Broken Rock Guards

[Beginner]

While returning home from a family weekend, daughters and sons in law and grandchildren, a bush hog threw two pieces of something and knocked a hole in my Window Rock Guard and cracked the street side battery box cover.
The rock guard died valliantly doing its job as there was no damage to the windows underneath.
It was a State of Virginia mowing operation and because I didn't notice the damage til I got home, the state refused any responsibility for the damage.
Any one else loose a rock guard.
Beginner

[halimer]

If you can articulate the circumstances of the incident(i.e. time, location etc), take it to small claims court. Let the State of VA prove beyond the preponderance of the evidence(51%) that they DID NOT DO IT. Just do your home work. You have nothing to lose. Here in Nassau County, NY the small claims judges give the house away.

[bobkelly]

Looks like the window guard did its job. Consider it like insurance, when you're not having a good day, it minimized your out of pocket costs. Consider putting your energy into replacing the guard and let the rest of the event go.

[pmclemore]

Mine caught a rock and cracked three ways. If I had been smart, I'd have drilled a small hole at the end of each crack so the split wouldn't grow. But I wasn't, so I didn't, and it did.

If you have a plexiglas supplier convenient, you shouldn't get beat up too badly - use your old one as a template.

Good luck - Pat

[CanoeStream]

Yeeouch! You drove through that? Or did they do it while you were parked?

I agree with Pat -- I had to replace a panel on my Argosy rock guard. The local glass company didn't have the exact color but they got so close that I can't tell the difference. It's easy to install yourself. Just pull out the rubber bead on the inside. Be sure not to stretch the rubber bead when you're putting it back in.

[Beginner]

I drilled all the pop rivets, and disassembled the guard.
I drove to all the plastics houses in Norfolk.
Norva Plastics identified the material as acrylic and had the matching color and thickness. I would have replaced ght acrylic with poly Carboniate but the color was not dark enough. They cut and rounded the corners also.
Cost $110.00.
Various stainless steel pop rivets (that is what I drilled out) and a piece of 1/4 inch by 5/16 inch aluminum three foot long from a local sheet metal company, some parbond that I had and new spline (the grey rubber rod) about $20.00.
Its already back together and on the trailer.
Beginner

[SRoffe]

Out of curiousity, how would you go about replacing the wrap around window rock guards if they were broken?

[CanoeStream]

Originally Posted by SRoffe

Out of curiousity, how would you go about replacing the wrap around window rock guards if they were broken?

What's broken? Lexan? Frame? Attachment to the trailer? Lexan is the most straightforward. Try attaching a photo if it's the rockguard frame or attach points.

Though not perfectly related (attn! Minuets are only about 7'6" wide, so steps to narrow rockguard do not apply. Replacement parts need to be specified as for 8' or 8'6" wide Airstream.) -- here is some of the anatomy: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f358...uet-18243.html

[Beginner]

The 1/8 inch acrylic is very flexable. The dark gray "thick" colors are acrylic not lexan(polycarbonate). NORVA plastics can heat bent the acrylic as needed. I don't know about the polycarbonate.
Beginner

[tinhutjohn]

Do you not have insurance on your trailer?
This is much the same sort of comprehensive claim that one makes when a rock hits a windshield. Call your insurance agent and see if you have coverage on your trailer for this sort of damage.

[Beginner]

Yes I have insurance on my trailer that would have covered it minus $100.00 dollar deductable.
However,
I just wanted to see if the thing was reasonably reparable and it was.
I also prefer to save insurance for really big ticket items, such as the tree on my house courtesy hurricane Isabell, tow vehicle windshields (glass cost $350.00 plus), just a personal quirk.
Beginner

[pmclemore]

Good job, Beginner. Sounds like you did the right thing for the right price.

Pat

[SRoffe]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

What's broken? Lexan? Frame? Attachment to the trailer? Lexan is the most straightforward. Try attaching a photo if it's the rockguard frame or attach points.

Though not perfectly related (attn! Minuets are only about 7'6" wide, so steps to narrow rockguard do not apply. Replacement parts need to be specified as for 8' or 8'6" wide Airstream.) -- here is some of the anatomy: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f358...uet-18243.html

I didn't think about specifying that nothing is broken (yet). But, my question was related to the Lexan.

From what others have replied, it sounds like a little extra work in replacing the curved windows, but, not the end of the world.

I also deal with the insurance company the same way, unless it's really expensive, I won't file a claim. In 20 years, I've only filed two claims with auto or home owners.

Sam

[Jaxon]

Hadn't thought about the rock guard doing it's job and loosin' it afterwords... Thanks for the note and what you did - will save alot of time if & when it happens to me... (murphy's law).