Many people have heard that the windshield was scratched when they heard the “click!” Sound while driving. Windshield scratches from stepping stones vary in size and size. A body can be repaired by touch-up or body repair, but what about glass?
Windshield structure
The windshield is “laminated glass” so that it will not be easily broken by stepping stones. This laminated glass has a three-layer structure in which an interlayer made of resin called “plasticized polyvinyl butyral” is sandwiched between two pieces of glass.
With this structure, if a stepping stone impacts, only small cracks will be made and fragments will not splatter, so you can secure visibility and continue driving. Also, when the body collides with the windshield in an accident, the interlayer film absorbs and absorbs the impact of the collision, ensuring safety.
The use of laminated glass for automobile windshields is required by Japanese law.
What should I do when a stepping stone is damaged?
If a stepping stone hits the windshield, stop the car once in a safe place and check the location and size of the scratch.
If you are driving on a highway, drive to the service area and check in the parking lot. If the cracks are large, do not drive.
If the stepping stone is a small wound, it can be repaired. The size of the wound that can be repaired is said to be less than 2cm. Also, it should be about 10-20cm away from the edge of the glass. In places near the edge of the glass, there is a high possibility that cracks will spread due to the effects of vibration during driving.
However, even small cracks of 1cm or less can grow due to wind pressure and vibration during driving. If the crack grows, it cannot be repaired and the windshield must be replaced. Furthermore, even if the temperature of the outside air changes, cracks can grow, so it is dangerous to leave them alone even if they are small scratches.
Big crack, can you fix it yourself?
There is a repair kit that you can repair yourself, but it takes a lot of practice to get it clean.
Professional repair work uses specialized tools and injects the repair agent while evacuating the air that has entered the interlayer of the windshield.
As mentioned above, it is advisable to repair as soon as possible wounds that may grow due to wind pressure, vibration, or changes in the outside air temperature while driving.
The damage caused by stepping stones can be caused by the tires of the preceding vehicle jumping over the stones on the road surface, pebbles trapped between the truck’s double tires, and in winter, snow masses frozen on the road There are various patterns, such as flying from below the car, but one thing to watch out for is when you are behind a dump with crushed stone.
Dumps carrying crushed stones do not pose much of a risk on flat roads, but they drop jumbles and pebbles from the bed when turning on uneven or curved road surfaces. The pebbles jump on the road surface and hit the bonnet or the glass when passing at that timing. Be especially careful when you drive behind a truck or dump.
If the windshield is scratched by a stepping stone, do not leave it unattended and take action as soon as possible.
