The windshield is an integral part of the design of an automobile. It keeps the roof from crushing in the event of a rollover accident. It keeps the occupants inside the vehicle where they stand a lot better chance of survival. It acts as a backboard for the passenger-side airbag to deploy against.

Windshields are installed with an adhesive called urethane. It has a minimum strength of 600 PSI, and some urethane is as strong as 1200 PSI. Urethane requires heat and moisture to cure properly. Some standard urethanes take 24 to 48 hours to fully cure, even at 70° and 50% relative humidity. As the temperature goes down, cure time is much longer. At zero, it can take 30 to 60 days, and until the urethane is cured the car is not safe to drive, especially if it has a passenger-side airbag.

It is also imperative that the glass and metal surfaces be properly primed and, most of all, completely dry. If there is any moisture at all, the urethane will not stick, again leaving the vehicle unsafe. You can see it is very important to have the job done in a controlled environment, where rain, snow, and sleet cannot get on the glass or metal surfaces.

At Thru-Way, we use fast-cure urethane and will do the job only inside the shop. This ensures a windshield installation that will meet the federal and manufacturer’s standards for windshield retention and roof crush.

So, remember, when you want it done the right way, take your car to Thru-Way!