What happened? Safari window glass cracked

[bs66bus]

Installed safari's about a month ago. They have been left open until last week when I locked them down. Two days later I went back into the garage and the driver side safari window had a 5-6 inch crack in the middle of the right side, near the hinge. What could have caused the crack? Could this have been a defect in the glass? Where can I get a replacement for the glass? Any information would help.

Thanks,
Brian

Safari glass template, thanks to user D-Train

[jerry.t]

sounds like you have to much preassure on the latch and catch, causing the frame and glass to warp/bend when tight
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[chazwood]

You have the wrong kind of glass. It will keep breaking (for no apparent reason) until you get the right glass.

[KombiMonster]

If they are WolfGang's get ahold of them....they will take them apart and if it's a defect in the glass they will swap it out free of charge....if it's not they will just charge for the glass and shipping....( It happens )
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[bs66bus]

No, they are from vintage parts.

[chazwood]

pssssss... wrong glass.

[bs66bus]

What do you mean by wrong glass?
It was the glass that came with the safaris.

[chazwood]

I thought you'd never ask.
The glass that came with the safari's is laminated glass (two panes, very thin, with a plastic layer sandwiched in between) This kind of glass is standard in the USA....this glass is great if you don't want a lap full of glass in an accident... however , it is very weak and prone to crack. (a tiny rock will crack it in no time) Put it in a flimsy little frame (your safari) and forget it. It will crack sitting in your garage over night.

You need the kind of glass VW designed to go in their safari's....

tempered.


Take out your cracked glass and trace the pattern of it on freezer paper and take it to your local glass supplier and tell them you want a piece of 1/4 inch tempered glass...It will cost about $90... put it in....forget about it.

[cru62]

I would wager that the problem is more the seals than the glass. I have OG safaris. The aftermarket rubber is basically the same profile as OG but less forgiving, thus "fatter". I could not get my windows to latch without pushing on the outside. I found some NOS rubber, installed it and noticed a world of difference right away.
On another note, I'm not sure why anyone would recommend tempered glass for windshields. If any window is going to be bombarded with rocks and trash it is going to be the windshields. If those break at speed you will be lucky to only end up with a mouthful of glass shards. You'd better plan on wearing glasses all the time. I caught one of those freeway "dots" on the drivers side with safety glass. If it had been tempered I doubt if I would have any teeth. I'm just sayin'...
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[bs66bus]

Thanks, chazwood for the info on the glass.

[Flipseat]

Do a little experiment... get a piece of tempered glass, and a piece of laminated glass. Set them up and support them on something. Now, throw a big rock at each one. Then decide for yourself which one you want in front of you.
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[Major Woody]

You got those safaris from vintage parts but they are wolfgang. look at the etch on the glass. it says wolfgang right on them, I can see it in the picture. Call wolfgang and send them the picture and the story. they stand behind their products.

[Clara]

[jeremyrockjock]

I have never heard of any car having tempered glass as windshields. Side and rear glass yes but not front.
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[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Because they have to be laminated...
It's a US regulatoin...
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[chazwood]

Now don't get me wrong ....I don't work for Creative engineering, but, if you visit their website and search around for the question and answer section, (at the bottom under "more about") one of the subjects covered is cracked glass. They cover this topic in detail. After I got sick of my laminated glass cracking at 45 bucks a pop. I discovered the tempered glass secret. (its a secret because regulation makes the us suppliers use laminated glass) Think of this ... laminated glass came about in the 50's or 6o's and every car had tempered until then. (still used in europe) Windshields would get pitted after years and years but seldom broke.
If you look at a piece of laminated glass on the edge it consists of two very thin layers of normal glass with a soft layer of stretchy plastic in between. This glass needs to be glued in or supported with a strong seal. It is not designed to take the flexing that goes with a flimsy frame in the safari's.

Now what is interesting to me is that only one side of my safari's crack...and crack and crack as fast as you put in the glass. The frame is straight, same as the other side, but the other side is fine. A lot of you guys luck out with your glass and it is fine ...but if your one of us that has a temperamental one, the only way to keep the problem safari from acting up is to put in the tempered glass. Creative uses tempered for this very reason. Tempered glass is very strong... you won't crack it with any little rock that a tire will pick up and throw at you out on the road.

[a-train]

I have wolfgang safari's. Both sides cracked within the last two weeks. Didn't take long. I suppose I'll call and talk to 'em. Kinda pissed, but what do ya do? My crack are in the same place as in the above pics.
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[splitpile]

The OG Safaris in my flipseat are tempered glass. They are so pitted that when the sun hits them you can't see out. This is the original glass in origiinal safaris that have been on the road since at least 63.
Creative will not sell laminated glass for their safaris and U S laminated will not work with the glass to frame seals they include with their kit.
When I asked Dave about this he answer was laminated breaks to easy.

On another note, you probaly have the dash tab on in the center of the dash tighter then the one on the left, so when you latch the window down you are basically tweeking the frame thus the glass also. It is critical that the dash tabs are equal.

On a second side note, I am painting up a set of the Tailand Safaris to install in my DD panel. These have laminated glass but a real double walled frame. I can not flex them in my hands like the other repops out there..
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[Dave24]

Tempered glass is neither legal, or safe for windshields.

[gerg]

I got a nice star in my passenger safari rolling up the 91 a few weeks ago. Spoke to the fellow from Wolfgang at the OCTO show and he said he'd replace it if I'd pay shipping both ways for <$50.

I figure as soon as I do that I'll get another chip so I am going to suction it out and wait for a really bad crack.

Sucks though. I had just put my OCTO decals on the night before . . .
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