Vetter Winshields

[egsols]

Just finished cleaning my windsheild with this stuff I found called Plexus. Holy crap the stuff is amazing, my shield looked just like new. Anyhow, went for a ride and on the way home I get nailed by a sizeable stone which puts a nice crack in the windshield, beside one of the vents and also takes a chunk out at the vent.

My question is....will the crack travel on this shield?

Is there anything I put on it to stop further cracking?

Do I just leave it alone and keep riding?

[blue giant]

Ernie,

I've been using Plexus for years on my sleds. It's up there with Seafoam and Mothers Polish!

The crack will travel. You can drill a small (1/8") or smaller hole at the end of the crack and that will stop it from spreading. A lot of snowmobile windshields last for years this way.

Cheers,
Paul

[boyat68]

egsols:

I would say yes as it is probably poly-carbonite or plexiglass molded under pressure. The crack will release the pressure and migrate throughout. The only way that I know is to stop drill the crack, (drill a small hole about 1/2 mm above the observable end) and that will allow the crack to stop. Then you can fill the crack and hole with some clear adhesive and buff out. You could check with those auto glass replacement stores and see what they use as they claim that they can fix stone chips and small cracks in auto glass that you cannot tell.

[egsols]

Thanks guys,

I will try the drill and then maybe pop over to an auto glass place. As the crack is done by the vent it's not in my sight lines.

Yeah Paul, that Plexus stuff is too good, I've been testing it on all sorts of things on the bike, side covers, fairing, bags and all over the house, lcds, laptops, on the truck, the wife's cage, etc. Kinda sucks when you find something that works like that and then go off on tangents all over the place when you know there's something else you should be doing.

[jeffe]

If worse comes to worse here is where to get a replacement.

http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/Online_Store/Replacement_Parts/windshields.html

[egsols]

Thanks Jeffe,

I was looking at those and it's nice too know that we can still get them. Last resort for the frugal.

[Chuckster]

This plexus stuff sounds great. Do you know where it's available? I don't think I've seen it before.

[webbcraft2150]

In all the years I have been running a Vetter, I have yet to "buy" a precut windshield. I make my own (I am past frugal and deep into cheap). It is not a difficult process if you have a jig-saw and a file. I have made some out of tinted plastic and have "summer" and "winter" heights. Most of the OEM sheilds are made out of acrylic plastic. Lexan is just as workable and much stronger than acrylic plastic.

[egsols]

Chuckster,

I got mine at a local bike shop but I think marine supply places also carry it.

[wa407mpp]

I used to carry a small can of that stuff in my fairing pocket to polish my shield after cleaning it when on the road, but ran out and my local shop had not heard of it, so I gave him the empty can so he could try to order me some more. It's a good product.

[psycoreefer]

Originally posted by webbcraft2150
In all the years I have been running a Vetter, I have yet to "buy" a precut windshield. I make my own (I am past frugal and deep into cheap). It is not a difficult process if you have a jig-saw and a file. I have made some out of tinted plastic and have "summer" and "winter" heights. Most of the OEM sheilds are made out of acrylic plastic. Lexan is just as workable and much stronger than acrylic plastic.

Would you mind expanding on your process a bit more? Do you use the old shield as a "pattern" and just cut the new shield from a flat sheet of acrylic/lexan? Do you then put the "flat" new shield on the fairing and let the screws pull it down to shape or do you heat it a bit to try and match the curve of the original shield.

[webbcraft2150]

Here the condensed version of "cutting your own". Buy the plastic in a sheet a little bigger than the deminsions of your current shield. Leaving the protective paper on the new plastic, take your old shield and lay it on the sheet. Flatten the old shield with your knee and trace the outline w/screw holes, to the protective paper.
Carefully cut the outline with a fine tooth saw blade. Watch your blade speed 'cause if you go too fast, the plastic will melt. Remember, the proptective paper is still on the new plastic. Now, carefully drill the mounting holes with a SHARP drill bit, do not force the bit thru or you could get some cracking. I like the chamfer the mounting holes that will face out with a bit that is a little larger than the actual holes, be careful here, it takes very little drilling to chamfer the holes. Dress up the edges of the sheild with a file and or some sandpaper. I like to get a nice rounded edge to mine like the OEM unit. You can actually get down to the point where you can polish out the edge to a clear finish if you so inclined. "Member, the paper is still on it. Trial fit to you fairing to make sure the holes and cuts are gonna line up. You can if needed, drill the mounting holes a little bigger than the screws to give you some "fudge" room. Remove the protective paper now. I long gave up on the OEM plastic screws, these were used to allow the windshield to break away in the event of a accident. I use stainless steel allen head screws on mine now. Starting with the middle hole, mount your new shield and work your way out to the edges, do not tighten all the scews till all of them are installed. When you start from the middle, the 3/8 plastic you are using will easily conform to the curve of the fairing as you mount the other screws. Just snug em down, too tight and you will crack the new shield. I do not use any heat. Be aware that some acrylic/lexan sheets will have a side that faces "out" and will be marked on the paper. That is the side you want facing out as it usually has a UV coating to inhibit hazing and checking of the plastic. I had a little trial and error when I first did this, but now I can cut and finsh a shield in a couple of hours. Cutting your own also allows you to use tinted or colored plastic and make them a custom height to fit your needs. My current, tinted, "summer" sheild is cut where I can just barely look over the top of it in a normal riding position. With a slight tuck, I can get down behind it in the rain. Wind protection did not suffer much with the lower cut. Since there is no winter in Central Texas, I have not used my tall shield in a few years.

[Chuckster]

There appears to be some kind of double stick tape at the base of the windshield where it meetings the fairing. Have you been able to replace that or do you just pull the old shield off and reuse? I know they sell this stuff for Vetter windshields on the Vetter website, but I have a Yamaha/Pacifico fairing and don't have a clue where to get new tape.

[jjwaller]

You can get the "Foam Weatherstripping
Tape" at any Lowes or Home Depot.

[3Phase]

Re: Vetter Winshields

Originally posted by egsols
Do I just leave it alone and keep riding?

I'd get another windshield.

My bike had a cracked windshield when I bought it and I drilled small holes in it to relieve the stress. When I was on the freeway on the way to 'Vegas it snapped off as I passed a truck and hit me in the throat.

I got a great deal on a new windshield from MAW Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse

M01221 $ 49.95 Slipstreamer Windjammer Windshield Clear - Vetter (S170M) {7}


Personally, I won't fool with windshields any more.


Regards,

Scott