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08-13-2015, 09:01 AM
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#1
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4 Rivet Member 
2014 27' FB International
Macon
, Georgia
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 433
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Cracked Plexi Rock Guard
I have an crack on my curb side plexiglass curved rock guard. The L shaped crack is about 1 inch horizontal and 4 inch vertical crack. Should I replace the rock guard now or wait until I have more cracks? I wonder if another rock hits the cracked area, whether it will go through.
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08-13-2015, 09:25 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master 
2000 25' Safari
1999 34' Excella
Davidson County, NC
, Highlands County, FL
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,727
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I have a few cracks in mine, from three different rocks on the Excella and one on the Safari. I have no plans to replace them.
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Alan
2014 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 5.3L maximum trailering package (yes, I'm towing the 34')
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08-13-2015, 09:32 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master 

2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,723
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I have several, when it gets bad enough, I'll replace with polycarbonate.
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-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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08-13-2015, 09:39 AM
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#4
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4 Rivet Member 
2007 27' Classic FB
Fredericksburg
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 291
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One thing you might try to delay replacing the rock guard is to obtain some liquid acrylic (or acrylic cement) and slowly squeeze it into the lines of the crack. It will seal the crack and minimize problems if you are hit with another rock.
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The Tex-i-can is Ready to Camp
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08-13-2015, 09:40 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,164
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In the mean time……..
You could put a cool sticker over the crack. It might slow down the spread of the crack if you drilled small holes at the ends of the crack.
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08-13-2015, 10:40 AM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 55
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Is it just me that has aluminum rock guards on my old Excella...? when did Airstream move to a pexiglass (?) rock guard... was that a cost-saving move for them?
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Ed
94 30 Ft. Front Kitchen Excella
99 GMC 2500 6.0L Ext.Cab. 8ft Bed
ARE Shell Topper
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08-13-2015, 10:51 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master 

2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,723
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SKP46015
Is it just me that has aluminum rock guards on my old Excella...? when did Airstream move to a pexiglass (?) rock guard... was that a cost-saving move for them?
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We're talking about the window guards, not the corner protectors.
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-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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08-13-2015, 11:54 AM
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#8
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4 Rivet Member 

2015 25' Flying Cloud
GILBERT
, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 376
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We just return from a 6000 mile trip to the Northwest and thank GOD I got a
ROCK TAMER MUD Flaps on my TV and did not see one ding on the AS or crack window guard. Well with the $200+
I camp next to another AS in Montana and he had all 3 windows guards broken from rocks on the road over the last 2 years.
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David & Nancy Ames
WBCCI # 9403 -- AIR # 95597
2015 FC 25' RB
2013 Chevy Tahoe LTZ
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08-13-2015, 12:08 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master 

2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,723
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Yeah I have rocktamers. They don't help with stones thrown form passing or oncoming vehicles.
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-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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08-13-2015, 12:30 PM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member 
2014 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vero Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 365
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I took a rock to one of my plexi wraps on i90 in SD in July. Went right through leaving a hole the size of a dollar bill. It saved the glass underneath. That part new from airstream will set you back almost $500. You can install it in 10 min with minimal effort. The window underneath is almost $1,000 and must be rerivited.
I'd live with cracks for $500 but replaced mine given the hole and a personal belief that sometimes lightning does strike twice.
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08-13-2015, 01:33 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master 

2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,723
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Gamma, I assume you replaced frame and all? You can, with some cutting and riveting get plexi (or polycarbonate) stock and replace the plastic only. I understand, however, that plexi has to be heated to make the curve of the side guards....could be tricky.
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-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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08-13-2015, 01:50 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master 
1977 31' Sovereign
1963 26' Overlander
1989 34' Excella
Johnsburg
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,941
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To have the best strength Plexi window guards need to be formed by what is called slump molding. You have a wood male form mold and then heat the plexi up to the point that it droops over the form to make the curve. This results in no molded in stress and the window guard is best at resisting stones. If you cold bend plexi you have a high stress and it will crack if impacted with a small stone. Poly carbonate (Lexan) is somewhat subject to the similar limitations. It must be heated slowly to dry it out and not cause bubbles to form.
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08-13-2015, 01:55 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master 

2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,723
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwightdi
To have the best strength Plexi window guards need to be formed by what is called slump molding. You have a wood male form mold and then heat the plexi up to the point that it droops over the form to make the curve. This results in no molded in stress and the window guard is best at resisting stones. If you cold bend plexi you have a high stress and it will crack if impacted with a small stone. Poly carbonate (Lexan) is somewhat subject to the similar limitations. It must be heated slowly to dry it out and not cause bubbles to form.
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Dwight, I keep getting mixed info on the poly. Some say that with thicker sheets, heating is necessary but not thinner sheets. I don't remember thicknesses mentioned, nor what is OE in our plexi guards. Thinner and more crack resistant may be better than thicker plexi????? If it is thinner, I'd just have to find extra thick spline material (they already use special order thick spline with the OE setup.
Can you shed light on the thickness debate?
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-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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08-13-2015, 10:07 PM
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#14
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3 Rivet Member 
2013 25' FB Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Colorado Springs
, Colorado
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 102
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Subscribing, this is interesting....
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