What to Expect During Windshield Replacement

Tucson, Arizona, drivers need to prioritize various maintenance and repair tasks to keep their vehicles in good condition — including auto glass work. Though windshields are easy to ignore under normal circumstances, even seemingly minor auto glass damage can have surprisingly severe consequences. Windshields are responsible for protecting you from foreign objects and supporting your car’s structural integrity, and they can’t do these jobs reliably when they’ve been chipped or cracked.

Before Tucson residents set up windshield replacement, they should know a thing or two about what this process will entail. With that in mind, here’s our in-depth overview of what to expect when you get windshield replacement at a local auto glass shop.

How the Windshield Replacement Process Works

If your windshield has sustained severe damage, there’s a good chance that you’ll have to set things right by scheduling windshield replacement. Tucson auto glass shops complete this task by:

1. Taking out old windshield trim. Your windshield trim functions like caulk in a building’s window — it keeps your windshield in place while preventing leaks and drafts. When they need to replace windshields, mechanics start by using a razor to remove your windshield trim.
2. Removing the current windshield. With the trim gone, your auto glass shop’s technicians will take out the windshield itself. Sometimes, they “pop” windshields out of vehicles by using large suction cups with handles.
3. Preparing and cleaning your vehicle’s pinch weld. The pinch weld is the area between your car’s body and its windshield that “pinches” the edges of your auto glass. Urethane, dust, and dirt can easily accumulate in this area, which means it needs to get a deep clean as part of your auto glass replacement process.
4. Applying urethane. Once the pinch weld is clean, technicians will put in new urethane at its edges — this will serve as an adhesive and keep your new windshield in place. Urethane needs to be applied evenly and quickly to prevent it from setting before this process is complete.
5. Installing your new windshield. With all this work out of the way, your new windshield is ready for installation. The technicians handling this task will precisely fit your windshield and use bars and suction cups to push it into the pinch weld. Once your new windshield is in position, it will be held in place for a few minutes so that the urethane can begin to set before the suction cups are removed.

While this is a multi-step process, a skilled auto glass shop can go through these steps more quickly than you might expect. Generally speaking, you can get a new windshield installed in an hour or less.

Auto Glass Replacement or Repair: Which Service Do You Need?

Sometimes, visiting an auto glass shop for windshield replacement is the only way to deal with a damaged windshield. But that isn’t always the case — instead, you may be able to get windshield repair work.

If you visit your auto glass shop of choice to take care of windshield damage, the people working there will closely examine your windshield before deciding how to proceed. As part of this process, they’ll think about:

• The size of your chipped area. If your chip is smaller than an inch in diameter (and it hasn’t developed any hairline cracks), there’s a good chance it can be repaired. On the other hand, windshields with larger chips usually need to be replaced.
• How deep your damage is. Even if your chip is smaller than an inch in diameter, it won’t be repairable if it has damaged your windshield’s middle vinyl layer.
• Your chip’s distance from the windshield’s center. Chips near the edge of your windshield can cause serious trouble — this type of damage can weaken your vehicle’s roof. In this situation, you’ll have to replace your windshield.
• The location of your chip. Your chip won’t be repairable if it’s in your direct line of vision while driving. That’s because even high-quality auto glass repair can result in visual imperfections.

Why You Shouldn’t Repair Your Own Windshield

If you’re a cost-conscious Tucson driver, you’ll want to save on auto maintenance costs any way you can, and that definitely includes reducing costs related to windshield repair. However, that doesn’t mean trying to repair your own windshield is a good idea — this work should always be handled by people who know exactly what they’re doing.

When you bring your vehicle to an auto glass shop to deal with windshield damage, skilled technicians will determine whether your auto glass needs to be repaired or replaced. Even with the helpful advice included in the previous section, it can be difficult to make this call without professional experience in the field — and choosing to repair a windshield that needs to be replaced could have serious consequences. Making matters worse, the products used in DIY auto glass repair simply can’t deliver results that compare to repair work from knowledgeable mechanics in terms of quality.

Once you’ve taken this into account, one thing should be clear: Handling your own auto glass repair is never a good idea. Fortunately, you can still save on this work — all you have to do is find an auto shop that provides financing opportunities and promotions.

Get Windshield Replacement You Can Count On

At this point, you’ve learned quite a bit about auto glass replacement, from how this process works to whether or not your vehicle actually needs this service. Still, there’s one more thing you need to know — where to go for windshield replacement.

Tucson residents overwhelmingly trust Max Auto Glass for auto glass replacement and repair, and it isn’t hard to see why that’s the case. We take quality workmanship seriously by hiring mechanics with Auto Glass Safety CouncilTM and Dow certification. And when you utilize our free mobile service, you won’t even have to visit us in person to get your windshield replaced.

Whether you need to repair or replace windshields, Max Auto Glass has you covered. Get started by requesting a quote online or giving us a call at 520-498-1234 (in Tucson) or 480-491-4184 (in Phoenix)!