Cracked rear glass

[Cobraguy]

So..as many Rally attendees are aware we experienced around 5-6 rear bulkhead glass fractures at the Rally. Mine failed while on the way to the track on the interstate. Several suggestions have surfaced as to the cause; heat, altitude, and stress are the most common. None of these apply to my case. Possibly those of you that have returned from the Rally with cracked or shattered glass can chime in so maybe we can figure out what the common denominator is here?
And BTW... whatta Rally eh!?!

 

[dbk]

I have inquiries in to figure out what the hell that was all about. It's not like we've never been at altitude or in heat before. So bizarre. At least one cracked on the way before hitting the SLC area.

 

[FlagstaffGT]

Is it the inner cabin pane, engine side, middle ( I think it is three layered)?

 

[Awsum GT]

Mine cracked as well on the cruise... I'm thinking it has something to do with aliens

 

[davidn]

I have the " Ford GT Window Savers " from cooltech installed in my car....wonder if that would have helped....

http://www.cooltechllc.com/ford-gt-...t-window-savers-torx-socket-not-included.html

 

[Mike Mosing]

One possible scenario Inheard was sliding the seat back too hard with the vertical portion of the seat tilted back far enough to hit the glass. In Too Awsomes 's case this looked like it as it started in the driver side lower corner. Bizarre that many.

 

[GTJack]

I had the same problem at Rally VI in Salt Lake. I had the window savers installed before it happened. Was driving it and hear a loud "pop" behind me, and looked in mirror to see a big crack in the mid-light.

 

[Mike Mosing]

Mine cracked as well on the cruise... I'm thinking it has something to do with aliens

Sure that was the window cracking??? :biggrin

 

[Spirit]

I have inquiries in to figure out what the hell that was all about. It's not like we've never been at altitude or in heat before. So bizarre. At least one cracked on the way before hitting the SLC area.

Yes, mine cracked while driving to Rally 12 in Cortez Colorado [another high altitude location].
Heard a pop, and could see a “halo” in the rear view mirror [it was night time].
At the time I saw the “halo” I thought it was a reflection of dust on the rear window; however when I got stopped and could check it out, a crack across the bulkhead glass was apparent.
It is the center pane that has cracked; cabin side of glass is smooth NOT CRACKED and the same is true on the engine side of the glass.
Yes, this is a VERY VERY strange phenomenon with so many windows cracking in the same way and in a similar time frame.
I would really like to understand what the cause is so as to avoid having this happen again.
This will be another pricey fix - just what I need.:frown

 

[AJB]

Yes. Mine cracked too. A very clean, horizontal cracking in the center pane. Happened in the early morning driving to UMC in the dark. On the construction areas of I-80.
So perfect and horizontal , it looks like a defroster wire.
Andy (ajb)

 

[JWZ]

Mine cracked too. At the track. Have subscribed to this thread.

 

[GKW05GT]

Can it be age of glass related? There seems to be no common denominator.

 

[07XL0027]

I spoke to Rich Brooks about it at the track. I'm going to paraphrase and I'm sure I'm butchering his response but here it goes. Rich said something like it has to do with how the rear bulkhead was welded together. If the glass was placed to close to a weld, then when the frame flexed over a bump or under strain at the track, the weld could come into contact with the glass and cause it to crack. I'm sure when Rich sees the thread he will explain it much better than I did.


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[Mike Mosing]

I spoke to Rich Brooks about it at the track. I'm going to paraphrase and I'm sure I'm butchering his response but here it goes. Rich said something like it has to do with how the rear bulkhead was welded together. If the glass was placed to close to a weld, then when the frame flexed over a bump or under strain at the track, the weld could come into contact with the glass and cause it to crack. I'm sure when Rich sees the thread he will explain it much better than I did.


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I would prefer to blame it on the eclips....:willy:willy

 

[ultrasportracing]

Hi sounds expensive. I had one made at a local glass manufacturer. for $700. you couldn't tell the difference. Maybe you need to check the welds and a slight buff to diminish the weld fillet protrusion.

 

[BIGFOOT]

Totally bizarre.
I've seen how hot water on frozen glass can melt ice.....
But if you pour cold water on really Hot glass it will crack the glass....

Was there a weird cold hot rain thing ?

 

[Special K]

Time seems to be the common denominator, but too many incidents to be a coincidence. I was thinking maybe: over time there was air/moisture penetrating into the laminates and heat/high altitude caused a rapid expansion? I dunno... isn't all glass made to be broken?


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[2112]

I have to assume to replace it is either engine out or back-half of the interior coming out.

 

[TACHY]

Mine is similar: center pane of glass with linear slightly arched crack across the entire width in lower half of the pane. Believe mine probably cracked on the drive to the track; there was a rough patch of highway, but had the stereo up and didn't hear the event.

 

[Cobraguy]

From the replies so far it appears that in most cases there is one horizontal crack across the glass located in more or less the middle of the panel. Mine is different in that it appears as a "ribbon " of several cracks, 2-3" wide, that runs clear across the pane somewhat diagonally with the individual cracks almost merging in the middle resulting in a horizontal sunburst pattern.It's as if the widow was impacted in the centre but the subsequent sunburst pattern only travelled east and west.
The stretch of pavement on the way to the track was rough but definitely not near as bad as a lot of other surfaces the car has seen in 20,000 m of travel. Perplexing.......