another broken windshield!

[Steve Funk]

In the winter of 2016 coming out of the Grand Canyon I had a big rock chip break my windshield and before I got back to Phoenix to get it fixed it had cracked all across the window so needed replaced.  Fast forward to spring of 2017 I was positioning my coach to park and while doing so twisted the front a wee bit and my bottom driver side windshield blew up.  New windshield.  I figured that was my fault as I was on uneven ground moving the coach ever so slowly but enough to stress it. 


Today I was taking a slow 90* right turn off of Boulder Highway from the bus lane into Sams KOA campground.  There is a slight dip in the pavement that rolled the coach a bit but not a lot, no pans were rattling or things falling in the coach, but BAM the windshield blew up again in the same spot as a year ago!. 


I am very concerned as to how to prevent this from happening again in the future.  This is not normal.  What should I look for in the installation of a new windshield and does anyone have a similar experience?  $4000 a pop is a bit hard to swallow on a regular basis.

Thanks
Steve

[Gerald Farris]

Steve,
It sounds like you have a problem with the front cab on your coach. I think that your coach has a one piece windshield that is mounted in urethane, so it may be a lack of support (stiffness) in the front cap instead of the opening size issue that many older coaches had. To properly diagnose an repair it you need to take it to a knowledge body shop like BCS to determine what the issue is and repair it.   

Gerald

[Joel Ashley]

When ours cracked slowly over weeks while parked here it’s initial year of “storage”, it was partly from the “pad” not being square (level) in at least one direction, and my not dumping the airbags upon storage, so one corner’s slow bag leak didn’t help.

But upon warranty repair at Monaco Harrisburg, the tech found what he said was a common malady with at least our model of coach and the then-new one piece windshield configuration;  the mounting apparatus had been installed wrong at the factory.  And manufacturers were learning the do’s and don’ts of one-piece installations.

On yours that issue likely has never been corrected.  I’d get it to BCS as Gerald said or other BAC sponsor’s shop, or a long-established RV Glass Solutions facility where techs are familiar with this problem.

Joel

[Steve Funk]

Thanks gentlemen.  Looks like I have a project to figure out.  We will be at Happy Trails in AZ today for the winter so it will be awhile before I could get to BCS.  Do you know of any BAC sponsored or quality shops in the Phoenix are that you would trust this kind of work with?


Thanks
Steve

The "Good Hands" people at All State are not going to be happy with me. 

[Stan Simpson]

As information, the first time it happened to us, (a gravel truck through a rock), we paid for the new one out of pocket. Since, we have added a windshield rider to our State Farm RV policy. I think it's around $10.00 per year, with no deductible, and covers replacement of the windshield for breakage, regardless of cause.

[Mike Tomas]

Do you know of any BAC sponsored or quality shops in the Phoenix are that you would trust this kind of work with?

Steve-

as a Phoenix Native, I only know two places here that could be worth investigating:

"RV Glass Solutions" ( (888) 777-6778 ) I believe is the trusted dual Payne window repair company that from what I understand usually shows up to the Quartzite Ralley to repair the window creepers. Being that my coach is only 10 months old to me, I haven't needed to seek their services, but may be a shot.

As far as actual mechanical repairs, I'd try calling Tom over at Massey's Diesel & RV Repair  ( (602) 233-1700 ). We are lucky enough to have an originally sanctioned Beaver Repair facility here in Phoenix, and Tom's the man. It takes a little to jog his memory, but he knows his stuff. and if Massey's won't touch it (I'm not sure how much into bodywork he gets into) Tom could tell you where your best choice will be to get it fixed.

Both are located about a mile from one another down on Buckeye and roughly 65th Avenue. I've taken my coach to Tom already for a general mechanical inspection, Vetting him with some questions to test his mental against what I've picked up here in the BAC forums. He knows what he's talking about, and he knows Beavers. He's the best place I know of so far in Phoenix to take a Beaver.

[Joel Ashley]

https://www.rvglassexperts.com/contact_us.html

Joel