No one is safe from troubles on the road. It may happen that one day on a federal highway, a pebble from a truck in front is falling into the windshield. The result of such contact can be different - from a small chip to a deep crack. But in any case, the windshield will be deformed to one degree or another. Of course, driving with such a problem is hardly comfortable. Therefore, today we will consider how to remove cracks on the windshield with our own hands.
Why is this damage dangerous?
Even with a small impact, the integrity and strength of the glass is broken. Yes, the windshield of a modern car is a triplex. It's hard enough to break it. However, over time, the "web" will creep on.
At first, barely noticeable scratches appear, which will soon grow into a real crack. In addition, such defects significantly impair visibility, which directly affects traffic safety. And if there is a large "web" on the front, you can be prosecuted by the traffic police, having written a considerable fine.
What to do first?
So, a foreign object has fallen into your glass. What needs to be done first? First you need to eliminate surface contamination. Apply transparent adhesive tape to the crack. It will not allow dirt to penetrate while you go to the place of repair. After all, road dust will act as an abrasive, each time reducing the strength of the glass. Having arrived home, the adhesive tape can be removed and proceed with repair work. However, you will need a special tool to remove cracks in the windshield. We will talk about this below.
Necessary tools and materials
At first glance, removing chips and cracks in the windshield seems like a fairly simple operation. However, the work requires special attention and accuracy. It is best to perform this procedure in a dry, well-lit room. What tools do we need in order to remove cracks on the windshield? In the course of the work we will need:
- Drill or electric drill.
- Glass scraper.
- Diamond drills.
- Brackets for fixing the applicator.
- ultraviolet lamp.
- Suction cup and mirror.
- Brush for cleaning the surface.
- Hair dryer.
We also need a photopolymer, a solvent for working with polymers, a degreaser, wipes for cleaning and final polishing of glass.
Note that on the market you can buy a ready-made kit for removing cracks in the windshield. It can be either professional or disposable. In the first case, you get a hand pump, an ultraviolet lamp, a mirror, brackets for attaching a polymer and a device for their input (the so-called injector).
Disposable kits include only glue for removing cracks in the windshield and wipes. The rest of the items you have to buy separately. Such sets are a small plastic pad and a tube with a polymer composition. It will not work with him to remove cracks on the windshield (only suitable for chips).
Getting started: preparation
At the first stage, we need to carefully process and degrease the damaged area of ββthe glass. We remove all the dust and dirt inside the scribe. Next, we go through the area with a hairdryer and, at the end, degrease a chip or crack.
After that we pick up a drill and a diamond drill. We process the place of cleavage with a tool. We will align the glass walls with a drill, due to which the polymer composition will penetrate fully. On the outside of the windshield, we install a bracket for the injection device.
Fill with photopolymer
Depending on the scale of work, put in a special injector from two to ten drops of the composition. The injector is mounted in a bracket. The accuracy of the installation is controlled by a mirror. The composition should be applied exactly to the center of the chip. With the help of screws, we adjust the tightness of the injector against the surface. From the side of the cabin, warm the glass with a hairdryer or a lighter.
Use the hand pump or injector piston to remove air in the work area. Then the polymer is filled into the crack. Make sure that no air bubbles form in it. If so, they can be removed with several swap-pump cycles. Filling a chip or crack with a polymer composition, remove the injector from the glass.
Next, the final film is installed on the surface. An ultraviolet lamp is placed in the place where the injector was. When the polymer has hardened (usually 15 minutes), the lamp and film can be removed. On the surface you will see the remnants of repair glue. Do not be afraid, this is a natural phenomenon. You can remove excess parts of the polymer using a special blade that comes with the kit. The removal of cracks in the windshield is completed by final polishing of the surface.
Note! Repair of long cracks is carried out with brackets of the "bridge" type. This type of mounting allows you to move the injector along the crack as the composition is filled.
Useful Tips
When choosing a kit for removing chips or cracks, you need to pay attention to the transparency coefficient of the material. Some cars have factory dimming the windshield (and this is not a film). The transparency coefficient is indicated in the instructions for the photopolymer. Glass information is provided in the vehicle documentation.
During the course of the work, set the correct wavelength of the UV lamp. Also monitor the cure time of the repair adhesive. All these data are indicated in the instructions for the kit.
If the injector is not used for the first time, carefully prepare it for work. The presence of dirt or fine dust can cause bubbles or other troubles. And finally, do not forget about the protective devices. Since photopolymer is a chemical, work with rubber gloves.
How effective is it?
Subject to the technology of work, you can almost completely hide defects in the windshield. Why practically, because the transparency coefficient of the polymer, even with the right selection, will differ from those values ββthat the triplex glass has.
At a distance of one or more meters, the defect will be completely hidden. However, if you look at the glass at a certain angle, you can see the repaired crack. As for the reliability of the connection, the composition glues parts of the glass well. If the problem was fixed on time, the strength of the windshield will be at its former level. The main thing is to qualitatively prepare the surface, removing all dirt and dust from it.
Conclusion
So, we found out how to repair chips and remove cracks in the windshield with our own hands. The operation is simple, but it requires certain skills.