| CHANMADD |
04-25-2020 09:17 AM |
Why your windshield breaks.
So what happens is the air pressure at the base of the windshield forces the middle of the screen back. That is why there is a bracket that screws into the cowl to stop the bottom of the screen moving .. Now....if you've laid the screen back ,..the more you tilt it back the more the center bottom lifts off the cowl. Mine is laid back ..it's lexan.....but I had to reshape the windshield making it deeper in the middle at the cowl...
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| mrmustang |
04-25-2020 09:58 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by CHANMADD
(Post 1475531)
So what happens is the air pressure at the base of the windshield forces the middle of the screen back. That is why there is a bracket that screws into the cowl to stop the bottom of the screen moving .. Now....if you've laid the screen back ,..the more you tilt it back the more the center bottom lifts off the cowl. Mine is laid back ..it's lexan.....but I had to reshape the windshield making it deeper in the middle at the cowl...
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Actually, two reasons for the windshield to break, lack of a center stiffener bar, and the lousy design of the flimsy frames available (Kirkham is working on a replacement now). Actually three reasons, some of the screws that are supplied for the windshield frame are too long, run them all the way in and they actually hit the edge of the windshield itself causing a pressure point that given the right circumstances, will cause the glass to crack from the edge inwards.
100,000+ miles of use, road and race track, and I have yet to crack one of my cobra replica windshields. Maybe I'm just lucky......
Bill S. |
| ERA 626 |
04-25-2020 05:41 PM |
I had one crack on my ERA when I first got the car, I did not have the rear suspension dialed in and the car had a violent wheel hop under hard acceleration. I fixed the wheel hop and it never happened again. I also feel that the chassis twists slightly hence twisting the windshield causing a crack up the middle
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| Ron61 |
04-26-2020 06:54 AM |
I have never had one crack but I was very careful when installing them and made sure there was no stress from the end braces where they bolt to the frame mounting places.
Ron
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| studebaker53 |
04-26-2020 08:18 AM |
Most causes of windshield breaks are because of installer error. The windshield frame to cowl bar cannot have any gap whatsoever as the bolts are being tightened. Any gap needs to be shimmed to prevent the windshield frame from flexing thus putting stress on the windshield frame and transferring to the glass...and breaking.
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| CHANMADD |
04-26-2020 11:32 AM |
I had an accident in 1996,. and without that lexan windshield ,I probably would have died from a tree branch .....I took down 3 trees on the centre divide on Rancho Sante Fe Rd...late at night ......moist road .. gassed it in third and went sideways......I now have a LSD, diff.
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| CobraResurrect |
05-06-2020 06:43 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by studebaker53
(Post 1475567)
Most causes of windshield breaks are because of installer error. The windshield frame to cowl bar cannot have any gap whatsoever as the bolts are being tightened. Any gap needs to be shimmed to prevent the windshield frame from flexing thus putting stress on the windshield frame and transferring to the glass...and breaking.
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I would have thought the opposite. Flexing of the car causing increased stress on the windshield at the cowl interface. |
| t walgamuth |
05-06-2020 07:35 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by CHANMADD
(Post 1475574)
I had an accident in 1996,. and without that lexan windshield ,I probably would have died from a tree branch .....I took down 3 trees on the centre divide on Rancho Sante Fe Rd...late at night ......moist road .. gassed it in third and went sideways......I now have a LSD, diff.
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You had an open diff before?
Actually a limited slip will make the car go sideways instantly on limited traction situations. An open diff is much more stable as you can spin one wheel and the other only has to keep the car going straight. |
| MaSnaka |
05-06-2020 08:52 AM |
#4...rock chips. I know.
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| t walgamuth |
05-06-2020 09:08 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmustang
(Post 1475533)
Actually, two reasons for the windshield to break, lack of a center stiffener bar, and the lousy design of the flimsy frames available (Kirkham is working on a replacement now). Actually three reasons, some of the screws that are supplied for the windshield frame are too long, run them all the way in and they actually hit the edge of the windshield itself causing a pressure point that given the right circumstances, will cause the glass to crack from the edge inwards.
100,000+ miles of use, road and race track, and I have yet to crack one of my cobra replica windshields. Maybe I'm just lucky......
Bill S.
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I am a relative novice when it comes to Cobras but I agree totally about the point load like a screw from my experience with buildings. If custom cutting glass a notch is also a good way to foster cracking. |
| Grubby |
05-06-2020 12:38 PM |
I have about 30,000 miles split between two ERA Cobras. One windshield broke when I purchased the car. It was broken by the wind wing screw that wasn't shortened enough.
John
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| novasscnc |
05-06-2020 03:17 PM |
Plus when climbing in grabbing the windshield will break them, I have a Fast Freddie plexi glass windshield will sell cheap
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Falling coconuts is a prime cause of broken windshields in my experience.:mad:
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| RallySnake |
05-11-2020 07:44 PM |
After 2 broken windshields, I bought a sheet of Plexiglas and cut out my own screen. That scratched very easily and then I bought 1/4" Lexan MR10. This stuff is great and big rocks have bounced off of it. Still going strong after 12 years!
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| tortuga |
05-13-2020 08:44 AM |
Sure Fire Way
Hitting a wild Turkey at about 50 will screw up a windshield...ask me how i know (doesnt do much for the Turkey either)...
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