Windshield Replacement--What Do I Need to Know?

[chip4872]

Greetings--

I developed a crack in my windshield on our last travel day. 

I have my insurance company working on a replacement, via Safelite, who will apparently do the repair on site.

Question is, what do I need to look for  with respect to installation?  I have submitted the information from the windshield and measured the glass per their request.  I seem to recall that Monaco uses the windshield as part of the structure for the front cap?

Anybody have experience with Safelite on their RV? 

Thanks.

2007 Monaco 40PDQ

[Dennis-C]

I just recently had a damaged drivers side windshield replaced on our 1998 Beaver Patriot.  I have Allstate and they use SafeLite.  I didn't know that SafeLite themselves would take care of anything on an RV (on site), so I went to a local glass company that I connected SafeLite to after Allstate connected me to them.  The local place installed it but said something about the way the upper corners fit in these things that they had to do a bunch of Urethane filler and said the windshield would most like break there again.  They said they would not warranty this because of that fit issue.  In my last conversation with SafeLite they said that they would be helpful in any further issues with THEIR own warranty.  I don't have that in writing, though, hehe.

Dennis

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by Dennis-C

[Gary 05 AMB DST]

Chip, I had problems with installers using urethane adhesive with primer. I have found that cleaning the gasket and using a primer before using pure urethane gave a much better structural connection to the body.  My 05 Ambassador has a two piece windshield and the upper right corner seems to flex more and sometimes will pull away from the gasket needing a reset.

Gary 05 AMB DST

[SigPIlot]

I'm working on replacement number 2 in 3 years. Last one done by a Mobile glass installer on site. Not good. I requested new seals but they didn't bring them. So the seals started to pop out right away.  Glass started fracturing within months. The problem is with a one piece, there is so much weight that if it is not installed perfectly, you are going to have problems. I spoke to a rv glass shop in Orlando (referred by Insurance Co) a couple of years ago who was very familiar with this issue. Best case is to have a shop do the work on premises. I wish I could remember the shop name (owner is Chris) now that I need to do another replacement. May end up going to Lazy Days. I've watched them do a one sheet over several days. Very exacting process. The insurance companies don't seem to mind and I don't want to do this any more than I have to!

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

It will work best if the coach is on a level concrete floor.  Make sure that they use a flexible sealer.  Demand a new gasket.  If not the windshield will crack within 100 miles.  Let it cure for 24 hours before moving the coach.  Good luck,  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[top flight]

DO NOT USE Safellite, they are awful.  We had a chip in our windshield paid for the repair ourselves.  After the repair it was really easy to see where they had repaired it.  The tech then said it was not possible to do an invisible repair.  Windshield then cracked more.  We contacted Allstae and we had windshield replaced by a fabulous company: Joe Curro, National Glass tel; 720-401-0462 took care of everything dealt with insurer arranged for qualified people to come to our RV and replace windshield.  This company is 5 star.

[daveyjo]

I composed the attached document to share with someone with a windshield cracking problem on a 2005 Camelot, but it pretty much summarizes what I have learned about the problem. I drove my used 2005 Scepter for about 12,000 miles without a windshield problem.  Then I had 3 cracked windshields in a row before Safelite auto glass said you need to do some bodywork before we will put a 4^th windshield in, and they shared a Monaco pdf with me about windshield problems with 2005, 2006 and 2007 Camelots and Scepters.  The last, and successful, replacement was done by Twin City Auto Glass.  

To summarize, it was after some frame reinforcement that the last windshield was installed, and like Chuck B says, they installed it per Monaco's instructions, i.e., level floor, coach at ride height, a new gasket applied (the first 3 I tried did none of these), and let the gasket adhesive dry for 24 hours before moving the coach.  So far, after 3800 miles and 19 months it has not cracked.  Twin Cities Safelite did not do the final replacement.  I am guessing that it is labor intensive to replace the gasket and leave the coach set for 24 hours, so skipping those steps was more profitable for them.

Overview of my experience with windshiels cracking in Monaco Camelots and HR Scepters.docx

[96 EVO]

Dave, I had my windshield replaced about 4 years ago at RV Glass Solutions, in Coburg OR (same building my coach was assembled).

They did NOT want to replace the gasket unless it was damaged, which it wasn't. Yes, perfectly level floor, and just slowly pulled it out of the bay, to a level area outside the door, and asked us to stay put at least another 10 hrs.

I put it thru the ultimate test 2 or 3 times a year, entering and exiting a local park where their driveway drops away from the road at an angle, and about a 25% grade. The ultimate torture test for a long frame!

So far... So good!!