Windshield Repair “Kits”

[CalvinT]

I wonder what the shelf life is for one of those kits.

While my insurance will pay for repair, it's a good idea to fix a crack as quickly as possible. Sometimes they can spread before you can get to a shop. Might be a good idea to keep a kit in your Bronco.

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[Beach_Bum]

I wonder what the shelf life is for one of those kits.

While my insurance will pay for repair, it's a good idea to fix a crack as quickly as possible. Sometimes they can spread before you can get to a shop. Might be a good idea to keep a kit in your Bronco.

I wouldn't store it in the heat of your Bronco. But these kits are shelf stable with the resin enclosed in a tube. They sit on the shelves at the auto parts store.

 

[swamp2]

Another strong endorsement for the Permatex kit from O'reily. It fixed many (cosmetically) chips and prevented growth on my 4Runner.

 

[TXBronco1313]

I’d take it to safelite. They do a real good job with small chips and to my knowledge you can just walk in for chip repair

 

[DarthLincoln]

Here’s a good video comparing a few kits. For the cost, Permatex or Rain-X seems best:

 

[gregory.conklin]

Has anyone tried Exoshield? I was looking at it this morning wondering if it was worth the 200 bucks.

 

[Dmorty217]

Still counts as a claim. Repeat enough claims and you'll find out that your rates increase or your policy dropped. @HotdogThud lives in AZ also and he can attest to my statement.

For the OP, I bought a kit at Auto Zone. There are only a few kits stocked. I like to keep a kit on hand. Real easy process for chips. It saves a claim on your insurance and prevents the chip from progressing into a crack. With the right angle of the sun, I could faintly see the repair. Overall, it isn't noticeable.

@HotLap The kits have a plunger that attaches to a seal around the repaired area. You depress the plunger and lock it in place maintaining the pressure. After a set amount of time, your remove the plunger/seal and place a transparent cover over the resin. Then you expose it to sunlight which cures the resin. After cure, remove the transparent cover and clean up excess with a razor blade.

Yep living in Florida I wouldn’t even think of making a claim for the windshield, due to our already ridiculous rates. Would be more cost effective to repair it myself or pay $900 out of pocket

 

[JerryC]

For those that have replaced the windshield, what was the cost?

The shop said it would have been $800+ dollars.
I'm in TN.

Ours had the Lux package so part of that was to have the camera aligned/validated.

 

[FreddieLee]

The shop said it would have been $800+ dollars.
I'm in TN.

Ours had the Lux package so part of that was to have the camera aligned/validated.

A shop, or an actual Ford dealer? I've heard quotes of $1,600.

 

[JerryC]

A shop, or an actual Ford dealer? I've heard quotes of $1,600.

private , family owned shop.

 

[MtnTopComms]

Has anyone tried Exoshield? I was looking at it this morning wondering if it was worth the 200 bucks.

Someone earlier suggested that to me and I am just starting to research it. Seems like a good option so far.

Certainly would like to know of other similar products and people's experiences...

 

[RHeinz]

For those that have replaced the windshield, what was the cost?

I got OEM Glass for $672 at an independent glass “house” who was the glass vendor that did the 2023 windshield recall for my local dealer. Since the recall glass work was perfect, I just asked the dealer who did the work!

 

[KABQ]

Not sure the specific brand, but I used one of the super chinesium ones from Amazon and it worked great. However the RainX and Permatex kits are so inexpensive already that there's really no reason to go cheaper than those.

 

[bmsehlke]

Has anyone tried Exoshield? I was looking at it this morning wondering if it was worth the 200 bucks.

I’ve had the ExoShield (and a hood deflector) since the first week I brought my Bronco home (June 2023). It has worked well in my opinion and the combination has saved my windshield, so far. I’ve got about 10k miles on her in the past 9 months, mostly highway driving/commuting to work. If you study the Exoshield, there’s probably at least 6+ surface blemishes that would have been a rock chip, had it not been there. I plan on replacing it most likely on a yearly basis, depending on how many and where the surface scars appear. Think of it like a screen protector on your phone. Once you get tired of looking at the scuffs, you’ll have to replace it, but it saves the actual surface of the glass.
Overall, the install was easy to moderately challenging (a second person is key!) and I’d recommend. I feel it was worth the $200.

 

[KillerPenz]

I use Rain X repair kit. It's cheap and it has stopped 2 cracks from ever getting any longer.

When I did replace 1st windshield it was around $1000, summer of 2022. Had a $500 deductible. I'd imagine price has come down a little by now. And for the record, windshield replaced on a Friday, and the next Monday morning caught another rock driving to work. also for the record, bug deflector didn't save windshield. But it does limit the bugs you get and protects front of hood.

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