Unlucky or is getting chips/cracks in windshield normal on RVs?

[pennstate95]

In 12 months of owning the Interstate 2 dings/cracks/chips in the windshield from flying rocks. Then literally 2 weeks after buying our Reyo on our 2nd trip out, another ding!!! Is it just bad luck or does this happen more often with RVs? In 25 years of driving cars and SUVs, I think it's happened maybe twice. I'm going to have to add the windshield repair kit to our emergency kit at this rate. I try to repair those suckers ASAP before the glass fractures.

[Lily&Me]

We have had a number of rock dings needing repaired, and have had the windshield replaced twice in 160,000+ miles.

It happens.


Maggie

[Boxster1971]

I got two stone chips in my windshield last summer on a trip to Alaska. Both on paved roads near Fairbanks and Anchorage. Got them fixed the next day at Safe-Lite in both cities. I don't think it has anything to do with RVs. If you drive your will eventually get a ding. My first one was a large piece of metal off a flatbed truck in front of me on the Ohio Turnpike. That one took out the driver side headlight. I was just glad it didn't hit the windshield.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[drew05]

I think it's more related to the conditions of the roads we travel. When stuck in slow traffic, look down at the sides of the lane your in, the shoulders are worse. There are times I wonder there aren't more vehicles on the side of the road with some sort of damage. I won't comment on the poorly secured loads...

I was up in Alaska a few years ago, and one of my coworkers said that there is so much windshield damage that they have extra insurance to cover replacement windshields. She said when damaged that just wait until it's no longer safe then replace. I asked about repairs and she laughed. She said that repairs were not very effective.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by pennstate95

In 12 months of owning the Interstate 2 dings/cracks/chips in the windshield from flying rocks. Then literally 2 weeks after buying our Reyo on our 2nd trip out, another ding!!! Is it just bad luck or does this happen more often with RVs? In 25 years of driving cars and SUVs, I think it's happened maybe twice. I'm going to have to add the windshield repair kit to our emergency kit at this rate. I try to repair those suckers ASAP before the glass fractures.

I got one on my Airstream Interstate fifteen minutes after I bought the danged thing! In three and a half years since then the windshield ding hasn't gotten any worse, but I keep an eye on it— I can't help but keep an eye on it because it's right there in my field of vision.

I figure an Interstate has a bigger windshield than most non-commercial vehicles so there's more to hit, plus, with the slope of the hood, anything that hits the hood would ricochet onto the windshield as well.

[gmillerok1]

My first Roadtrek Adventurous went 5 years and 35,000+ miles with no dings on the windshield. My Interstate got one on the second trip. I was on the interstate, and watched a small car about 1/4 mile ahead of me kick something up, then I saw it bouncing down the road. Nothing I could do but cringe as the windshield took a direct just a bit below my line of sight making a nice starburst.

You're right. It happens.

[J. Morgan]

These things seem to run in groups for me. I will go a long time without getting any, and then a wave....

[Ray Eklund]

PennState... you have just a streak of bad luck.

Here in Colorado we carry windshield insurance for our vehicles. $100 deductible or no deductible if the windshield crack can be epoxied. The winter highway crews here use a coarse gravel versus sand on the roads here. After ten years your driving vehicle's windshield is sandblasted with lots of dings, pits and star cracks.

Vehicles with deep all weather tread bring lots a "windshield crackers" with them on the road. When they come loose from their tire treads... they catch many windshields.

The option for the Highway Department is having more accidents or compromise with more windshield damage. You are lucky you are not here during the winter! I cannot imagine those RV busses with the huge curved windows coming through the Rockies. I have had more cracked windshields in the last 15 years in Colorado than the previous 30 years of driving!

When you hear that rock hit the windshield with that "crack" sound, you begin to look to see where and how bad. Beats driving over a ladder, couch or a mattress on the highway. Plenty of those to avoid as well.

Makes you sick, but get the star crack epoxied as that has worked well for us.

[masseyfarm]

What bugs me, is the stone chip is always right where you look through!

I got a couple on the Yukon run in 08, replaced. 3 on the east coast run 09, replaced. In 2011, got a big one just west of Banff, while going east on a 17000 mile double tour that year. Replaced at end of season. Have been lucky since then. The passenger side has never been replaced.

Dave

[JCWDCW]

I've got a TV that's a rock magnet. Three new windshields in 4 years...just bad luck. I try to stay in front of or way back of dump trucks but every hit has come from something going the opposite direction.
The vertical nature of TV and Trailer widows just amplifies the hit!
JCW

[Oldforester]

On our "walkthrough" with AS following our Interstate purchase a few months ago I asked about the cost of replacing the very large windshield should it be cracked. I was told that since the window is impregnated with the small wires to defrost the glass, the cost of replacement was around $2,000. Having a $1,000 deductible, I called my insurance company to check on reducing my deductible and learned that they offered a rider specifically for window glass that cost me about $6 per month. That rider waives the deductible on glass damage without affecting other coverages or deductibles. You might look into that. Safeco is the company we used.
Other than that, there are events on the road that you can and can not control. I never drive behind any construction truck or truck with limited mud flaps whenever possible. Concrete trucks are the worst, since they drive into and out of wet concrete and gravel all day, sticky stones attached to all parts of the truck just waiting to detach and fly in your direction. Defensive driving can apply to windshield damage.

[LucasS]

As a flat front AS owner it seems to be the norm. Luckily I recently learned they can be patched and I don't have to replace the window each time. I honestly never knew that until a few months ago. There's a few grand down the toilet.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Oldforester

I was told that since the window is impregnated with the small wires to defrost the glass, the cost of replacement was around $2,000.

Really? I thought that was only the rear glass. The windshield is defrosted by heater vents on top of the dashboard.

Concrete trucks are the worst, since they drive into and out of wet concrete and gravel all day, sticky stones attached to all parts of the truck just waiting to detach and fly in your direction.

In my book empty timber haulers are even worse; their trailer is just a long metal pole down the center with ribs branching off of it— not even a deck— so you potentially get stones from the truck tires as well as the trailer tires. Every windshield chip I've ever gotten in any vehicle was from a timber truck, usually one about a quarter-mile or more ahead of me.

Come to think of it, I might do better to follow them closer, because any stones thrown up wouldn't be able to rise as far before hitting my vehicle and they'd smack the grill instead of the windshield.

[dames7]

Go on line and get a Rock Tamer, will stop your rock problems.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by dames7

Go on line and get a Rock Tamer, will stop your rock problems.

How will that help us from getting chips in our windshields? Which is what we're collectively complaining about…

When I first started towing a toad, I used a Rock Tamer to help keep my toad from getting beat up by road debris. I quit using it when I found out that the factory rear tire mudguards on an Interstate do a perfectly adequate job all on their own. Since I quit using the Rock Tamer on my Interstate, I've still had no damage to my toad from debris thrown up by my Interstate's tires.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by drew05

I asked about repairs and she laughed. She said that repairs were not very effective.

I've had several W/S w/ star chips and had the Safelite epoxy repair done and experienced no further damage and the repair was close to invisible. The one that I didn't have repaired cuz it was hidden by the wiper blade, developed into a full crack necessitating W/S replacement.

As far as the DIY chip repair kits go, I'll stick w/ Safelite or equivalent. Having watched them do several, there's no way a kit can approach what they do.

Originally Posted by Oldforester

Having a $1,000 deductible, I called my insurance company to check on reducing my deductible and learned that they offered a rider specifically for window glass that cost me about $6 per month. That rider waives the deductible on glass damage without affecting other coverages or deductibles. You might look into that. Safeco is the company we used.

Make sure that the removal of deductible is not dependent on being able to repair the chip as opposed to full W/S replacement.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Really? I thought that was only the rear glass. The windshield is defrosted by heater vents on top of the dashboard....

Don't know what year Airstream started buying the Mercedes Sprinters with windshield heaters but my 2013 model built on a 2012 Sprinter has the wires in the windshield. You can see them if you look real close and there is a separate control for that heater as shown in attached clip from the owners manual.

- - Mike

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by 73shark

I've had several W/S w/ star chips and had the Safelite epoxy repair done and experienced no further damage and the repair was close to invisible. The one that I didn't have repaired cuz it was hidden by the wiper blade, developed into a full crack necessitating W/S replacement. ...

... Make sure that the removal of deductible is not dependent on being able to repair the chip as opposed to full W/S replacement.

Good point on the deductible waiver. On my policy it covers chip repairs without a deductible, but I'd pay the deductible if it is replaced.

- - Mike

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Don't know what year Airstream started buying the Mercedes Sprinters with windshield heaters but my 2013 model built on a 2012 Sprinter has the wires in the windshield. You can see them if you look real close and there is a separate control for that heater as shown in attached clip from the owners manual.

It shows up in my 2011 manual as well, but not on my 2012 Interstate/2011 Sprinter dashboard. Airstream must have started buying the ones with the windshield heaters with the 2013 Interstate/2012 Sprinter models.

Guess that means if I ever have to replace the windshield it will be a little less expensive for me than for some of you guys…