DIY Windshield Repair for a Bull's Eye

Act quickly when you get a bull's eye stone chip in your windshield and save hundreds of dollars in replacement costs. Windshields are made with a layer of laminate sandwiched between two layers of glass. Impact from a stone creates an air filled separation between the outer layer and the laminate. To repair this, the air must be replaced with a transparent bonding resin. A single use do-it-yourself bull's eye repair syringe kit is less than $20 as of 2010 at auto parts and department stores, and repair time is approximately an hour.

Instructions

Ensure your vehicle is indoors or under complete shade. The repair resin hardens with ultraviolet rays from sunlight.

Warm the glass, if necessary. Glass should be around room temperature. If it is too cold, warm it with a hair dryer. Gradually warm the glass with a repeated spiral motion starting from the frame of the windshield and slowly moving toward the break. Keep the hair dryer about 12 inches away from the glass. Too much heat too soon can cause the break to spread. If the vehicle has been in the sun and the glass is too hot, let your vehicle sit in the shade with the windows open until it cools enough to touch. The break should be dry. Do not attempt the repair if it has just rained or too soon after the morning dew.

Clean the windshield within 2 inches of the chip with glass cleaner or soap and water to prevent dirt from contaminating the repair site. Spray/wet the towel or rag then wipe the glass. Do not apply spray/water directly to the windshield. This method will avoid getting moisture in the bull's eye. Use a paper towel moistened with alcohol to clean the repair site, then scrape out any loose glass and dirt from the pit with the needle, pin or corner of a razor blade.

Remove the two-sided self-sticking disk from the package and peel off the protective backing on one side. Position the disk over the break, with the chip directly under the hole, and press gently on the glass. Gently smooth it over several times with your thumb or finger from the middle outward to ensure an airtight seal.

Peel the protective backing from the top side of the disk. Center the the injection pedestal on the disk and press the edges around the hollow angled stem gently to ensure a tight seal. Note that the pedestal should be positioned so the stem is pointing as straight up as possible.

Cut the tip off the tube of resin and slowly pour about three quarters of the liquid resin into the stem, being careful no to overfill. Recap and save the remaining resin for the end of the repair.

With one hand supporting the stem and pedestal, firmly press the syringe into place (with plunger already at the bottom) ensuring a tight seal. Hold the base of the syringe and gently pull the plunger up and lock it in the position indicated near the top. Wait 10 minutes while the air is slowly drawn up from the bull's-eye.

Separate the syringe from the pedestal and reattach firmly. This breaks the cycle and allows air pressure in for the next step.

Gently press the plunger down and lock into the position indicated on the syringe and wait at least 20 minutes. The pressure created will force the repair resin into the bull's-eye to replace the previously displaced air. Too much pressure too soon will go beyond the bull's-eye and create a daisy effect.

Separate the syringe from the stem and pedestal and use the razor blade to help remove the attached disk and pedestal from the windshield. Use a paper towel to catch any resin dripping from the repair.

Squeeze the tube of remaining resin to place a few drops into the chip and then cover with the plastic curing film included in the kit. Move your vehicle into the sun and let the repair cure for 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how cloudy it is.

After the resin has hardened, peel off the curing film by prying a corner up with a razor blade. A raised resin patch will be left and must be scraped flush with the glass. Using the razor blade, scrape from the edges inward to prevent pulling the patch resin from the pit of the chip. Your repair is complete. Clean the windshield and dispose of the repair materials responsibly.