Windshield Stress Crack

[Sportfisherman25]

I have Progressive Ins with a disappearing deductible, replaced bith of my windshields while wintering in Fl an cost me 125.00. Hope to be real careful for the next couple of years. Total cost was 2300.00 done by RV Glass Solutions which were FANTANSTIC in the service of there tech and coming tp the Park to replace as I could let unit stay put foe 72 hrs to let glue cure.

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by Sportfisherman25

I have Progressive Ins with a disappearing deductible, replaced bith of my windshields while wintering in Fl an cost me 125.00. Hope to be real careful for the next couple of years. Total cost was 2300.00 done by RV Glass Solutions which were FANTANSTIC in the service of there tech and coming tp the Park to replace as I could let unit stay put foe 72 hrs to let glue cure.

Where in FL did you get it done?

[Bob Montgomery]

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

It would be covered under my comprehensive as well -- $1000 deductible. For that amount of money I just might be forced to drive it and just ignore the crack. The crack starts at the A-pillar about 2' up from the dash. The horizontal part of the crack is about 3". The vertical part is about 10" long and ends about 4" out from the A-pillar. It aligns just about at the spot where my windshield wiper stops. So it is not right in the middle of my vision.

We looked at the glass very carefully and there was not evidence of anything hitting it. Since the crack appears to start right at the A-pillar, I checked it as well and there was nothing to indicate something hit it.

I'm thinking a stress crack happens because somehow stress was put on the glass when it was mounted at the factory. Just because it took 3 months to develop, to me, shouldn't mean that the manufacturer becomes exempt to the warranty claim. Maybe it took 3 months of flexing the coach body to apply enough additional stress to have the crack develop. I know when an L-shaped crack develops in auto glass it is "usually" from undue stress.

We'll see what Thor says, but I'm not confident it will be in my favor. We have Progressive insurance but that is a pretty steep deductible.

I have my insurance through The Hartford on all my vehicles. Only $50 deductible on the comprehensive and it didn't cost much more than the $500 deductible. I have always had a $50 deductible for comprehensive as it is the only thing I ever seem to have. In the far west, damage from rocks and animals happen.

[Bob Montgomery]

I have always liked the Vegas but I was afraid of that windshield. Has the new design resulted in no more stress cracks?

[Chance]

For cost comparison, I recently had my van's windshield (same as Ford Class Cs) replaced and it cost just over $300 including taxes and disposal fee. I had to pay all of it because it's under my deductible.

That total cost included a minor premium to get a Ford OEM windshield which is nicer than my original. The new one is tinted darker across the top.

My reason to mention this is to highlight the much higher cost associated with anything that is not mass produced in large quantities. That may include dash controls, windshield wipers, lights, etc.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

Went in to dealer for warranty work on front grill hinge pin sheared -- found stress crack in windshield. Crack was not there when I was driving over and there is no evidence of window being hit by foreign object. They wrote it up as warranty work -- we'll see if Thor approves it.

Damn the bad luck!

Ed
Just to let you know in the State of Florida insurance is not allowed to charge a deductible for windshield replacement.

Kev

[Bob Montgomery]

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

Talked to Thor Customer Service today. They said the windshield shipped yesterday and is in Atlanta now. Should arrive at dealer within next two days. Dealer was forecasting sometime after New Years (but hadn't checked on shipment status). I'm hoping they can replace the windshield within the next week to 10 days.

Super! Is your windshield the old type or the new type? I have always like the Vegas/Axis but was concerned with having to replace the windshield at a future date. So we bought an Ace and out first trip out a cowboy rushed past us, threw up a rock and made a star in front of me and a little to the right. I "fixed" it but the repair doesn't look very good. I am waiting for the second rock and then I will turn it in. I appreciate all your good posts.

[vkb]

We are awaiting replacement windshield. Our 'block of wood meets windshield' occurred on I4 in Tampa. Fortunately, it hit between the base of the windshield and wiper blades. By the time we got home we had two cracks to the top and one across to the edge on passenger side.

[bevedfelker]

Bob -- mine was the 2015 larger windshield. They were used in the 2014 & 2015 and a few of yje early 2016s. The problem with the large windshield were the numerous complex curves rather than just a sheet of glass that curved uniformly from top to bottom and side to side. This windshield required them to be extremely careful during installation to ensure the induced stresses were uniformly distributed. This is why they were so prone to stress cracking. It did not take s lot of flexing or bouncing to cause stress to be greater in some areas and not others. The stress cracks normally began at the A- pillar horizontally and then turn 90 degrees up or down. The glass techniciantold me if there was a L shaped crack it most probably was a stress crack.

Sometime in 2016 Thor wrnt to the smaller windshield that also did not have complex curves st the upper shoulders. From what I've seen reported on the forums there have not been many stress cracks -- stones, debris, or other problems that caused a crack but not so many from asymmetric stress.

[vkb]

OK...we are working on getting new front glass for the Axis...
Has anyone had to supply glass measurements ?
This seems crazy that our glass company cannot get the correct measurements to place the order through Duncan Systems, Elkhart ..
They called Thor and was told the measurements were 47x82 !! which is not even close !!
Duncan, I believe has the correct measurements...they found the larger
63 3/8x79 .... and the smaller 55x79 (this is ours)
We originally measured it with a guestimate as we had no idea how much glass was under the rubber seal....
We are getting there....We had no idea, ordering a replacement windshield would be so difficult !!

[Sportfisherman25]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Where in FL did you get it done?

It was replaced in Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon Fl.

[axis earl]

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

Bob -- mine was the 2015 larger windshield. They were used in the 2014 & 2015 and a few of yje early 2016s. The problem with the large windshield were the numerous complex curves rather than just a sheet of glass that curved uniformly from top to bottom and side to side. This windshield required them to be extremely careful during installation to ensure the induced stresses were uniformly distributed. This is why they were so prone to stress cracking. It did not take s lot of flexing or bouncing to cause stress to be greater in some areas and not others. The stress cracks normally began at the A- pillar horizontally and then turn 90 degrees up or down. The glass techniciantold me if there was a L shaped crack it most probably was a stress crack.

Sometime in 2016 Thor wrnt to the smaller windshield that also did not have complex curves st the upper shoulders. From what I've seen reported on the forums there have not been many stress cracks -- stones, debris, or other problems that caused a crack but not so many from asymmetric stress.

We have the smaller windshield on our '16 Axis 24.1 but I was so paranoid of the stress crack issue that when we got our first starburst rock hit just outside of West Yellowstone, MT, I located a glass repair shop there that did the epoxy fix. Hope it works.

[Marine By Choice]

Originally Posted by axis earl

We have the smaller windshield on our '16 Axis 24.1 but I was so paranoid of the stress crack issue that when we got our first starburst rock hit just outside of West Yellowstone, MT, I located a glass repair shop there that did the epoxy fix. Hope it works.

I have had Novus do 2 repairs. Holding up well . . . . so far!!!

[Bob Montgomery]

Originally Posted by sujim

While on my very first trip in my new rig last year,my left side window shattered as I was slowly going over the speed b
ump in the RV park. It was covered under warrant,however it took two months to get the replacement window. Good thing the season was over.

Wow! I was driving down the highway in Wyoming a couple days ago when my left side window exploded! I wonder how many others have had the same problem? There were no other vehicles passing when it happened.

[MGoBlue]

So, my windshield, (the larger one) on my 2016 Axis cracked while at the storage place. I have a very low deductible and it will be fixed. It did just break out of the blue, though. It was not hit, but it had been very hot here in Southern California. At least it will be guaranteed after that with my insurance.

[erikdjensen]

Originally Posted by vkb

OK...we are working on getting new front glass for the Axis...
Has anyone had to supply glass measurements ?
This seems crazy that our glass company cannot get the correct measurements to place the order through Duncan Systems, Elkhart ..
They called Thor and was told the measurements were 47x82 !! which is not even close !!
Duncan, I believe has the correct measurements...they found the larger
63 3/8x79 .... and the smaller 55x79 (this is ours)
We originally measured it with a guestimate as we had no idea how much glass was under the rubber seal....
We are getting there....We had no idea, ordering a replacement windshield would be so difficult !!

I had to provide measurements too for our 2016 Vegas. I used a tape but was worried about the accuracy of my measurements because of the curve and the rubber seal. Anyway Speedy Glass did a wonderful job and I was very happy with the results. I asked the insurance company how much the total claim was and they said around $3k. I had a $1K deductible so I didn't feel too bad.

[vkb]

Originally Posted by erikdjensen

I had to provide measurements too for our 2016 Vegas. I used a tape but was worried about the accuracy of my measurements because of the curve and the rubber seal. Anyway Speedy Glass did a wonderful job and I was very happy with the results. I asked the insurance company how much the total claim was and they said around $3k. I had a $1K deductible so I didn't feel too bad.

Our glass replacement was by Binswanger .. they have a great guarantee and a 2 chip repair built in. Hoping we do not have to use that.
The seal on our replacement leaked at center top the first extremely hard rain we had.... they scheduled us for repair, yesterday..in and out in about 2 hours.

We are happy. and relieved.