Cab over window crack

[pshipsey]

HEY. Me again. (2001 Jayco Eagle Class C.)
I discovered my cab over window has a long crack, about 4 inches. I do not want to replace the windows...I would have that cabover area replaced without windows. But not today.
Anyway, has anyone tried using an OTC crack mending product? If so, did you have success or not? Any recommendations?
Thanks

 

[Rene T]

what is OTC. Over the cab?

 

[SpencerPJ]

I would say small chance on diy. A better chance calling a auto glass shop, especially since it's not line of sight like a windshield.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

So was there a stone hit? Generally cracks don't just happen. If the crack is propagating along you can stop it by drilling a small hole at the ends with a diamond bit (like a dremel). Not sure what DIY crack fix you mean, anything much bigger than a chip or star can't be filled. Best you can hope for is it doesn't get worse.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[NY_Dutch]

HEY. Me again. (2001 Jayco Eagle Class C.)
I discovered my cab over window has a long crack, about 4 inches. I do not want to replace the windows...I would have that cabover area replaced without windows. But not today.
Anyway, has anyone tried using an OTC crack mending product? If so, did you have success or not? Any recommendations?
Thanks

In this usage, OTC = Over The Counter.

 

[NY_Dutch]

HEY. Me again. (2001 Jayco Eagle Class C.)
I discovered my cab over window has a long crack, about 4 inches. I do not want to replace the windows...I would have that cabover area replaced without windows. But not today.
Anyway, has anyone tried using an OTC crack mending product? If so, did you have success or not? Any recommendations?
Thanks

It occurs to me, have you checked with your insurance company regarding possible coverage?

 

[Chef Duane]

Get that guy in the Walmart parking lot to fix it. Have a key made while you wait.

 

[TheBar]

A crack can be fixed by any windshield repair place. There are OTC glass repair kits at most auto parts stores like Autozone. There are lots of gravel trucks in my area so I've repaired cracks myself many times. Like Mark B said above its best to drill a hole at the end of a crack then apply the glue. You really have to work the glue in using the suction cup in the kit. When dry scrape off any excess glue with a razor blade.

 

[NY_Dutch]

A crack can be fixed by any windshield repair place. There are OTC glass repair kits at most auto parts stores like Autozone. There are lots of gravel trucks in my area so I've repaired cracks myself many times. Like Mark B said above its best to drill a hole at the end of a crack then apply the glue. You really have to work the glue in using the suction cup in the kit. When dry scrape off any excess glue with a razor blade.

Do you have a link for a kit that will work on a 4 inch long crack? The ones I see online are meant for stone chips, not long cracks.

 

[CamperAL]

Hello,

Some what of a similar topic that may help.

Cracked RV Windshield

I'm wondering if it is better to replace or repair a cracked windshield? We got a crack while driving home from the south this year. My insurance guy said to just replace it but thinking if it could be fixed without much problems it might be the better thing to do. I plan to use a company called...

www.rvforum.net

 

[pshipsey]

what is OTC. Over the cab?

over the counter...as in DYI

 

[pshipsey]

A crack can be fixed by any windshield repair place. There are OTC glass repair kits at most auto parts stores like Autozone. There are lots of gravel trucks in my area so I've repaired cracks myself many times. Like Mark B said above its best to drill a hole at the end of a crack then apply the glue. You really have to work the glue in using the suction cup in the kit. When dry scrape off any excess glue with a razor blade.

Thanks. I saw this kit online. Do you think it makes a difference if I drill from the inside or outside? I'm short and it's tricky for me to climb on the front of the cab with a dremel.

 

[pshipsey]

Do you have a link for a kit that will work on a 4 inch long crack? The ones I see online are meant for stone chips, not long cracks.

I agree. No, I don't have a link for repairing long cracks.

 

[pshipsey]

Get that guy in the Walmart parking lot to fix it. Have a key made while you wait.

Maybe he'll fix my generator too!

 

[pshipsey]

So was there a stone hit? Generally cracks don't just happen. If the crack is propagating along you can stop it by drilling a small hole at the ends with a diamond bit (like a dremel). Not sure what DIY crack fix you mean, anything much bigger than a chip or star can't be filled. Best you can hope for is it doesn't get worse.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

I don't know when it happened. I'll look closer to see if there was a stone hit. In the cabover there is a pull down shade which I rarely open. Maybe I shouldn't have pulled that shade up. I nvr would have known.
For now I'm going to try a DYI kit and hope it doesn't get worse.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Cracks generally start from a weak point, like a chip. So could be a stone hit or if it started from the edge, a chip or nick that might have been there from the day it was put in and didn't manifest itself until after years of road vibration and thermal shocks later. Generally they don't stop, it can go clear across until it reaches another edge. If this is single layer glass you drill the hole from either side, the crack is "through" both sides. If this is laminated glass like a windshield you'd drill the hole on whichever side the crack is, nearly always the outside as that's where impact points usually happen. I would then fill the hole with windshield repair epoxy to keep water out, if it gets wet and freezes you will have a new host of cracks to deal with. You can look for an etched label in a corner, that would give a clue what kind of glass it is. All that being said, the best you can hope for is drilling the hole keeps it from getting worse. There's no un-ringing the bell - it's cracked, and the pane weakened. There's no magic elixir to fix this or make it go away. The crack could start propagating a different direction even with the drilled hole. Your options are limited - ignore it and hope for the best, drill the hole and hope for the best, or seek out a replacement pane whether it's glass or some kind of solid repair panel.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[TheBar]

Do you have a link for a kit that will work on a 4 inch long crack? The ones I see online are meant for stone chips, not long cracks.

Cracks are harder to repair and more likely to fail so no kit that I'm aware of says they fix cracks. But my windshield has been cracked 3 times within 3 months in the last year. Rocks seem to deflect to the rubber gasket within a few inches of the bottom passenger side. That causes a crack instead of a star.

It is important to fix it ASAP because they will sometimes triple in size when cooling off overnight. I had to illuminate the biggest crack with a flashlight at an angle to make it show up. This happened on a Sunday evening when no auto parts stores were open to buy the windshield kit. Although I don't recommend it I repaired this 5" long crack with super glue. I figured that 3rd crack was the end of my windshield anyway but that was 7 months ago and has not gotten any longer. Note new windshields with any sensors built in will cost between $1200-1600, depending on the number of sensors like automatic windshield wipers.

 

[TheBar]

Thanks. I saw this kit online. Do you think it makes a difference if I drill from the inside or outside? I'm short and it's tricky for me to climb on the front of the cab with a dremel.

All auto glass since at least the 50's is safety glass. It is 2 layers of glass with a plastic sheet between. All cracks will be in the outside layer unless it was a really big hit which broke both layers.

Drilling a hole is recommended but I did not drill a hole in the crack in my picture above. It is holding so far but if it progresses I will drill a hole and apply real windshield glue.

 

[pshipsey]

So was there a stone hit? Generally cracks don't just happen. If the crack is propagating along you can stop it by drilling a small hole at the ends with a diamond bit (like a dremel). Not sure what DIY crack fix you mean, anything much bigger than a chip or star can't be filled. Best you can hope for is it doesn't get worse.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

I don't know when it happened. I'll look closer to see if there was a stone hit In the cabover there is a pull down shade which I rarely open. Maybe I shouldn't have pulled that shade up. I nvr would have known.
For now I'm going to try a DYI kit and hope it doesn't get worse.

Cracks are harder to repair and more likely to fail so no kit that I'm aware of says they fix cracks. But my windshield has been cracked 3 times within 3 months in the last year. Rocks seem to deflect to the rubber gasket within a few inches of the bottom passenger side. That causes a crack instead of a star.

It is important to fix it ASAP because they will sometimes triple in size when cooling off overnight. I had to illuminate the biggest crack with a flashlight at an angle to make it show up. This happened on a Sunday evening when no auto parts stores were open to buy the windshield kit. Although I don't recommend it I repaired this 5" long crack with super glue. I figured that 3rd crack was the end of my windshield anyway but that was 7 months ago and has not gotten any longer. Note new windshields with any sensors built in will cost between $1200-1600, depending on the number of sensors like automatic windshield wipers.

View attachment 1316725

Thanks for the info. Fortunately the crack is in my cab over so no worries about sensors, etc. I'm going to cross my fingers and try the glass repair.