Replacing auto glass is a specialized job. There is more to installing glass than what appears, and that is why it is a job for an experienced installer. Glass is a much more vital part to the car than it was in the past.
The production cars and trucks built today have windshields that use a specially formulated adhesive to secure the windshields to the car bodies and they form part of the car’s structural strength. Glass has been developed to be strong enough to be figured into the essential strength of the body by the designer.
The vehicle glass replacement process has become so technical that the adhesive used to bond the glass to the body is a specialized formula. It does not last very long in the mixed state, and if not installed precisely as it is designed, it will not adhere the glass to the body. Tragically, the windshield would very likely come off the car quickly in an accident. This could leave the car even more vulnerable.
A severely damaged car body is likely, and flying glass pieces can cause serious injury. Glass installation can be the key to a survivable accident, or to one turning into serious injuries or death.
Rear windows are installed with the same special adhesive material, and also provide part of the structural strength of the body. Stationary side windows that do not rise and lower fall into the same category.
Windows that raise and lower mechanically are held into a channel. They could be held in with a special adhesive, or they may be held in place by a pressed fit that requires special equipment.
Today’s vehicle glass replacement process is easy for those that are using the correct adhesive material as required by the original manufacturer of the vehicle.
Many car enthusiasts are encouraging the owner to handle the vehicle glass replacement process. However, the car owner- glass installer may not know for weeks whether the job has been done correctly, and it is highly unlikely that it has been.
