Windshield protection advise

[smlobx]

Well I’ve cracked my windshield AGAIN Just driving down a paved road..

This time I’d like to get some sort of Mylar film protection to apply over my new windshield. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks.

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[Dilly’S Willy]

The real issue is the glass is FLAT. Almost every other windshield has a curved design which helps deflect impacts. Out west it isn't uncommon to replace your windshield in a Gladiator/Wrangler 2-4x per year. I once saw a customer come in 2x in the same month due to glass damage, they ended up getting dropped by their insurance for 5 payouts in one year.

Part of the game.

Curious as to solutions myself, as my 21 glass has become quite noticeably pitted since August of last year.

 

[OCJosh]

I just got 2x ExoShields. One for my Gladiator and one for my girlfriend's Wrangler. I'll let you know how the install goes but the videos I've seen, it seems like really good protection. 8mil if I'm not mistaken.

 

[DiehardTory]

Check into this product: https://windshielddefense.com/?msclkid=dbca0529611815c65d236f1d2a72a15b

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

If yall are getting just stone/road debris chips, keep one of those windshield glue kits around in the garage. They work very well in keeping most of them from running into a crack. I had one last me for 3 years before another hit knocked me into replacing the windshield. Can get them from any automotive store. Not expensive.

 

[OCJosh]

If yall are getting just stone/road debris chips, keep one of those windshield glue kits around in the garage. They work very well in keeping most of them from running into a crack. I had one last me for 3 years before another hit knocked me into replacing the windshield. Can get them from any automotive store. Not expensive.

In my case, I took a rock hit directly to the area right in front of the sensors and it immediately spidered. Giving the ExoShield a try, I've heard good things about it.

 

[Gvsukids]

Well I’ve cracked my windshield AGAIN Just driving down a paved road..

This time I’d like to get some sort of Mylar film protection to apply over my new windshield. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/protective-windshield-film.61733/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/windshield-defense.99111/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...s-with-exoshield-windshield-protection.76526/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...oshield-ultra-kits-dropped-to-179-usd.109278/

 

[loganjeeps]

I had exoshield on my 2022 for 25K miles and now have xpel on my 2024 at 18K miles. Its basically the first thing I do and it helps immensely. I've never had an actual windshield crack or pivot.

I would take exoshield over xpel based on my experience with the two. Exoshield is stiffer and did not get as much residual surface blemishes as xpel. Within 5k miles xpel started to show some streaks from the windshield wipers.

The shop I use prefers to install xpel because it's easier and more flexible than ecoshield making exoshield harder to install on non-jeep windshields that are curved. But that's also why ecoshield it better protection.

 

[vacaedzzr1200]

I had to replace my Chevy pickups about every two years in the People's Republik of Kahleefornya. Endless road work and junk on the freeways.

 

[ExoShield]

I just got 2x ExoShields. One for my Gladiator and one for my girlfriend's Wrangler. I'll let you know how the install goes but the videos I've seen, it seems like really good protection. 8mil if I'm not mistaken.

So glad to hear that you are fully protected! We would love to know how your experience has gone so far with the film!

 

[ExoShield]

Well I’ve cracked my windshield AGAIN Just driving down a paved road..

This time I’d like to get some sort of Mylar film protection to apply over my new windshield. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks.

Ah, that's tough to hear. Especially if this isn’t your first cracked windshield. I’d recommend looking for something specifically made for exterior windshield protection rather than generic Mylar.

The upright windshield design is unfortunately one of the reasons your windshield so prone to chips and cracks — Your windshield takes the sucker punch of a rock hit directly instead of deflecting it.

If you wanted to read more about why this happens, we wrote a blog breaking it down: Why do Jeep windshields crack so easily?

 

[DickensCPA]

This is VERY uncharacteristic for me because things don't seem to go my way. I've never had a Jeep windshield crack and I've always had at least one Jeep since the late 90s and I wheel it and daily drive it.

When the Rubicon came out in '04 I bought one. When I got my 2017 JKU I gave the Rubi to my son. We're in TN and he's working on his Phd at Washington State and it still has the windshield off the showroom floor.

I had the gorilla glass in my JKU and the ONLY time it was replaced in 121k miles was 2024, the car wash malfunctioned and the spray boom didn't rise and the conveyor didn't stop although I was laying on my horn. It hit the windshield and kept pushing until it cracked and just raked up the glass to the roof and ripped off my roof rack and demolished my hard top.

My wife and I were making the 5 hr trip home from wheeling Red River Gorge last week and at 75-80mph a rock hit the windshield in front of my wife's face and sounded like a firework went off. No chip, no crack and no issue. From the sound and size I saw coming at us I really thought I was about to have my first crack (that didn't sound good in my head after I typed it)

My new Gladiator has all that stuff in the windshield, I'd hate to come out of pocket. However my satellite radio has the best reception ever on one of my Jeeps. I got a lifetime warranty and a package that takes care of the first 5 years maintenance. As long as I'm the owner it pays for the first 5 windshields. The only caveat to this warranty is I like to change my own oil and I have to let them do it. They're only 10 miles down the road, but not crazy about that.

 

[OCJosh]

So glad to hear that you are fully protected! We would love to know how your experience has gone so far with the film!

Honestly, I have not installed them yet. I watched the install video about 10 times and I'm nervous about doing it wrong and leaving bubbles in it. I'm also in the middle of several life-changing events and don't have the mental bandwidth to tackle this right now. Once things settle down, I'll try the first install on my Gladiator and if it goes well, I'll install the second one on my girlfriend's Wrangler

 

[rharr]

get full glass coverage replace with cheapest windshield offered and move on

Windshields on Jeeps are like underpants you change them out ever few months

 

[Silverator]

IME, having your insurance cover a windshield claim can be disasterous. For the record, State Farm - which has always been good to us in the past. We had....one dumb claim that we ended up cancelling and not taking - which they STILL credit to our account (rats eating wires - and we ended up paying it ourselves, but they knew about it), one stupid fender bender (low $$ amount) by an insane female on the phone driver, and one windshield claim. They cancelled us on the windshield claim. 3 strikes and you're out. Because of being cancelled, our insurance went up an insane amount. Would have been better to pay for the windshield ourselves.

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