Auto glass is more
than just a screen to protect the driver from bugs, wind, weather, and
debris. The windshield must also keep the driver and occupants from
being thrown from the vehicle in the event of a collision. What's more,
models rolling off the assembly line today depend more than ever upon
glass to provide a significant part of the structural integrity of the
vehicle.
Learn about
it
Glass plays such an important role in a car or truck's design that professional
auto glass installation has become a matter of life and death. Proper
windshield installation is as important to your safety as seatbelts!
Care about it
Modern urethane adhesives are unique products. They are flexible enough
to allow for vehicle body movement without being so rigid as to break
the glass when driving on rough surfaces. They have incredible tensile
and lap shear strength, yet are able to bond to different surfaces with
equal strength. One unusual thing about urethane adhesive is the way
it cures. It takes moisture from the air and uses it to cure the material
to its strong, flexible, rubber-like consistency.
Ask about it
Occasionally, the humidity is very low. When it is very cold, for example,
the air can hold very little moisture. Low humidity slows down the cure
rate, so mobile service in the winter time can often lead to extended
time before the vehicle is safe to drive again. There are some urethanes
available which are chemically cured and do not rely as heavily on moisture.
| Insist
on it
The safe release of your vehicle is what we care about!
What's a person
to do?
- Insist only high
performance adhesives and procedures be used for the installation
of glass.
- Follow the directions
left by the technician completely.
- If the weather
is very cold and dry, arrange to have the vehicle moved into a warm
building to speed the adhesive curing time.
- Drive the vehicle
only when the adhesive has adequately cured.
- Always wear seatbelts
and insist that your passengers do as well.
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