with: Richard Routson, Dentmasters (Virginia, USA)
PDR techs can be classified into two categories. Those who have broken a window while working on a door ding and those who will break a window. Breaking the window of a luxury vehicle will instantly put a damper on your day and wallet. The parts + labor cost of replacing a Mercedes-Benz S-class window can be as much as $1000. Ouch! Why do laminated windows break more easily than single pane glass? Laminated glass is weak at the edges. Most breaks occur when too much pressure is focused in one spot, particularly the edge. Don’t become a statistic. Follow these simple steps the next time you brace a laminated window, and minimize the chances of a pricey mistake.
- Remove the belt molding on the top edge of the door cavity
- Open the window until there is about 3 inches (or finger widths) exposed
- Create space with an inflatable bag rather than a plastic wedge
- Always use a metal window protector board
Removing the belt molding gives you more space to slide a tool in between the window and the door skin. More space means you won’t be forcing your metal tool in a tight slot next to the fragile glass. Leaving 3 inches of the window edge exposed allows you to apply a more even amount of pressure towards the center of the glass with your inflatable wedge, rather than focusing all of the pressure on the top edge. A metal protector board also helps disperse the pressure you will be applying to the window with your flatbar or hook tool. Why anyone uses a plastic board on any window (single pane included) is a mystery to me.
These 4 steps will help to minimize, not eliminate the risk of breaking a laminated window. When in doubt or if you are working on an ultra luxury car (Bentley, Rolls Royce, Maserati, etc.) the safest way to avoid breaking glass is to have the interior door panel and glass removed.
Keep pushing!
