Replacing a flat TRAILER window: is auto glass what I need?

[profdant139]

My front window cracked, spontaneously. Nothing hit it. One morning, there was a little crack working in from an edge. I covered it with duct tape (we were on the road.) . The next morning, the crack extended across the narrow dimension of the rectangle. I slapped on more duct tape -- the window held together till we got home.

Of course, the glass is not covered by the extended warranty. I am pretty sure that I can safely remove the old window myself. A local auto glass shop told me to bring in the old window and they will cut me a piece to match, from a sheet of auto glass.

So that is my question -- is that the right stuff to use? Or maybe the glass they use in clear shower doors? I am not worried about the tint -- I can apply an after-market tint kit, which will be adequate.

Thanks in advance for your advice!!

[profdant139]

Great tips -- thanks!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Tip
TAPE the glass with duct tape first. Big X then horizontal mid height. Really helps to avoid disasters. Leather palm or nitrile gloves. Small ball pien hammer. Crack window on top of tape. Large trash can. Safety glasses.

Polycarbonate note. When the Kelley II was built .750" house windows. Extra cost anti scratch coating. Apply pure carnauba wax no polish pure wax.

I think the issue with Quicksilver was DOT federal standards call for 1/2" glass for school buses. Don't know why but softening sharp corners and edges on glass reduces stress cracking. Go figure.

[profdant139]

Thanks, Steve! More great tips. I am narrowing down the options -- just spoke to a glass guy, who recommends laminated glass, not tempered. Tempered glass shatters when broken, like a car window. Laminate does not. He has to special-order tempered glass, cut to size by the supplier. Laminate can be cut in his shop.

Now to the big tasks -- removing the glass and then installing the new pane.

[subcamper]

Lexan (polycarbonate) is much more resistant to breaking than Plexiglas (acrylic). Thick Lexan is used in "bulletproof" applications. However, the down side is that Lexan is easier to scratch and yellows faster than Plexiglas. "Scratch-resistant" polycarbonate actually has a thin layer of acrylic on the surface to resist scratches. Neither acrylic nor polycarbonate will be anywhere near the scratch resistance of glass. Also, polycarbonate or acrylic will be much more flexible than glass. If the window is large, it will move in and out easily when pushed, even lightly.

Steve

[westend]

I'd suggest to take the glass to the shop mentioned in the first post. These glass shops get it right the first time and the cost is bearable.
Although I'm a big user of Lexan, the glass from the shop is probably going to commensurate with Lexan cost and you won't have to do any fabricating.

[LenSatic]

profdant139 wrote:
Hmmm. What about Lexan??

😄 I was about to suggest Lexan. My Father-in law was a researcher at the Hughes Research Lab in Malibu and he used Lexan for everything. He and another guy even developed Lexan "glass" blocks for highway sound walls. There's a "part two" to this story, but you live in CA so you can guess the outcome. 😉

LS

[profdant139]

Hmmm. What about Lexan??

I will probably go with tempered glass, even though it may be a bit of overkill.

[crcr]

fj12ryder wrote:
I've never seen acrylic sheet in any camper unless it was something from decades past and cost $1.98. And I would never put plexiglass in my trailer. Scratches, clouding, flexing, no thanks. Just looks tacky to me.

If you looked at the acrylic sheet window in my 2011 TT, you would not be able to tell it from the OEM windows. Use what you like, I'll use what I like.

[joshuajim]

If your trailer is a bumper pull, you can use standard double strength glass as you would use in your house because the trailer cannot be occupied while traveling. When stationary, it is no more dangerous than that in your house.

A couple of caveats. If it is within 24" of a door or less than 18" above the floor it must be tempered.

[fj12ryder]

I've never seen acrylic sheet in any camper unless it was something from decades past and cost $1.98. And I would never put plexiglass in my trailer. Scratches, clouding, flexing, no thanks. Just looks tacky to me.

[crcr]

I had a side window spontaneously shatter a few months ago -- I replaced it with "acrylic sheet", often called plexiglass. I measured the thickness with a caliper and ordered a replacement piece of the same thickness on Amazon, here. They sell various thicknesses of the acrylic sheet. The first cut was free, and a second cut was only $3. It cost me all of $22 delivered. My window had rounded top corners, so I made a pattern, marked the plexiglass, and radiused the two top corners using my belt sander. Worked great. Installed it, and no problems with it since.

Personally, I would not put auto or any kind of glass in an RV. And I believe OEM "glass" in RV's is generally acrylic sheet.

[profdant139]

Joe, also very helpful. This is such a great forum. Do you remember the old pre-internet days, when information depended on a few local sources? This is so much better!!

[Joe_Way]

opnspaces wrote:
You want standard tempered glass...

Well--the OE glass was not tempered, else it would have shattered into bits instead of cracking.

I would take the old glass out, take it to the glass shop, and let them tell me what it is.

If laminated safety glass will fit in the frame, it would be a very safe choice. I would much prefer that in a front window, even one protected by a shield, than plate glass.

[Dave_H_M]

I had a cracked rear window.

Took it out and took the two pieces to s glass shop. They even had the right tinted glass of the right kind in the scrap pieces.