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How to use a Windshield Repair KitNow you can use a Windshield Repair Kit to take care of those annoying stone chips that always manage to hit your windshield smack in the middle of your field of vision. Before replacing your windshield, try to repair. You just may save yourself the cost of a new windshield.
A good Windshield Repair Kit does the trick and we are going to show you how. Most stone chips and small breaks penetrate only the outer layer of the windshield. An appropriate kit repairs them with a unique resin that actually penetrates the glass surface. A Windshield Repair Kit will not handle breaks or cracks that break entirely through the windshield, nor will it work on radiating cracks. If your fingernail does not hang up on the chip or crack while running it along the inside surface of the windshield, chances are that the damage has not penetrated through the windshield. We do suggest practicing on an old windshield if you have one accessible before you start on your own car.You can probably get a piece of an old windshield at your local scrap yard. 1) The crack must be absolutely clean and dry before repair. All wax, dirt, and silicones must be removed. Wash your windshield inside and out for both a clear view of the process and for the procedure to work properly. Be sure to do the final clean up with nothing but a fresh clean rag and alcohol. It is wise to do your such a repair on a sunny day. You will need to do the actual repair work in the shade, but then move the car into the bright sun for the resin to harden. 2) The damage in your windshield may not be deep enough for the resin to penetrate, so you may need to drill a small (1/32-bit) hole into the chip.
Note that using a regular drill bit will ruin your windshield ! Using a Diamond Windshield Burr, at 1500 rpm or less, is perfect for the job. *******************************************
Use the burr with a low speed Dremel tool. A regular electric drill will work, but the handy size and slow speed on the Dremel is perfect for the job. Don't drill too deeply (no more than half the glass thickness is necessary) Also, do not rush the drilling as you may cause further damage to the windshield. 3) Assemble the bridge in the Windshield Repair Kit by screwing the suction cups to the bottom and screwing injector # 1 in the center hole. The injector should protrude approximately 1/8th inch. Press in the injector tip, (also called the O-ring grommet). 4) Press the injector bridge to the windshield directly over the pinhole in the center of the damaged spot. Lining up the injector over the hole is as simple as looking into the center of the injector, closely. The chip shows up immediately. Do not over tighten or press too hard as you may crack your windshield further. You simply want a nice tight fit between the O-ring and the surface of your windshield. 5) Place approximately 10 drops of the resin, included in the Windshield Repair Kit, into the injector. Then, slowly screw injector # 2 into injector # 1. The hydraulic action from the one injector being screwed into the other forces the liquid resin into the damaged area. You may want to go inside the car and lightly tap the inside of the windshield under the damaged spot in order to help the flow. In some cases, a hair dryer may be used to warm the resin and help it flow into the damage area. If additional resin is needed, apply more in the same fashion. If you get a little extra on the windshield, Acetone, lacquer thinner or nail polish remover will work. 6) A small pit may be left from the original damage or drill hole. Fill this with clear nail polish and let set. The final result may be a small pit no bigger than what you would usually see from a sand pit which most windshields have. What is gone is the nasty short crack that usually extends to each side of a chip about an 1/8th of an inch that picks up annoying sunlight glare. Also, the main chip itself is gone. Thanks to you and the your Windshield Repair Kit ! 7) If you have a long crack, drill a pinhole at each end of the damaged area and an additional one in the middle. Again, the holes only need to go through half the thickness of the glass. The pinhole at the end will keep the crack from getting bigger.
In little over a couple hours you can save hundreds of dollars from buying a new windshield, or having a professional perform the
chip repair job. A do-it-yourself attitude, a good Windshield Repair Kit and appropriate tools are the perfect combination
with which to have fun repairing your own car and save money at the same time.
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