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Windshield re-curve

3K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  SPARKY5151 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,


Not to say l like to improve things when I can, but I try and am mostly successful.



My windshield (WS) was still a little low after raising my fairing up as much as I could; it’s a 10” model.


I started looking at replacement WS’s as well as the little wind deflector clip on type.


I thought I might as well see if I can fix what I already have, if I ended up replacing it I’d would have at least given it the Navy try.



A long time ago (4 decades) in High School I took a shop class in plastics, we did stuff with hard plastic and resins.


So I took a look at about where I wanted to have a bend in the windshield, removed it from the trike, got out some leather gloves, and cleared off the kitchen counter next to the stove.

I lit the gas stove (we bent hard plastic with an electric heated rod in High School) so I wasn’t sure if I would mess the plastic WS trying to heat it.



Anyway I took my time keeping the WS about 4 to 5 inches from the flame, along with keeping the WS constantly moving over the heat.


It took longer than I expected to heat the WS sufficiently enough to bend the WS approximately 5 minutes.


Using the counter to hold the WS flat and working with my leather gloved hands I reshaped the WS. (Yes the gloves get pretty warm; I just worked fast before the WS cooled).

Attached are one Photo Before, and three after (there is a small bit of distorted view in the bend but not too bad), what do you think?

Vehicle Motor vehicle Windshield Glass Car
Red Vehicle Automotive lighting Glass Auto part
Vehicle Auto part Windshield
Motor vehicle Vehicle Auto part Motorcycle Glass


David Hilton
Ret. USN ETC/SS
 
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#2 ·
Good job! Less expensive than a new one.:patriot:
 
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#3 ·
Hello everyone,


Not to say l like to improve things when I can, but I try and am mostly successful.



My windshield (WS) was still a little low after raising my fairing up as much as I could; it’s a 10” model.


I started looking at replacement WS’s as well as the little wind deflector clip on type.


I thought I might as well see if I can fix what I already have, if I ended up replacing it I’d would have at least given it the Navy try.



A long time ago (4 decades) in High School I took a shop class in plastics, we did stuff with hard plastic and resins.


So I took a look at about where I wanted to have a bend in the windshield, removed it from the trike, got out some leather gloves, and cleared off the kitchen counter next to the stove.

I lit the gas stove (we bent hard plastic with an electric heated rod in High School) so I wasn’t sure if I would mess the plastic WS trying to heat it.



Anyway I took my time keeping the WS about 4 to 5 inches from the flame, along with keeping the WS constantly moving over the heat.


It took longer than I expected to heat the WS sufficiently enough to bend the WS approximately 5 minutes.


Using the counter to hold the WS flat and working with my leather gloved hands I reshaped the WS. (Yes the gloves get pretty warm; I just worked fast before the WS cooled).

Attached are one Photo Before, and three after (there is a small bit of distorted view in the bend but not too bad), what do you think?

View attachment 193903 View attachment 193905 View attachment 193907 View attachment 193909

David Hilton
Ret. USN ETC/SS
You're a brave man, Charlie Brown. Looking good.
 
#4 ·
.
we were doing that in the 1970's and 1980's... as well as cutting them down a few inches...

OLD school still works...
plexiglass... and lexan.. works

the distortion is do to the limited heated area... wider heated area reduces the distortion area.
we used a "FANed" type of propane torch.. flame of 6 or more inches wide..
 
#5 ·
That looks AWESOME. Great work.
 
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#8 ·
That looks like the paid version that many of us have.
Great job!
 
#10 ·
Note:
Changes or modifications to original equipment (bike) configuration have not been approved or tested by the factory.
If you attempt or make modifications to your equipment, the responsibility is yours for any damage to your equipment, as well as any required testing and safety issues are yours alone.
This post is for informational purposes only, and is for entertainment.
 
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