School Bus Preventive Maintenance Windshield Replacement
I wanted to record the Speedy Glass technicians installing a windshield on one of our Thomas C2 Conventional school buses. This unit is a 2009 and as you can see it’s not a job for one man. The approximate weight is 60 pounds or more. The hardest step is getting around the mirrors and hood while putting the windshield in place.
The idea behind a bonded windshield this size was to increase the integrity of the bus meaning adding strength compared to the old locking lip design that is most common in the industry. Once the windshield is in place it has to sit indoors for a minimum of 2 hours so the bonding agent can set up properly.
The maximum length for windshield cracks on a school bus is 20 cm (12 inches) long. Rock shots are allowed but the number and size is regulated in the DOT inspection manual. We can not control what the road maintenance crews put on the highways so it can not be predicted how many windshields we replace each year.
School bus windshields have to be safety glass AS1 while the side windows have to be AS2 marked on the glass to pass inspection. As far as tinting goes the regulations will only allow 3 inches tinting from the top. During warmer temperatures the drivers feel the extra heat from the windshield because of it’s extra large dimension.
Windshield Washer Nozzle Added
Since these windshields have more height we added an extra nozzle higher up on the wiper arm. This improved the washer operation. Using a Y adaptor to extend the washer hose and riveting or screwing on the second washer nozzle makes it a simple task.
Windshield Wiper Efficiency and Adding Tension
We have experimented with several different wipers on C2 curved windshields and have had success with the Bosch line, But the biggest improvement has come from installing tension springs to provide a heavier blade contact on the glass.
We get them from Canadian Tire for $10 / pair. They are working great according to the drivers especially when there’s a blizzard going on. There is always ways to improve the operation of various components and a little bit of tweeking goes a long way.
Bulk Washer Fluid – The Only Way To Go
Last year we got bulk wiper washer fluid which has been a huge bonus for our fleet operation. Instead of handling cases of washer fluid burning up man hours the bulk truck comes around every two weeks and fills up our 600 litre reservoir which has an internal pump. This has simplified this area of our operation especially when winter conditions called upon LOTS of washer fluid. The price is also more economical per litre so it’s a win win situation.
Hey… if you want to leave a comment please do. We want to hear from you especially if you have found a way to get around a problem operating through the winter season.
