Minor imperfections can be removed with an abrasive glass polish (Autoglym Car Class Polish) be aware the some imperfections cannot be removed and you may have to replace it. Some windscreen ‘glass’ is actually a plastic resin and will scratch easily, consult your dealer to find out what material was used for the OEM windshield.

Heat caused by abrasive polishing can soften and damage glass; foam pad and product used must minimize heat build-up. Since glass is a poor heat conductor any friction heat built up from polishing must be kept to a minimum by using sufficient product and regular misting of both the polishing pad and glass surface with water.

If you can catch your fingernail in the scratch 0.4 Mil (0 .004 –inch deep) you should consult a professional glass repair / replacement company.

Methodology:
•Clean glass to remove dirt, dust or road grime from surfaces (also see note 1)
•Apply clay (Magic Clay®) and lubricant solution (WooliteTM / Water 5:1) onto the glass surface (Do not apply to plastic as dulling may occur.)
•Apply a quarter (coin) size amount of Autoglym Car Glass Polish™ or Iz Einzette Glas Polish to a damp cutting / polishing foam pad (LC Orange or White) attached to a Porter Cable HS rotary polisher set at speed 1200 rpm.
•Apply to half of the windshield, polishing first in an up and down motion then in a left-to-right motion and then repeat on the other side, proceed to other glass surfaces.
•Go over the glass several times in each direction, glass will polish virtually residue free.
•Wipe off any residue, and polish with a clean dry 100% cotton Micro fibre cloth.
•Inspect glass for clarity and smoothness. Repeat if necessary.
•If the glass has PPG Industries Optech clear coating a more aggressive polish may be required

Alternative products / methods: Apply Zaino Z-12 with a damp cotton cloth to cool glass, apply to small sections at a time and allow to completely dry, buffing with a clean dry cotton towel. If there is any smearing or residue left just use Stoner’s Invisible Glass or any good quality glass cleaner to remove excess residue.

Note: Do not use an abrasive polish on ‘Targa ‘glass’ tops as they are actually Lexan and an abrasive will remove the tint

a) Glass Polishing Kit for Deep Scratches:
Most glass polishers contain Cerium Oxide an optical polishing compound (belonging to the group of elements known as rare earth) all necessary precautions should be used with regard to the dust produced. Removes deep scratches from automotive glass and save the replacement costs. This abrasive system literally grinds away imperfections until scratches disappear, works best with a HS Rotary set at 1500-2000 RPM.

Warning- this system removes glass, maintain a wet surface and keep pad moving to avoid heat build-up an avoid causing optical distortion Eastwoods kit includes: self-adhering hook and loop pad, coarse, medium and fine abrasives. (Pro Glass Polishing Kit (40011) and instructions from Eastwood.com)

Notes:
1.Do not use on Lexan, Plexiglas or clear plastics (See Polishing Plastic).
2.Do not use abrasive glass polish on after market-tinted glass or you will probably scratch the surface
3.For deeply etched water spots' or pits (caused by sand or road stones) in the glass surface, do not attempt to polish them out, consult an automotive glass vendor as glass used on later model cars is soft and thin (this may vary by manufacturer) due to weight / cost savings by vehicle manufactures and polishing could cause glass to crack.
4.Do not use on glass with either internal antenna or defroster elements.
5.Some windshields and mirrors have a tinted plastic coating or a blue tint that will scratch or be damaged, only polish or use synthetic wool on uncoated glass.
{each one / teach one][then student /becomes teacher}
JonM