There is always a solution for windshield cracks and chips. But a complete windshield replacement is the option most car owners would like to avoid due to the expensive costs. That’s why windshield crack repair kits are available to provide cheaper options for windshield glass damages.
While there are numerous brands available in the marketplace nowadays, Permatex Windshield Repair Kits are among the best, and popular among vehicle owners for quick repair solutions to their windshield crack problems. So let’s get into the details of the Permatex Windshield Repair Kit, and ensure you have a product that suits the type of repair you need for specific glass damage on the windshield.
Permatex offers a variety of products for cracked windshield issues. One product is a flowable silicone, while the rest are resin liquid products. Therefore, it would be a great start for this Permatex Windshield Repair Kit review to detail first the key features and benefits of flowable silicone and resin liquid for glass cracks, bullseyes, and chip repairs.
Contents
- Silicone-based Windshield Repair Kit Features and Benefits
- Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer Review
- Liquid Resins Windshield Repair Kit Features and Benefits
- Permatex 09103 Windshield Repair Kit Review
- Permatex 16067 Bullseye Windshield Repair Kit Review
- Permatex Windshield Repair Kit Recommendations
- Best Selling Windshield Repair Kit
Silicone-based Windshield Repair Kit Features and Benefits
Silicone, also known as polysiloxane, is a colorless rubber-like substance commonly used in adhesives, electrical and thermal insulation, cooking utensils, medicine, lubricants, sealants, and glass repairs. In commercial settings, silicones are available in various forms, such as chalk, rubber, silicone resin, grease, and oil. Its broad range of use in various industries is due to the adhesive and sealing properties of silicone, making it perfect for quick repairs at home, commercial, and industrial settings.
Operates at High Temperature
A high-grade silicone sealant can withstand extremely high temperatures as much as 600°F when properly cured. It has a special formulation that encapsulates and seals heating elements.
However, the temperature resistance properties of silicone may vary from one silicone product to another. But generally, silicone-based products are the best sealant for high-temperature materials like automotive glasses and windshields. Aside from its temperature resistance, it can further withstand shock, aging, and vibration.
Self-leveling Electronic-Grade Sealant
Another great feature of flowable silicone is its electric grade self-leveling properties that deliver smooth and excellent finish in all weather conditions. It does not contain corrosive chemicals or acetic acid. Thus, making it highly resistant to weathering, sun, and moisture. Silicone works best as an adhesive while providing smooth output for excellent and natural finish on the surface. It does not only seal and bind broken glass but it also works great for ceramic, plastic, wood, and metal.
Easy to Apply
The unique properties of silicone lower its viscosity level, making most silicone-based products highly flowable. Therefore, they are easier to apply to various materials and elements across a broader range of industries. In the automotive industry, silicone is ideal for glassworks and windshield repairs. This is why the Permatex Windshield Repair Kit has a flowable silicone for quick fixes on vehicle windshield issues.
Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer Review
The Permatex Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer is a flowable and solventless silicone, designed to flow through hairline cracks, spiderweb glass damages, and small chips. It has a wicking action that makes the flowable silicone seal the leaks. It can fill surface irregularities and voids, with a broad temperature of 80 ℉ up to 450 ℉.
The Permatex Silicone Windshield Repair Kit has a viscosity similar to a liquid syrup, allowing the silicone to slowly penetrate through minute spaces and tiny gaps in the cracks to form an air-tight waterproof seal. For best results, you must observe the proper curing time of up to 24 hours, to toughen the silicone and provide a durable seal resistant to weather and extreme temperatures. It is also resistant to shock, vibration, and most shop chemicals.
One of the major advantages of the Permatex flowable silicone cracked glass repair kit is the flexibility. You can use it for practically any vehicle sealing applications, not just for windshields, sunroofs, and headlamp assemblies, but also for electronic connections to vinyl tops. Its general-purpose applications and excellent sealant properties has made it a cornerstone in the product lines of Permatex. It works for windshields, windows, sunroofs, marine glass, tail lights, and recreational vehicle vents.
- The most affordable windshield crack/chip repair solution
- Easy to use, no special tool or repair apparatus required
- Multiple uses other than vehicle windshields such as vinyl tops and vehicle electronic connections
- Long curing time of 24 hours
- Requires careful application
- Forms A Tough, Waterproof, Durable, Clear Seal
- Resistant To Weather, Extreme Temperatures, Vibration, Shock And Most Shop Chemicals
- Flows Into Hidden And Hard-To-Reach Areas To Seal Leaks
Last update on 2023-03-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Liquid Resins Windshield Repair Kit Features and Benefits
Resins are usually viscous substances that convert through a curing process into rigid polymers. They are naturally occurring with similar natural properties to plant resins. However, they are now synthetically manufactured into different forms, such as liquid resin.
A liquid resin belongs to the synthetic resin group that contains an epoxide in its chemical structure. It is usually characterized by its high chemical resistance, superb adhesive properties, good mechanical properties, better resistance to moisture, low shrinkage, excellent fatigue resistance, and durability at extremely high and low temperatures. For these reasons, liquid resins are commonly used for multiple repairs and quick fixes in various industries, including the automotive industry for windshield crack repairs.
Types of Resins and Their Uses
Synthetic resins are now available in various classes according to the manufacturing process. Each type has multiple uses in specific settings and industries.
- Alkyd resins – paints, putty fillers, electric insulation, electronic components
- Epoxy resins – flooring, propellers, laminates, surface coatings, adhesives, linings
- Polyester resins – ship and plane components, coatings, rubber, decorative accessories
- Phenolic resins – cement adhesives, brake linings, molds, electrical components
- Polyamide resins – bottles, packaging, watchbands, bearings, gears, sutures, tires
- Polyethylene resins – cable insulation, toys, tubes, pipes, molds, films packaging
- Polypropylene resins – electronic components, filaments, pipe tubings, fibers, coatings
- Polystyrene resins – dashboards, cooling towers, foams, insulation
- Polyurethane resins – clothing foam liners, adhesives, insulation, elastomers
- Polycarbonate resins – photography film, lenses, helmets, electrical components
- Silicone resins – rubber laminates, defoamers, encapsulated resins
- Acrylic resins – adhesives, coatings, elastomers, translucent tiles
For windshield crack/chip repairs, acrylic resins are generally used because of their clear and excellent tensile strength and UV resistance. Acrylic resin is also the component used by Permatex for its windshield repair kits.
Permatex 09103 Windshield Repair Kit Review
The Permatex Windshield Repair Kit is ideal for repairing most types of laminated windshield glass damages, such as the bullseye and star damage. It is a single-component windshield repair system specially designed for ease-of-use. The repair process is very straightforward, requiring no heating and mixing of components. Thus, every car owner can perform a quick repair in a couple of minutes using the Permatex 09103 Windshield Repair Kit.
A Permatex 09103 Glass Repair Kit contains everything you need, including the resin liquid compound for the broken glass restoration. The kit also has the syringe and plunger for injecting the resin liquid to the bullseye and star cracks. A razor blade and a curing strip are also inside the kit for cleaning the area after the repair for a mess-free finish. The whole repair procedure may seem complex at a glance. But the instruction manual with illustrations and a video demo will make things easier to allow typical owners without technical expertise to perform with ease.
What makes the Permatex 09103 Windshield Repair Kit unique is the flexibility to purchase it either for a single-use or multiple uses. If you only have a single bullseye crack on the windshield, you can purchase the single-use pack at a minimal cost. But if you have multiple cracks on the windshield, you can opt for a 6-pack kit or a 12-pack in a single purchase at cost-saving prices.
- Best for repairs of the bullseye, star damages, and chips up to 1.25 inch in diameter
- Permanent air-tight repairs for most laminated windshield glass damages
- Better quality repairs with advanced spring-lock feature
- Works for average minor chips and angle-view cracks
- Needs to achieve the perfect mix to work
- Make permanent air-tight repairs of bullseye damage up to 1 1/4" on most laminated windshield glass
- Professional quality repairs with no mixing required
- Complete kit provides everything needed for the repair including easy-to-follow instructions with photographs; single use kit
Last update on 2023-03-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Permatex 16067 Bullseye Windshield Repair Kit Review
The Permatex 16067 Windshield Repair Kit is similar to the Permatex 09103, except for the contents of the kit. Each kit contains a repair plunger, a pedestal, and a syringe for proper application of the liquid resin into the windshield’s star and bullseye cracks. A curing strip is also available to keep the area air-tight during the curing period of 15 minutes under direct sunlight or at least an hour during hazy days.
The Permatex 16067 Windshield Repair Kit provides the best solution for bullseye cracks up to 1.25 inches in diameter. Once the procedures are properly implemented, and the recommended curing time is observed, the repair area will become visually undetectable. But, to loosen the pedestal’s outer edges and vent out the air bubbles, you may need to buy a safety razor for a cleaner finish.
This makes it different from the Permatex 09103, which is a complete windshield repair system with everything you need. But, the 16067 is also cheaper by a few cents. So, if you have done a glass repair before using Permatex 09103, you should keep the apparatus and tools for future use. You can buy the Permatex 16067 on your next repair to save on cost.
- Specially designed to fix bullseye cracks and star damages
- Comes with special tools for easier application
- Cheaper than the Permatex 09103
- For line cracks, you don’t need the tools which only added to the cost
- The kit doesn’t come with a pushpin tool and safety razor
- One-component windshield repair system designed for ease-of-use
- May be used to make air-tight repairs of bullseye damage up to 1 1/4" in diameter on most laminated windshield glass
- Requires no mixing or heating; cures by natural sunlight
Last update on 2023-03-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Permatex Windshield Repair Kit Recommendations
Both silicone and liquid resins are good for specific uses. They have unique advantages that made them perfect in certain settings. After careful and thorough evaluation of the features, ratings, and customer feedback, this Permatex windshield repair kit review shall conclude with the following recommendations.
Most Affordable Windshield Repair Kit for Chips and Multiple Uses
The most affordable and easiest to use windshield repair kit is the Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer. It is not even a kit but a single product – a tube containing the flowable silicone. Since it has no tools and apparatus, the cost is significantly lower, almost half the price of most resin-based cracked glass repair kits in the marketplace.
The Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone is also devoid of the complexity of most resin liquid windshield repair kits that require intricate processes that must be accurately followed to get the best result. In the case of Permatex Flowable Silicone Windshield Repair and Glass Sealer, all you have to do is cut open the tube and directly apply the flowable silicone to the cracked areas of your windshield. Let it cure for several hours, and you are good to go. It’s that simple, and it works!
The Flowable Silicone Permatex Windshield Repair Kit is also best for chips, which are surface cracks you can easily fix with a few drops of the flowable silicone, without the need for complex tools for the application. Aside from chips, the Permatex flowable silicone is also perfect for repairs of various glass problems, including a leaking sunroof and cracks on the tail light and head lamps. Thus, this would be a handy multiple repair kit to have in the toolbox of your car for emergency automotive repairs.
Best Permatex Windshield Repair Kit for Bullseye and Star Cracks
For bullseye, spiderweb, and star cracks, the Permatex 09103 and 16067 windshield repair kits are recommended. The low viscosity of resin liquids, assisted further by the injector apparatus that comes with the kit, makes it perfect in penetrating deeper cuts and tiny gaps, creating an air-tight and waterproof seal around the broken glass area of the windshield.
The tensile strength of acrylic resin in the Permatex bullseye windshield repair kit will toughen the repair zone after curing, making it durable for the life of the windshield. Its shock and UV resistant properties make it perfect for windshields that are constantly exposed to the rough driving conditions. The translucent and clear finish of liquid resins makes it ideal for glass restoration. The crack will hardly be visible after the repair.
Another major selling point of the Permatex bullseye windshield repair kit is the flexibility. If you are tight on budget, you can go for the Permatex 16067 windshield repair kit at a lesser cost, but without some tools, which you can get anywhere. However, if you want a complete repair system, the Permatex 09103 windshield repair kit is the best choice for a worry-free repair since you have everything you need inside the kit.
The Permatex windshield repair kits have high ratings not just on Amazon but also on other online shopping platforms. Most customers were happy with their experience after using the product, making them one of the best solutions for glass cracks and chips problems.
Best Selling Windshield Repair Kit
Last update on 2023-03-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
