Windshield Repair - Long Cracks - Making the Repair
Learn how to repair windshields with our free course on Windshield Repair. Know which Windshield Repair Kits are available and which kits fit your repair needs.
Be informed by seeing a comparison of the kits and processes before
you begin, and be able to determine whether a windshield can be repaired
or needs to be replaced.
These kits are used to repair bullseye, spider web, star, chip, and combination windshield
damage. Some kits can repair cracks. See kit comparison chart
for specifics.
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Windshield Long Crack Repair:
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Preparation for Repair
Move the vehicle into a shaded area. Repairs must always be preformed
in shaded areas and on windshields that have been shaded long enough that
they are not warm or hot to the touch. There must not be any UV or sunlight
directly on the windshield during the repair process.
Place cloths near the bottom of the windshield below the damage on the
inside and on the outside of the windshield. This is to protect the car's
finishes in the event that resin runs down the windshield on either side
of the glass. It is best to have a drop cloth covering the painted surfaces
such as the hood in around the repair area to a distance that if a part
were dropped or resin dripped from a part it would land on the cloth and
not on the vehicle.
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Remove Loose Glass
Clean or remove any loose pieces of glass from the damaged area with the
pushpin or razor blade. Do not touch the glass with your fingers as this
might leave oil on the glass.
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Clean Damage Area
Clean windshield around the damaged area with a dry cloth or alcohol towelette
if provided in kit. Do not use any alcohol products that may have perfume
or oils added. Make sure the area is dry and clean before moving on to
the next step. If an air supply or canned air is available, blow the damaged
area to ensure no dust or debris remain in the area to be repaired.
(DO NOT Blow directly into damage at close range as this could damage your windshield.)
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Deposit Resin to the Crack
To open resin container; remove cap from the container, and away from
painted surfaces carefully cut off approximately 1/8 inch or less of the
tube tip using the enclosed razor blade or a pair of scissors. Cut off
only enough of the thin end of the tip of the resin container to open
it.
Be sure to have some curing strips handy, and ready to place over the
resin. Start from one end of the crack, preferably the lowest end of
the crack, and very slowly dispense repair resin directly on the crack.
Dispense the repair resin only as fast as the crack is disappearing,
about 1/8 inch per second. Surface tension will cause the crack to act
like a capillary tube drawing the resin into the crack. Do not get ahead
of the resin flowing into the crack as this might capture an air bubble
in the crack.
Look at the crack from a 45 degree angle to the side of the crack to see
the shaded or dark area filling with the repair resin. Be patient, allow
the resin to be absorbed into the crack.
If air pockets still remain in the crack after 5 to 10 minutes, then apply
a small amount of pressure from the inside of the windshield, to both
sides and center of the crack to spread the crack slightly. This will
help the resin to flow into the crack more freely forcing the air out
of the crack. If you have a crack spreader, you could attach it to the
inside of the windshield to spread the crack slightly before applying
the resin. Minimal pressure should be added to the inside of the windshield
in either case since excess pressure will extend the crack.
Examine the repair area from both sides of the crack at a 45 degree angle
to see if any parts of the crack are still visible. If necessary, repeat
dispensing more repair resin and gently applying pressure from behind
and along the crack until no dark areas are visible.
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