Unexpected windshield issue

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prnebs

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2015
Posts
353
Location
FOCO CO
We were on I70 westbound close to Hays KS. DH started to pass the semi and all of a sudden big chunks of ice came off the top of the trailer and hit the windshield. Not only broke the windshield but hit and dented the fiberglass strip under the windshield. Although there were some language out of his mouth I haven't heard in a long time, he did a great job of not panicking and slamming on the brakes or losing control of the motorhome. I didn't get pictures of the ice hitting the windshield but did get a picture of the license plate & trailer number as well as the tractor that had the companies name on it. We pulled into Hays and called the insurance co and the trucking company, but didn't think to call police. We are waiting on the adjuster to look at it.
Would appreciate any suggestions on where to get new windshield in Northern Colorado. Thanks.windshield travel supreme.jpg
 
Don know about a windshield place but I don’t think you will get any relief from the the trucking company. It’s just one of those things that happen. If your insurance covers the windshield you should be good to go. Hopefully they will also pay for a hotel.
 
Many states have a law that requires truckers to clear the tops of their trailers. Many trucking terminals have special Wash stations to to clear trailers of snow and ice.
Check state law.
File a police report.
 
Your insurance company may be able to help with a glass replacement company. Last time we had to change a coach windshield, I called a glass manufacturer and they had a few suggestions: Duncan Systems (aka Lippert). One of our staffers had Duncan set the whole thing up.
 
If you are anywhere near a major city there will be multiple Glass Services.. also a large RV dealer or 3... Yes. a police report may be proper. You can still make it.. Just tell 'em you were so upset at the time that you did not think of it. Drive your towed to the police station with your photos. and if they wish to look at the RV themselves they will send an officer. Or otherwise make arrangements.
 
Resolution Glass replaced my windshield a couple of years back (I'm in Denver)- they had to order the glass, though. I went through State Farm to find them, and there were a couple of "Talk to X company" phone tag sessions first, but Resolution was the one that finally did it. And you can see the whole job in my 7 minute movie here:
 
My experience with this is it's not a matter of if but when. Mine had to be ordered from out of state and the appointment queue didn't start until the glass arrived, so it was a good 2 weeks before I got mine done. I was really pleased with the workers and workmanship which isn't something you hear me say often, but pointing out this isn't like a car where you just drive in to a shop and it's done while you wait.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
Would appreciate any suggestions on where to get new windshield in Northern Colorado.
If you are no longer in KS it is probably too late to consider filing a police report. I suspect that your insurance would have made mention of such report if they considered it to be important anyway. Chances are the truck driver didn't even know what happened, but one can't be sure. That same shedding of ice can happen to cars and RVs and I have seen it more than once. We lived in snow & ice country for most of my working life so I have both seen other vehicles shed that way on the highway and I have had it happen to a vehicle that I was driving. I did a search to see what states have laws regarding removal of such snow and ice and Kansas was not on that list.
  • Alaska
  • Connecticut
  • Georgia
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Tennessee
  • Wisconsin
 
Thanks all for the replies. The insurance co didn't have any referrals so will do some research. They did send an adjuster today to take pictures to send to the RV special adjuster. The trucking company hasn't called back yet so will have to keep calling them. We don't have any trips planned for awhile but hope this doesn't take too long. Not only have to get a new windshield but the fiberglass strip that is underneath the windshield will have to be repaired/replaced.
Thanks again.
 
I had both sides replaced by Coach Glass this last fall. Insurance didn't cover mine because they were damaged when we bought it.

They contracted with a local company and shipped the glass there. Once they received the glass and verified it was undamaged by the shipping they set an appointment.

Honestly I think the local company could have found the glass and installed it, maybe cheaper. Check with a few local shops.

I went with Coach Glass because they were the OEM for my rig.

Good luck and I hope it goes quick and smooth.
 
Thanks all for the replies. The insurance co didn't have any referrals so will do some research. They did send an adjuster today to take pictures to send to the RV special adjuster. The trucking company hasn't called back yet so will have to keep calling them. We don't have any trips planned for awhile but hope this doesn't take too long. Not only have to get a new windshield but the fiberglass strip that is underneath the windshield will have to be repaired/replaced.
Thanks again.
I had a similar thing happen. It's not your job to chase the trucking company. Provide the info to your insurance and let them subrogate if they want to.

My insurance did not go up as it definitely was not an at fault situation. I have no idea if they eventually got reimbursed by the trucker's insurance.
 
Just because KS may not have a state law requiring truckers to clear off their trucks/trailers of snow and ice, doesn't mean the driver/company isn't liable. If you work through your own insurance company, they will try to get money back (including your deductible) from the trucking company via subrogation.
 
I had random rock strikes on both halfs of mine on I40 last year. My insurance is AAA, they took my report over the phone and they worked through the steps to have a local mobile installer who only does RV's order the glass and come to my house to install.
Absolutely painless, my out of pocket was my deductible of $250
 
DH took the coach to a couple glass places as well as the body shop to look at the fiberglass piece under the windshield. It sounded like one glass place didn't want to deal with it. The 2nd could replace the windshield but not with the repair to the fiberglass. Body shop could fix the fiberglass but not the windshield. Haven't gotten a clear answer if have to have the fiberglass piece fixed before the windshield goes in. One of them suggested taking it to Lazy Days or a shop that would do both. Just waiting to hear from AAA. We don't mind sitting for awhile until the fuel prices settle down. Just don't want this to take months.
 
We used RVGlass to replace our driver side broken windshield (I torqued the coach while leveling on our first outing and we didn't want to get hit with a premium increase that might occur) - $1500 out of pocket (deductible was $1000 and we didn’t want to see.

Took about a month for glass to arrive to RVGlass’s installer’s shop, another 2 weeks to get him scheduled to install while coach was at our home (I would have driven it to his shop, but he said no).

While backing up to our coach, the helper rammed the tailgate of his pickup into the fiberglass front cap of our coach.
Fortunately the installer immediately owned up to the damage.

I notified RVGlass of the problem and the owning up. Told installer he needs to find someone to fix it (and not just “band-aid” it!). And he was probably going to have issues finding a shop that could turn the coach around in a reasonable amount of time.

6 weeks and 2 RV trips later (we could still drive/use the coach), he finds a shop.

He finds a shop about 8 miles from our house - can get us right in. The shop is full of corvettes in various stages of body repair. Awesome!
The glass guy brings the body guy cash - I leave the coach for a weekend, then go to pick it up - it’s not painted. Body work is done, but he cant fit my coach into his paint booth.

Email and text RVGlass and the windshield guy. Both said “we’ll get this fixed!”.
2 weeks later, glass guy calls - he’s found someone who can paint it, about 6 miles the other direction from the first.
I drive the coach over - the shop gets a look, says it’s not final prepped for paint and he’s concerned with the quality of the repair, and won’t know until he gets in to it. Oh, and if the quality of the repair is OK, it’s gonna cost another $500 over what he told the glass guy (based on the picture he had that I sent him after picking the coach up from the 1st body shop).
Again, I let RVGlass and the glass installer know.

And I liked the 2nd guy, maybe better than the 1st - and I really liked him!

And since we had serious clearcoat peel, both where the damage was done and all across the front of the coach, as well as down the sides (to behind driver wheel on one side, and to just behind the passenger tire and door on the right side) - we asked the body guy to Quote us on fixing that too.
He gave us a number, told us we would have to anti-up the money for the glass installers part (he wasn’t going to negotiate with the glass guy), and we scheduled a date to leave the coach for when we get back from a 10 day trip. I again contacted the installer, told him he needed to drop off more money.
Turns out the same day I was scheduled to drop off the coach - he came by the house and gave me cash.

All would be good except for that now - the new glass is leaking. It may have been all along, but it’s been dry here in Texas since the original install (and this saga) began (it’s now mid-March - this saga began in July when I ordered the glass). I didn’t figure out where the drops off water were coming from until late January/early February.

Again, advised RVGlass and the glass installer.

Except for a few texts from RVGlass that they are sorry for their delay in response due to Covid and flu and . . . and . . . . it’s been crickets since. I’ve told RVGlass I’m going to file with Discover Card - our beef is with the glass installer, but we paid RVGlass - and DiscoverCard allows filing a protest on major expenditures for up to 2 years after the charge posted.


So - hope the above was an entertaining read - but also also a learning experience for what you may face. Don‘t let it deter you from being persistent. Use a credit card for any payments that you may make. Research your vendors and hold their feet to the fire to make sure they live up to the $ you paid to them. I never raised my voice or threatened them at any point. Were and are we frustrated, yes, we are. But we have not lost use of our coach, I can probably repair the windshield leak, and there are more urgent things going on in the world today to be concerned about.
 
Wow - I'm dizzy! That must have been painful to have that happen your 1st time out! I admire how you got it to this point. I'm glad you were able to keep using your coach. We are concerned that the windshield will fall out. I appreciate the tips & the insights. We take it to the body shop this coming Monday, so that will start our adventure.
You are so right about there being bigger things going on. Does keep things in perspective.

Thanks all for the advise.
 
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