Trailer windshield
Has anyone had to replace a front windshield on a Flagstaff or Rockwood trailer About how much does it run and can any automotive glass shop do the job
Forum Discussion
ontheroadbob wrote:
The windshield is a laminated 2 layer exactly like a windshield.It is not tempered glass like side glass in a car.It is bonded with urethane adhesive
Depends.
AUTO windshields MUST not only be laminated, they MUST be TEMPERED!
Trailer windows MUST be TEMPERED but NOT required to be LAMINATED.
Both kinds are a type of "safety glass" however the applications are different.
Tempering is a heat and chemical process which creates a very high tension on the glass surfaces. It is what causes a window to explode into a million TINY less sharp pieces. The Tempering process also greatly increases the glass strength over plain plate glass making it ideal for mobile applications that may see high wind and vibrations..
Non Tempered glass often breaks into very large LETHAL sharp shards of glass.
For automobile windshields they take two pieces of glass, and put a clear piece of plastic in between the two pieces of glass then under high pressure and heat melt and bond the two pieces together.
This now creates a window which will hold the glass together when broken. However, if it in not Tempered, those pieces will be huge lethal shards which would instantly decapitate any body part that manages to go through the windshield in an accident (punch through CAN and does occasionally happen).
THEREFORE for AUTOMOBILE windshields they MUST not only be laminated BUT TEMPERED. Driver side windows do not need laminated but do need to be TEMPERED.
BOTH Laminated and Tempered glass are considered types of "safety glass" and many folks universally call Tempered only as safety glass because of that..
However, the OP is NOT asking about an AUTOMOBILE WINDSHIELD, they are asking about a TRAVEL TRAILER FRONT WINDOW.
Travel trailer windows DO NOT "NEED" to be laminated but DO need to be TEMPERED.
The RV manufacturer "may" have had the front window laminated and tempered when foregoing a rock shield but I suspect it is not laminated, only Tempered. No reason to spend the additional money to laminate the front window when it is not legal in any State to have any human riding in a bumper pull trailer.
IF there is anything left of the OPs window, there should be a triangle marking in one of the corners in the glass which WILL indicate LAMINATED AND TEMPERED glass OR if it only TEMPERED glass.
Once Tempered, the glass cannot be easily cut without it exploding into a million pieces so it must be cut to fit BEFORE the Tempering process.
Most cookie cutter automobile glass shops like Safelite do not "make" windshields in their mobile operations, they work from warehouses which are filled with PREMADE Windshields for AUTOMOBILES and most likely IF they were to offer to replace the TRAILER front window it would be through a THIRD PARTY GLASS SHOP and custom ordered which would most likely cost more and take longer to get done and they will simply add a surcharge to the cost to cover their profit.
There ARE custom glass shops that make replacement glass only for home and business windows or custom tempered glass items like shower and tub walls and doors.. Those are the places to seek out and cut out the middleman saving you some money..
