Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

[astjp2]

Is it me or do the Prewar fuselages have an issue cracking windshields???? I made sure that I had lots of clearances for the windshield to be able to float but I still got a crack when It froze the other night.... It was infront of those little wing contour shaped fuselage tubes that has about 1/4" of clearance in front of it......I survived -60 temps last winter but did not make it through the freeze this fall.....any Ideas out there?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

would need to see a pic of where it cracked, how old it was, who made it? I have never had an issue with cracking.

Mike

[astjp2]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

I installed it last summer, new CEE Bailey's prewar model, I will try and get a pic. Tim

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never used a baileys but I know they make some of the nicest windshields on the market.

Mike

[astjp2]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dont think its the manufacturer, its probably me.....

[Len Petterson]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm do you have a structrual proplem in the fuselage?
If you have helper rocking the wings up and down and you look at the plane from the front can you see any movments around the windshield?
Just a fought!
Check welds in the cabin area.
Len

[astjp2]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well the fuselage was blasted and inspected about 250 hours ago, reassembled last summer. I did not find any problems with it, I think that It is just getting stressed from flying. Tim

[1938BF50]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would it help to have rubber "bushings" on those little support wires? Thickness adjusted to just contact the windscreen while at rest? I would be interested to hear what others have to say as my windscreen is nearly an inch away from the supports on my ship.

[N95334]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

FYI I too had a cracked windshield but it occured at the Sun N Fun Fly-In. The crack was in the same spot as yours just above the brace tubing where the little wire half hooks are with the rubber tubing. It was hot then and I assumed it was done by the gas line person using the windshiled as a hand rest while filling the tanks. The only problem I have now with the new CEE Baily windshiled is cleaning the inside and getting around those cross brace tubes and those darn little wire things.

[astjp2]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mine is cracking at the wing root, There is a 1/4" tube the mirrors the wing L.E. contour that the windshield seems to just barely touch when I am flying, I have it installed so it will float and is not screwed down anywhere. It still cracked during the summer, I could see if it was below freezing but not during a warm period when it was parked. Its only an inch long now, i am going to stop drill it to keep it from growing for now, it is just frustrating. Tim

[whake]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

I removed the bottom center wire supports and have the top two just touching the wind screen. The four screws across the top in the fuslage are 1/8 oversize, I filled them with silicone and put the screws in. The area around the boot cowl is floating in silicone between the boot cowl and the fairing. All screw holes are oversize. The area around the wing roots has an internal alum fairing with a rubber u trim, the fit is tight but flexible. I had to make the external fairings new but they fit pretty good. The installation has been in about 3 months, so far so good. The temperture varies from about 70 to about 102 degrees.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Supports do not touch, they have rubber tubing over them, they are there to support the windshield if it moves back in a dive. Four were put on when the dive test to 170 mph showed things moving back. I do not see the proper lower windshield abnd rubber channel in place. Could be my eyes, what are the washers doing ???

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are the folded sheet aluminum "A" pillar side supports gone too? Both of mine have a metal piece that holds the sides of the windscreen without the screws touching the transparency. I can't see it on the top rear but there should be a metal piece to hold the top back edge too, NOT just screws through the transparency!
Hank

[Marv]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

A friend of mine had a automobile windsheild leaking. He repaired by using clear silicone. It was fine and didn't leak, however when freezing weather came the windsheild craked right where the silicone was because it did not flex the same as the urthane windshield installation did. Could this be your problem? Marv

[whake]

Re: Cracked windshield again!!!!!!!!!!!!

The washer was a temporary tool used while fitting the windshield. The windshield that I removed was embedded in silicone. A nasty cleaning job, it was about 20 years old and spent most of its time in the Chicago area. There were no cracks,just haze from cleaning, reducing visability. The weld on the lower internal supports were so weak that they fell off when I removed the windshield. The upper supports are firm and the rubber just touches the windshield. Attached are some finished pictures. The new windshield miced at about .005 thicker than the old one.