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Cab Glass

Vetech63

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
6,440
Location
Oklahoma
Can someone please explain to me why broken cab glass seems to be the norm? I'm no operator, but am I wrong in thinking I could operate any piece of equipment through its entire life without breaking a single pane of glass? Or is it the fact that most equipment is with cabs now days?

Is it carelessness? Idiocy? High production individuals? Help me out here.

Don't even get me started on the price of glass from manufacturers. They are making it just special enough to NOT be able to get it cut locally. Special tinting, brackets mounted to the glass, and my very favorite thing..........bonded to the dam steel of the cab to make it almost impossible for the average joe to install.

Or..................................................Am I just one of the old curmudgeon mechanics that likes to bitch about dumb s*&t? It ok to call me that, just be respectful. LOL
 

stinky64

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2017
Messages
901
Location
java center ny
Occupation
big truck wrench/fixer of things
Most of the breakage issue falls under the heading of "It ain't mine, who gives a $hit". Just the general quality of the work force these days. People who own stuff generally take lots better care of their stuff. And yes prices suck as well as the general state of society in general.
Signed, fellow cranky curmudgeon.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,397
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Well I have broke a few panes over the years. Don't think of myself as an abusive operator and damn sure care about the equipment and cost.

Once busted the front windshield of our 953C in a chert pit. I was clearing the small pines and hardwoods in advance of the loading wall. It was winter time facing the low winter time sun. Didn't see the small pine until it sprung out of the pile I was pushing and smacked the glass.

Put a piece of #4 rebar through the small piece of center glass on our D5GXL, sounded like a gunshot. I was pushing concrete demo off at a dump, it was misting rain and there was a little fog on the inside of the glass. Didn't see the piece of rebar spring out of the mess until it poked a hole in the glass.

Both times the argument could be made I should've waited for optimum circumstances but both times we needed to keep the jobs moving.

Cracked a few excavator windshields and busted a couple Bobcat front doors over the years as well.
 

terex herder

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
1,808
Location
Kansas
Depends on usage. Trees and demo work are asking for broken glass. Broke the bottom glass out of excavator tracking backwards while watching clearance to what I didn't want to demo. Little piece of rebar caught in track and came around and broke bottom window. Got top 2 windows later when a tree came off the top of a pile. Employee got a couple cab windows on tlb with small trees.
 

Vetech63

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
6,440
Location
Oklahoma
Dam, I guess I'm THAT guy then! The construction company is losing cab door glass on skid loaders weekly. I just don't get that. I have seen 2 torn off at the hinges. Every single machine they own has vent louvers broken.......I keep a sack of new ones at their shop.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,397
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Dam, I guess I'm THAT guy then! The construction company is losing cab door glass on skid loaders weekly. I just don't get that. I have seen 2 torn off at the hinges. Every single machine they own has vent louvers broken.......I keep a sack of new ones at their shop.

Wow.

LOL- we're not that bad. :oops: :rolleyes:
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,742
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
Volvo rocker switches. They put their feet on the dash of the loaders. Yes heater vents. Our L45, has push buttons for functions on the joystick, and someone picked the rubbers off. Tell the young lads all the time, If the door does not lock open, close them. My co worker once set the concrete saw on the hood of my work truck, and I freaked. The response was, don't worry it's not your truck.
 

hvy 1ton

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
1,947
Location
Lawrence, KS
Operators are operating the skid steers with the door open. If the interlock is operating, they are putting a steel shim on the prox sensor to allow operation. (at least that works on deere units)
Or you unplug the wiper harness. I blew up a door on a 325G because the ground pin wasn't seated correctly in the connector.
 

Zewnten

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Messages
568
Location
Earth
Dam, I guess I'm THAT guy then! The construction company is losing cab door glass on skid loaders weekly. I just don't get that. I have seen 2 torn off at the hinges. Every single machine they own has vent louvers broken.......I keep a sack of new ones at their shop.
If cat machines its the door not being latched right and pops open or they're putting a magnet on the sensor. (If Deere then it's a piece of steel on the sensor, as mentioned). See it all the time unfortunately ( I dislike glass work)
 

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
17,027
Location
WWW.
Boss asked why two trucks had three windshields replaced each during one winter.
That's easy-those two jokers follow too close.
 

Flex A Fab

New Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2023
Messages
2
Location
Canada
The windshield replacement options we offer at Flex A Fab are made from the toughest materials and have the highest safety levels in the industry.

We offer a number of different styles, including curved windshield replacement products, universal, and aftermarket windshields. Our windshields hold up against anything you throw at them.

They are made from tough, shatterproof materials that come with an abrasion-resistant coating (surface scratch) too.

All of our windshield replacements look close to clear glass and are guaranteed to stand the test of time.

You might want to see https://flexafab.com/collections/industrial-and-machinery-windshield-window-guard-panel-repair

toyota-forklift-windshield-window-cab-glazing-glass-repair-8fg-d-u30-32-front-windshield-39568...jpg
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,397
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
The windshield replacement options we offer at Flex A Fab are made from the toughest materials and have the highest safety levels in the industry.

We offer a number of different styles, including curved windshield replacement products, universal, and aftermarket windshields. Our windshields hold up against anything you throw at them.

They are made from tough, shatterproof materials that come with an abrasion-resistant coating (surface scratch) too.

All of our windshield replacements look close to clear glass and are guaranteed to stand the test of time.

You might want to see https://flexafab.com/collections/industrial-and-machinery-windshield-window-guard-panel-repair

View attachment 300911

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crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,338
Location
sw missouri
I'm dreading the day my liebherr gets the windshield. Last I heard lower cab front glass was between 3 and 4 thousand. Its 3' tall and 9' long and its all got curved edges, not a flat pane. So you're stuck getting factory glass.

Most everything else I have is flat panes, and the local glass guy will cut laminated safety glass for me. I prefer the laminated over tempered, tempered makes a huge mess in the cab when they go.
 

Zewnten

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Messages
568
Location
Earth
I'm dreading the day my liebherr gets the windshield. Last I heard lower cab front glass was between 3 and 4 thousand. Its 3' tall and 9' long and its all got curved edges, not a flat pane. So you're stuck getting factory glass.

Most everything else I have is flat panes, and the local glass guy will cut laminated safety glass for me. I prefer the laminated over tempered, tempered makes a huge mess in the cab when they go.
Can't find the picture but I saw where a guy had cut and glued 3 or 4 flat pieces to replicate the shape of the curve. Can't remember if he had a custom frame or not.
 
Last edited:

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,562
Location
Canada
Most of the OEM glass is tempered safety glass that you can't just go to the glass shop and get replaced. My skid steer was at a guy's farm and they tried to claim the door glass just exploded on it's own. After 6 years it just exploded. Then they lied and said they replaced it with tempered glass and would pay half. No I ended up paying 100% and the glass was cut a little too small to boot. A glass shop suggested I put a small bead of silicone around the glass at the rubber seal so it couldn't move. Standard safety glass is nice because it can crack and still stay in 1 piece unlike tempered that shatters into a million little bits. The only good thing about is there are no razor sharp glass shards.
 
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