protecting rear windows from stone damage when towing a trailer

Submitted: Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 15:08

ThreadID: 7889 Views:7684 Replies:9 FollowUps:6

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ian

I have seen a number of ways to protect the rear window of a 4x4 when towing a trailer. I know about stone guards on the trailer, but I would like to hear from people with experience with perspex over their window. My question is about the best way to fix it. Rubber suction caps? 2 way tape? There is a commercially available perspex guard that is held in place by velcro. Is it a good way to go? What works best, and stays stuck on? Thanks for your help.

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Reply By: Andrew - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 15:22

Reply By: Outnabout David (SA) - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 15:25

Reply By: Member - Ross - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 15:59

Reply By: landie - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 16:00

Reply By: Outnabout David (SA) - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 16:58

Reply By: Member - Neil & Lynne(Bunbury) - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 17:19

Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 17:19

Hi Ian

I made our rear window protector from a sheet of 1.5mm polycarbonate (which is clearer than glass) cut to the size of the rear glass window but about 20mm wider all round. I used a roll of self adhesive velcro which I run right around the window approx. 100mm in from the edge and run the other strip of velcro around the poly sheet to match that on the window. It is important that the poly sheet doesn't rest on the window and that there is a buffer between the glass and the poly (I used 3 x 25mm sections of velcro, each with their mate, stuck along the middle section of the glass only).

Over 2 trips we've travelled 16,000k's odd and quite a bit of it on gravel roads without any window breakage.

All up it would have cost me about $30 for the sheet and velcro.

Neil

AnswerID: 34186

Follow Up By: ian - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 17:51

Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 17:51

Neil
Thanks for your response.
Is the gap you have between the glass and the polycarbonate just the thickness of the velcro, or do you have spacers?
Is 1.5 mm poly stiff enough to sit out from the glass?
When you take it off, does it pull the velcro off the glass or poly?
Is it just ordinary, off the shelf, 25mm velcro, or is it a tough version?
Ian

FollowupID: 24612

Follow Up By: Member - Neil & Lynne(Bunbury) - Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 18:41

Friday, Oct 17, 2003 at 18:41

Hi Ian,
I just use the velcro to hold it off, it keeps it 3 - 4 mm off the glass which I found to suit the purpose. The three pieces stuck to the window (but not to the poly) keep the middle separated. If it was spaced out too far then wind could get under it possibly tearing it off.

When removing the sheet, care MUST be taken to slip your fingers in under the sheet to help separate the velcro to prevent it lifting off one or the other surface, particularly if it is wet.

I just used ordinary velcro, from Bunnings from memory.

Ha ha...I just thought I'd better go an physically check mine for what I've been saying....it is only 1mm poly and the velcro is 25 - 30 mm in from the edges.

My email is landseka@hotmail.com....send me yours & I'll send you a pic.

I agree with the other posts re trying to also prevent damage to the car bodywork but my aim was to avoid having to source a new window for $1500 odd in the middle of nowhere...I'll worry about the nicks & dents later. LOL

Regards
Neil
Life's too short to say .. "I can't do that !"