Scratched Windshield

3321 Views 21 Replies 15 Participants Last post by Cyote61, Nov 1, 2006

[email protected]

Discussion Starter · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

As a new winger :grinner:, I just made one of my first mistakes :gunhead:. On a fairly long road trip this weekend, I found my wing with so much bug juice on the windshield I could barely see :shock:. Not having any other options open to me I stopped at a nearby gas station and used some of their dirty water and a squeegee. Now my windshield has a bunch of little scratches in it where there were none before. I assume some Plexiglas safe scratch out and a soft polishing cloth will take them out :baffled:, but first wanted to see if anyone :coollep: has any specific products and/or procedures they recommend for 1.) removing minor scratches from the windshield and for 2.) cleaning the windshield while on the road without leaving scratches in the first place.

Thanks for any comments :clapper:

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 22 Posts

wexy

· #2 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

try this link ,,it is on the other part of this site...cheers Ciaran

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/GoldwingTips.htm go to the bottom of the page and read ..

dean_3326

· #3 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

Meguairs for clear plastic, cleaner and polish, I found out about it here from Exavid,you can get them seperate or a new formula both in one bottle. It works wonders on fine scratches.

:12red:

dean_3326

· #4 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

Hey [email protected]:waving:I forgot to say Welcome to the forum.

:12red:

tdsnuggs

· #5 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

Try a small amount of furniture polish, like Pledge on a clean soft cloth. The wax in the Pledge will fill in the craze marks. Works for me. Without it, I'd have to buy a new shield. To clean, I can normally just use a dry soft cloth, Windex if there is a significant buildup of crud.I reapply once a week. Pledge is bad for furniture, but does a pretty good job on Lexan and Plexiglass. Make sure you do both sides of your shield and buff it with the cloth to even it out.

TDS

wexy

· #6 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

Hey dean your a bit slow ,,he joined last may ....:baffled::baffled::baffled:,,now go to bed and get a good sleep ..

Tonys96

· #7 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

One thing you can try, works very well by the way, is "Lemon Pledge".

Yes I know I've recommended it before, don't scoff unless you've tried it.

Just spray it on and wipe it off with a cotton towelthen buff lightly with a drycotton towel.

My windscreen was a "foggy" mess when I purchased my Wing, very clear now.

By the way, "Lemon Pledge" also works on all plastic surfaces on the bike as a regular cleaner.

I keep a can in my saddlebag along with a small supply of cotton towels.

One more thing I learned from a pilot about cleaning windscreens:

On the outside use straight motions, I use up and down and use perpendicular motions (side to side) on the inside. Makes it easier to see where the streak is.

See less See more

twisty

· #8 · Jul 10, 2005

imported post

[email protected] wrote:

As a new winger :grinner:, I just made one of my first mistakes :gunhead:. On a fairly long road trip this weekend, I found my wing with so much bug juice on the windshield I could barely see :shock:. Not having any other options open to me I stopped at a nearby gas station and used some of their dirty water and a squeegee. Now my windshield has a bunch of little scratches in it where there were none before. I assume some Plexiglas safe scratch out and a soft polishing cloth will take them out :baffled:, but first wanted to see if anyone :coollep: has any specific products and/or procedures they recommend for 1.) removing minor scratches from the windshield and for 2.) cleaning the windshield while on the road without leaving scratches in the first place.

Jeb, on the scratch question?-- That would depend on the depth & length of the scratches. For very light small scratches, using any of the plastic or Lexan cleaner polishes might work for you. Novo makes a good cleaner & polish I personally like. If the scratches are many, deep, or long then I have found that using a power buffing wheel with a foam polishing pad (not a cutting pad) & using a paintswirl removing compound like Finesse (a very fine white compound) works pretty darn good as a first step then going over it with a plastic polish to give it the final. It willprobably never be a clear as new but in most cases you can make it much better.

Now on the bug problem on the road?-- For that I carry an old terry cloth towel in my side bag.. When I'm fueling up I take the terry cloth towel into the rest room & wet it down real good with hot water,, then lay that hot wet towel on the bug side of the windshield for a few minutes.. That will soften those pesky bugs & allow then to be wiped off pretty easily without any plastic damage.

Twisty

See less See more

dean_3326

· #9 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

wexman wrote:

Hey dean your a bit slow ,,he joined last may ....:baffled::baffled::baffled:,,now go to bed and get a good sleep ..

Hey Wexman:waving:That is par for the course for me, a dollar short and a day late. Since he only had 3 post I knew I never welcomed him. Thought it might inspire him to post more.:12red:

wingdawg101

· #10 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

I once used a product called "Scratch out" made by "Kit" I think, a little yellow bottle by the waxes in auto parts store and on (That) windshield it did miracles, but not all windshields are made of the same stuff?:baffled:

sixt5

· #11 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

I use a 3M Perfect It IIproduct 39002 Fine Cut and 39003 Micro-Finish compound specifically used for plexiglas.

My dad retired from Tinker Air Force Base and this iswhat the Airforce uses on aircraft windshields.

It works very well onthe windshield of my '94 1500 SE. I've used it on 5 Goldwings.

wingdawg101

· #12 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

Six5, where do you find this Airforce product?(sounds good )

I'm close to "Area 51" will they have it ?:baffled:

exavid

· #13 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

wexman wrote:

Hey dean your a bit slow ,,he joined last may ....:baffled::baffled::baffled:,,now go to bed and get a good sleep ..

Doesn't count when one joins, they get welcomed with the first post, just lurking really isn't joining in the give and take. So there!

I'm not as prepared as Twisty, I just use paper towels at the gas station, wet two or three and lay them on the windshield for four or five minutes (go pee) and then the little buggers will wipe right off. I know paper towels aren't best for plexiglass, but I've used the stuff on aircraft for 44 years with no problem. As long as they aren't dry they don't seem to do much damage. Micro Mesh is available from aircraft supply houses, such as Sporty's, Wicks, and Aircraft Spruce and Specialties. It's a series of increasingly fine grit to work on badly scratched plexiglas. It works wonders.

G

· #14 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

dean_3326 wrote:

Hey Wexman:waving: Since he only had 3 post I knew I never welcomed him. Thought it might inspire him to post more.

Hey dean_3326 :thumpingmad:Your right, :banana:dont mind that wexman guy he must have changed his tablets. :bananas:

:3sum::18red::3sum:

wexy

· #15 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

Hey Redwing ,,you told me those tablets would work better than the last ones you gave me .......The only reason he posted only 3 times since may was because nobody welcomed him on his first post ,,,,nowwho is taking the wrong tablets ....:jumper::jumper::jumper:Ciaran

G

· #16 · Jul 11, 2005

imported post

Those god damn glasses let me down again. :crying::bowing:Hey [email protected] welcome to the best Goldwing Forum on the net. :banana:Visit often and dont join the ranks of the "Lurkers" :bananas:

:3sum::18red::3sum:

Broke Winger

· #17 · Oct 31, 2006

imported post

twisty wrote:

[email protected] wrote:

As a new winger :grinner:, I just made one of my first mistakes :gunhead:. On a fairly long road trip this weekend, I found my wing with so much bug juice on the windshield I could barely see :shock:. Not having any other options open to me I stopped at a nearby gas station and used some of their dirty water and a squeegee. Now my windshield has a bunch of little scratches in it where there were none before. I assume some Plexiglas safe scratch out and a soft polishing cloth will take them out :baffled:, but first wanted to see if anyone :coollep: has any specific products and/or procedures they recommend for 1.) removing minor scratches from the windshield and for 2.) cleaning the windshield while on the road without leaving scratches in the first place.

Click to expand...

Jeb, on the scratch question?-- That would depend on the depth & length of the scratches. For very light small scratches, using any of the plastic or Lexan cleaner polishes might work for you. Novo makes a good cleaner & polish I personally like. If the scratches are many, deep, or long then I have found that using a power buffing wheel with a foam polishing pad (not a cutting pad) & using a paintswirl removing compound like Finesse (a very fine white compound) works pretty darn good as a first step then going over it with a plastic polish to give it the final. It willprobably never be a clear as new but in most cases you can make it much better.

Now on the bug problem on the road?-- For that I carry an old terry cloth towel in my side bag.. When I'm fueling up I take the terry cloth towel into the rest room & wet it down real good with hot water,, then lay that hot wet towel on the bug side of the windshield for a few minutes.. That will soften those pesky bugs & allow then to be wiped off pretty easily without any plastic damage.

Twisty

Thanks twisty for the hot towel idea!! Never would have thought of that but boy did it work well!

rochonda

· #18 · Oct 31, 2006

imported post

can't help with the scratches, but on the road cleaning buy a packet of baby wipes,in all my years of biking i haven't come across anything better john:waving:

DoDefoort

· #19 · Oct 31, 2006

imported post

I also use the lemon pledge. Carry it in the bike all the time. Works great. I polished some minor scratches out of my shield with turtle wax polishing compound. Make sure you keep lots of water on the shield and use a very soft cloth hand buffing. When the scratches are out hand buff in the lemon pledge.

wordmaster

· #20 · Nov 1, 2006

imported post

I always carry some pieces of T shirt material and a bottle of Novus Plastic Polish #1 to use out on the road. The wet towel is also a good idea. After a lot of research, Novus is the best thing I have found to keep lexan or acrylic windshields looking good. As for the present scratches, get the Novus #2 and #3. Start with #3, then 2 and finish up with the #1.

Wormaster

1 - 20 of 22 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.