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repair that windshield chip yourself Ouch! You see the rock coming toward your windshield, looking like a meteor about to strike Earth, but you just can’t avoid it! Luckily, most flying debris doesn’t completely smash the glass, but instead leaves an annoying chip. Annoyance is the least of the problems of a windshield chip. Little nicks leave your windshield open to moisture seepage. In turn, that can cause an ongoing decline in the integrity of the glass and may lead to a complete windshield crack requiring replacement. But if you repair a windshield chip soon after it happens, you can put off the cost of a new windshield – or even avoid it completely. Of course you could take the time, and about $25, to go to a glass repair shop and wait to have it taken care of. Or, you can purchase a home repair kit at an auto parts store for under $10 and take a few minutes to do the job yourself. Preparation:
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What’s in the Repair Kit?
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Step-by-step repair: 1. Clean the windshield inside and out, using a glass cleaner. Allow it to dry completely. 2. Attach the suction cup to the inside of your windshield, centering it over the chip you are repairing. Place a clean rag on your dashboard just under the cup to avoid any possible spills. 3. Punch the center hole out of the plastic disk, and peel off the backing. On the outside of the windshield, center the hole in the disk over the chip and stick it to the glass. 4. Remove the backing from the cone and stick it to the center of the hole of the disk applied in Step 3. 5. Snugly attach or insert the syringe into the cone. The syringe contains enough resin filler to repair one fairly large chip and doesn’t require mixing or priming. 6. The next step draws air from the chip: Slowly pull the plunger out of the syringe. You’ll notice that the suction cup inside the car will compress toward the glass as you pull. 7. You’ll know when you’ve gotten all the air drawn. Then release the plunger. You’ll see resin being injected into the chip and filling the space that once held air. 8. Leave everything as it is, allowing the resin to cure in the sun, for 5 – 10 minutes. 9. Use your fingernail to break the air seal on the suction cup inside the car, then carefully peel it off the glass. 10. Remove the plastic disk from the outside of the glass. There’s usually a tab to loosen it. 11. Let the resin cure in the sun for at least 30 minutes. 12. Clean off any excess resin from the glass with a razor blade. Clean the glass again if you’ve left any fingerprints. |
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