Questions about Lexan windows...

[MikeRenz]

Street Use:
Can you have a lexan windshield and still have the car be street legal?

Track Use:
What are the rules for lexan windows? Anyone have a site on it?

and most importantly....does anyone here deal the stuff and can get it for me ultra cheap?? :lol:

 

[Jimmy]

Harwood makes Lexan windshields and side windows for S-10's.

 

[MikeRenz]

i just found them online. Pretty cheap too. Are they street legal though? Any clue? I'll be at PennDOT's central office tomorrow, guess i could just walk to the bureau of motor vehicles and ask them :lol:

 

[Captain Morgan]

i just found them online. Pretty cheap too. Are they street legal though? Any clue? I'll be at PennDOT's central office tomorrow, guess i could just walk to the bureau of motor vehicles and ask them :lol:

ive actually been looking into making lexan quarter windows for my Typhoon.......think there would there be much interest in these?

 

[MikeRenz]

probably depends on price and legality issues. As long as its street legal, i plan on doing it - since my truck sees so much road time.

 

[Captain Morgan]

probably depends on price

Yeah, I just did a few searches and got some info on it, but seems there are a few companies out there who will make custom lexan windows for under $200 a window.

and legality issues. As long as its street legal, i plan on doing it - since my truck sees so much road time.

hell, i could care less, i wouldnt personally do my fronts anyway, but all the rear glass on a Ty would get replaced in a heartbeat reguardless of legality. Ive never seen them tap my windows going through inspection and you cannot tell the difference between glass and quality lexan especially when its tinted.

EDIT:

well shit, I was hopeing Lexan didnt require the same drying proceedures as Acrylic does, but it seems it does, which means its going to be to difficult to make moulded pieces out of flat sheets on my own. Ill most likely try one of these companies when time comes.

 

[MikeRenz]

i was thinking/hoping you could just heat the shit up and bend it.

 

[Captain Morgan]

i was thinking/hoping you could just heat the shit up and bend it.

you can, but it will develop airbubbles. I played around with acrylics on college and basically plastics contain a certain amount of water in them, which must be dried (baked) out of it so bubbles do not show up in the final product from the heating and cooling. It doesnt always happen, but its pretty much standard proceedure.

Now it might be possible, since there isnt all that much bending involved, that it might work with no problems, I dunno. I have a complete set of spare windows for my truck, so perhaps if I get a sheet of lexan, maybe Ill try it, what do I have to lose. The only major problem I see is using the glass as the mold, since usually applying too much heat will crack them. I definately dont think Im gonna attempt this until spring. :lol:

 

[THEMADTYPH00N]

How much weight are you going to save by going to lexan windows.

 

[JSM]

Lexan is a brand name, the more appropriate material type is polycarbonate.

If someone was to take a stock window, build a fiberglass mold from it, then fill it with a bunch of holes that could pull vacuum through you could vacuum form new windows, then trim it later.

Although morgan is correct on the bubble thing, I don't think it would be an issue here as the heat is somewhat low ~400deg.

I have actually seen someone cold form the stuff for machine guarding.

 

[ed hess]

my rear window is lexan...

i can tell you that getting tint to stay on it without fingering is near impossible....well so far impossible...

as for passing dot i dont know. i lan to change to collector insurance and registration in nj so i dontknow if they even look at the glass here.

ed

 

[Ian Turgeon]

Even if you do manage to get tint to stick. The next time it gets any heat in it, it will bubble. Lexan emits small amounts of gas when it gets hot...

 

[Windedv6]

I patrol friends say that dot aproved safety glass is required on the front window for street legal. I was told that there is not that much weight saving to be worth it... anyone actually compare the weight?

John

 

[ed hess]

I patrol friends say that dot aproved safety glass is required on the front window for street legal. I was told that there is not that much weight saving to be worth it... anyone actually compare the weight?

John

having held the glass and lexan both in my hands when changing the window for the cage i doubt its worth it unless your really into hardcore weight savings for racing. also glass is going to be more durable as far as scratching goes. although my rear window has the marguard finish or whatever they call it on it.

ed

 

[JSM]

Another option is to get smoked polycarbonate.

Although color might not match 100%

 

[Captain Morgan]

from everything I have read, a poly window made the exact size and thickness as the original glass window will weigh just about half as much. now of course you cant always believe everything you read. :tup:

 

[JSM]

Glass = 0.0788 lb/in³

Polycarbonate = 0.0397 - 0.0484 lb/in³ (assume .043 for our calculation)

54.5% as much as glass, or ~half (Morgan gets 1 point)


Pure guess here on sizes but

window 2ft x 5ft x .2" thick =288 in³

22.69lbs for Glass
12.38lbs for Polycarbonate.

That is per rear window on a ty.

10.31 lbs savings for a grand total of 20lbs weight savings.

On a 3800lb truck, that becomes 1/2 % weight reduction.

 

[MikeRenz]

its not necessarily a weight savings issue....well at least not for my idea(s). Interesting data/calculations though. Thanks for posting that info up, i was always curious of some actual weight savings #s too.