Windshields

[Kinarfi]

I imagine we have all considered having a windshield on our Trooper and many have installed them. I think the use of plastics has been shown to be a bad idea with scratches and dust. I've not really wanted a permanent windshield, but there are times when the bugs, dust, gravel and rocks in the face make me wish I had something to protect me. On one of my outing to Fairview Canyon, Fairview, Utah, I saw this antique car with a most unique windshield, it was an oval piece of glass on a gold colored metal arm coming up off the dash about 12” in front of the driver, never have been able to find a photo of it, but here’s what I have in mind to make something similar, storable, and easily installed and remove.

This is an idea in the making, and I welcome any ideas and suggestions and comments. My plan is to get some safety glass and either have some holes drilled into the corners or glue some attach points on the edges, then suspend it from the roll bar with something like bungy cord and stainless coated cable and hold it in position with bungy cords to the side posts.

Any way here’s a prototype photo.

[bruhaw]

Kinarfi - I can remove my glass windshield within a couple of minutes because I used quick disconnects that Lenny sells with his windshields. 3 on each side. I used automotive safety glass mounted inside of 1/4 aluminum with square bars of aluminum welded at the top and bottom below the glass to give it support from flexing at all. Only thing I would have done different is not covered the whole front of the buggy. I have a T-4 so I don't get as much of the dust getting pulled through but I know a lot of the T-2 guys have said they had to put holes in the bottom to allow air flow. You could alter the shape of the windshield and allow for flow through the passenger side of the vehicle. I posted pictures on the gallery. Believe there are a few of them along with photos of the disconnect knobs. Also, windshield is not that heavy so no problems there.

[nocturnalsixer]

Kinarfi,

That concept is very interesting and that unique windshield would have been something to see haha.

Bruhaw,

Your set up is what id want but with vent holes i have been thinking about getting that done but i have too many projects and modifications desired and little time at the time lol

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[ricksrb]

I imagine we have all considered having a windshield on our Trooper and many have installed them. I think the use of plastics has been shown to be a bad idea with scratches and dust. I've not really wanted a permanent windshield, but there are times when the bugs, dust, gravel and rocks in the face make me wish I had something to protect me. On one of my outing to Fairview Canyon, Fairview, Utah, I saw this antique car with a most unique windshield, it was an oval piece of glass on a gold colored metal arm coming up off the dash about 12” in front of the driver, never have been able to find a photo of it, but here’s what I have in mind to make something similar, storable, and easily installed and remove.

This is an idea in the making, and I welcome any ideas and suggestions and comments. My plan is to get some safety glass and either have some holes drilled into the corners or glue some attach points on the edges, then suspend it from the roll bar with something like bungy cord and stainless coated cable and hold it in position with bungy cords to the side posts.

Any way here’s a prototype photo.

It would seem if you suspend with cable or bungy cords it would be bounceing all around. If going with your idea i would make some stationary points to attach it too that would allow easy removal.

[Kinarfi]

My idea is to have some hooks that fit the roll bar tubing with some good strong cables to hold the weight of the glass and then use the same set up with bungy cord to hold them in the center side to side, another possibility is have strap to to cinch them tight that has Velcro on them, I'm trying not to do any welding of brackets on the front part of the roll bar.

[Spur of the Moment]

I permanently mounted my windshield but I have plenty of open space below my hood to let air through. I had polycarbonate at first but it scratches after a while so I had 1/4" laminated tinted windshield glass glued in. Much better. The pics are the polycarbonate but the glass looks the same, just clearer.

[nocturnalsixer]

Spur of the moment,

That looks very good how hard was it to remove old glue?

Did you had an windshield shop glue the glass to your frame?

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[Spur of the Moment]

Hey nocturnalsixer.........I held the polycarbonate in with nuts and bolts. I laid one sided sticky foam strips on the angle iron frame, laid the polycarbonate in, and attached flat bar around the edges with small nuts and bolts. They actually went through the polycarbonate.

With the glass I took the frame to a glass company in Parker, AZ and he cut the glass to fit and glued it in with windshield urethane. He didn't want to drill holes in the glass and said the urethane will hold the glass in just fine. Just had it done and haven't driven it yet but I'll let you know. Might take a ride today before it gets too hot. We're still 105 degrees in the daytime here.

Bruce

[nocturnalsixer]

Hey nocturnalsixer.........I held the polycarbonate in with nuts and bolts. I laid one sided sticky foam strips on the angle iron frame, laid the polycarbonate in, and attached flat bar around the edges with small nuts and bolts. They actually went through the polycarbonate.

With the glass I took the frame to a glass company in Parker, AZ and he cut the glass to fit and glued it in with windshield urethane. He didn't want to drill holes in the glass and said the urethane will hold the glass in just fine. Just had it done and haven't driven it yet but I'll let you know. Might take a ride today before it gets too hot. We're still 105 degrees in the daytime here.

Bruce

Wow still in 105 degrees? Iowa right now is 60-85 degrees during day and 30-50 degrees cold at night our summer is gone already lol.

Also thanks for the input on how the windshield was done.

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[Spur of the Moment]

Checked the forcast after I posted. Calling for 98 today. Cold spell.

Took the buggy out for a test ride. About 25 miles on some rough stuff, up to 53mph. Windshield worked great.

Pics of new windsheild.

[Kinarfi]

Just checked the price of "car" and for a piece 12" x 18" is $17.63 +12 cents an inch for smoothing the edges and if I round the corners it's $4.20 a corner and if I do a hole (not), it's $12.00 a hole. Lexan is around $17.00 for a 12 X 36 in. sheet.

Soooo, it's going to be Lexan until I decide it works or doesn't work and secure it with Velcro straps. I'll have the wife make a bag to store them in went we don't want them mounted. I have some nice loops for Velcro straps from the boots I got from the Doctor for my feet after the multiple surgeries I had so long ago. I'll take so photos when I get things done.

Kinarfi

[Spur of the Moment]

Lexan is the polycarbonate I used. I carried a jug of water and micro fiber cloths and cleaned it with a lot of water. I had it almost a year that way but when you rode into the sun it was terrible. Also we have a ton of dust down here so it hard on plastic. But it worked good.

Bruce.

[Kinarfi]

Lexan is the polycarbonate I used. I carried a jug of water and micro fiber cloths and cleaned it with a lot of water. I had it almost a year that way but when you rode into the sun it was terrible. Also we have a ton of dust down here so it hard on plastic. But it worked good.

Bruce.

I had lexan on my air plane, probably about 6 feet of it and I always cleaned it with pledge furniture polish and micro fiber cloth, Didn't have too much dust that high up.

[brostar]

Kinarfi, have you considered using Lexan MR10? It’s got a abrasion coating on both sides which gives you resistance against abrasion. Windshield wipers are no problem. It also has enhanced UV protection, but like most improvements, it costs plenty more. I think about $100 more per sheet.

[Kinarfi]

Here's my first prototype installed, if it works well, it stays, if it attracts too much dirt & dust, I may replace the plastic with glass.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JNDQSDsG580mxdKMSgClTkQPnh2NnsZo8eCcyh460ao?feat=directlink

[Kinarfi]

I tried my windshield out today and it worked great, https://plus.google.com/photos/102644701140090439641/albums/5845770977974310337?authkey=COujm4Gvh_6MZA

Also, the blue board kept the snow out real well, the passenger side got snow on the seat, but not mine, guess I'll make another one.

[charlie]

Nice job I've been dieing for snow and now we have to much and I have no time poor trooper hasn't been out since early December