Tinted/Tempered Window Glass Shattered

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by MR.M

The biggest issue is the frameless window with the tempered more of a common problem of them breaking . weather it's going down the road or just sitting I've seen more broken framless windows then any other . i fact over the last 4 or 5 yrs all broken windows i've seen have been the frameless design . does that mean anything who knows maybe just coincidence.

Occam's Razor (restated) says that "If there are multiple possible causes for something, the simplest cause is the most likely." (Razor is an old-fashioned word for a rule for making a decision.)

I would guess that stress induced from the bolted-through hinges or latch induces the fracture. I expect that the hinges and latch on the back window of SUVs have a plastic bushing around the bolt. Based on the quality of some of the RV components, it wouldn't surprise me if there is no bushing. A threaded bolt in direct contact with the (interior) edge of the mounting hole might be the failure trigger.

[Lyrd44]

I work for a commercial glass distributor in the wholesale warehouse. We have rows after rows of tempered product. Back glass. Side and vent windows. Rear sliders ect. While it's not common it's not unusual to be walking along and hear a piece of tempered in its sleeve just disintegrate. For no apparent reason. Btw we can obtain the windows, both the tempered and the front laminated for most RVs on the road. You may have to wait 2 or three days because we can't carry every one, for every year but we can absolutely get them. We install glass, all glass on autos, trucks, big rigs and RVs as well as marine windshields every day.

[windowman]

Tempered glass has a very high stress differential between the inner core and outer surfaces. when this stressed area is penetrated the glass relaxes back to its native state by exploding into tiny chunks. This stress is induced by evenly heating the glass then rapidly cooling the outer surfaces. As glass is a poor conductor of heat high stress is induced in this process. Some glass never makes it off of the cooling rollers and explodes right there. Two major areas of tempered glass failure are holes and edges. A damaged edge or uncleanly cut hole (must be edged and holes made prior to tempering) may be the source of ultimate failure. This failure may happen in the furnacing process, or after, or much after. Post furnacing edge or hole damage may also cause failure. As the glass is in a pile of chunks, there is no way to tell when or where the potential failure started.

[rjshiflet]

A friend of mine was mowing his yard and hit a rock or something that went through the window of his RV. He was able to get the glass replaced locally from a glass company. Same tempered glass, same tint.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Lyrd44

I work for a commercial glass distributor in the wholesale warehouse. We have rows after rows of tempered product. Back glass. Side and vent windows. Rear sliders ect. While it's not common it's not unusual to be walking along and hear a piece of tempered in its sleeve just disintegrate. For no apparent reason. Btw we can obtain the windows, both the tempered and the front laminated for most RVs on the road. You may have to wait 2 or three days because we can't carry every one, for every year but we can absolutely get them. We install glass, all glass on autos, trucks, big rigs and RVs as well as marine windshields every day.

That's good news. If we were to urgently need a window while on a trip, could you mention some of the big names which would be likely to have/get the glass quickly? Or maybe some distributor names who could identify their clients closest to us?

[Lyrd44]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

That's good news. If we were to urgently need a window while on a trip, could you mention some of the big names which would be likely to have/get the glass quickly? Or maybe some distributor names who could identify their clients closest to us?

KRYGER glass. PGW. Mygrant glass. Any of those big 3 can order most auto or marine glass. I'm not sure about the new windshields on the FR trailers. I'll have to see who makes it. Most likely it's Chinese glass so if it isn't carried in stock it may take awhile to get it.