Is it the glass... or the windshield angle?

[KABQ]

Stop driving so close to other cars.

The big crack I have came from a 4Runner going in the opposite direction (I watched the rock the whole way and ducked out of instinct when it landed). The crappy part about it is that for some reason the county had gravelled a paved road. They literally poured gravel over a perfectly fine paved road. No idea why, and all the gravel was gone the next time I went there.

No comment on the strength of the Bronco windshield, but blaming all windshield cracks on following too closely is silly. Also, I won't be replacing my windshield until my vision is obscured or I get a ticket. Holy hell they're expensive!

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[VirginiaHeritage]

My crack happened in the first 60 days of ownership and required replacement. Happened on a paved rural road at about 50mph and it was a car coming the other direction that kicked up the stone.

Not tailgating is great advice in general but it won’t always keep you safe from stones. In rush hour traffic around here you can’t leave more than a couple car lengths open ahead of you anyway, or someone cuts in and fills the void.

How much you drive, where you drive, and just dumb luck are the major factors. If (like me) you live in an area with never-ending development and quarries around, there will be more gravel trucks on the roads and more gravel to be tossed up.

If a stone finds you, that’s when physics, engineering and glass quality come into play.

 

[zyglyrox]

Stop driving so close to other cars.

This. I haven’t had a single chip in two Broncos in 65,000 miles.

 

[Area51BS]

It's the glass, third windshield and not one audible rock strike. No chips, just cracks. Look at it wrong and it will crack from the black edge. On the bright side my MIC top is unscathed and I live in Florida.

Not much of a problem in Florida though:
Under Florida Statute §627.7288, insurers are prohibited from applying a deductible for windshield repairs or replacements if you carry comprehensive auto insurance coverage.

Key Florida Rules and Details Zero Out-of-Pocket Cost: If your windshield is damaged by debris or weather and you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance must cover the entire cost of the repair or replacement with no deductible. No Premium Penalty: In Florida, making a windshield-only claim under comprehensive coverage cannot be used by your insurer to raise your premium rates.

Tom

It is a great statue. But we know it gets factored in to rates one way or another.

 

[rdg04578]

if you live in the Northeast and drive in the winter-- no matter what you drive your windshield is gonna take some hits--unless of course they do not salt or sand the road

 

[SHANUT]

We've seen this debated quite a bit over the years.

Some people are convinced Bronco windshields use weaker glass.

Others think it's mostly the upright windshield angle taking rock impacts head-on.

After owning a Bronco, what's your take?

Have your experiences changed your opinion?

It’s the tailgating. It’s the windshield angle as well but tailgating is the real issue.

 

[BroncoA512021]

We've seen this debated quite a bit over the years.

Some people are convinced Bronco windshields use weaker glass.

Others think it's mostly the upright windshield angle taking rock impacts head-on.

After owning a Bronco, what's your take?

Have your experiences changed your opinion?

I have 95K miles and still have MY OG windshield

 

[TPadden72]

I have 95K miles and still have MY OG windshield

Sounds exactly like the MIC cracked top complaint; it's yours/not mine pointless discussion ...

Tom

 

[Rydfree]

Stop driving so close to other cars.

The rock that took out my windshield after 3 years came from a semi- trailer that changed lanes in front of the car that I was behind. The rock flew right past his side window and smacked mine. That car got lucky, but even it was not tailgating until the truck moved over in front of it.

 

[Mark B. Jones]

We've seen this debated quite a bit over the years.

Some people are convinced Bronco windshields use weaker glass.

Others think it's mostly the upright windshield angle taking rock impacts head-on.

After owning a Bronco, what's your take?

Have your experiences changed your opinion?

Angle!!

 

[GoHawks63]

I think the angle is a primary factor part of it, and not following too close is good advice, but no guarantee.

I have had my Bronco for 1.5 years (13K miles). I did have the Stek windshield film installed early on. We have a lot of tandem gravel trucks in the area where I live and I usually keep a ridiculous distance when one is in front of me or try to get around it as best I can, which isn't always easy on two-lane roads.

I know I have taken a couple of hits, one of which left a nice mark on the film, which I am guessing would've cracked or chipped the glass if it wasn't for the film.

So far, on the original windshield.

 

[Dral97]

4 years and 30,000 some miles - no problems. Windshield still pristine. No extra protection needed here.

 

[j_marinelli]

Its the angle.

Ironically for me all three chips/cracks I have received, have came from oncoming large trucks that kick up rocks right on the edge of my windshield.

 

[crumbbum]

Stop driving so close to other cars.

I got my first rock/crack recently & I was the only car on the road. I'm guessing my rock throwing SAS tires chucked one up on me somehow. Unless it just came out of the sky, lol.

 

[Gassyjack]

It’s a combination of angle, extremely thin glass and bad luck. I’ve seen my own front tires throw a rock straight up, how? I don’t know as I have big mud flaps and the tires don’t project outside the flares. And yes, very conscious of following too close to other vehicles, but it’s the ones you meet that you have no control over.

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