Why is it that full time/ part time track day cars (all makes and models) develope the same bottom right windshield crack?

My theory... Most race tracks go clockwise.... so chassis flex = passenger side cracK?

anyone know how much to replace an EVO windshield when it gets too bad?

 

Quote from my insurance adjuster:

"The Mitsubishi branded one is 439.87 and the NAGS (same, just doesn't have the mitsu emblem etched on it) is 186.95. That is for the glass only and doesn't include labor or the urathane instal kit."

d

 

Although most tracks go clockwise, they do have turns in both directions (usually), but your theory certainly has some credability, maybe start a thread to see who's tracked cars have devolped cracks and if so where on the windshield and what kind of car it was on. If you see alot of unibody cars with cracks in the bottom right maybe you'll have found something. I've never cracked mine though in the half a dozen or so track days ive attended in the past few years (none with the evo however).

 

My "track" crack goes from the top of the windshield, near the rearview mirror, but starting toward the passenger side. It works its way down and toward the driver until its almost halfway down the windshield, and then stops. It also has two little "star" chips right next to each other and near the middle of the crack. I have run many track days since I got the crack, and it doesn't seem to be getting worse.

I think the thinner glass on my RS has something to do with it.

 

sticky tires kick up rocks etc on the window. pure coincidence.

n

 

I had a glass chip a year or so ago in my OEM windshield. When I had my glass replaced I had the "lower right crack" within a day on the new windshield, and I didnt even go to the track. They replaced it again the next week and it has not cracked since. I did have a track day at Gingerman after the last glass was installed. Maybe the location of the crack is related to the stiffness and flex direction of the vehicle and not the direction of the track

 

Interestingly, the RS glass isn't more expensive. I thought that it would be. I wonder how much a lexan windscreen is...

d

 

RS windsheilds are thinner than GSR's?

 

The part number is different. There has been much discussion on whether or not it was thinner/lighter. I one point MMNA advertised that it was.

d

 

+1

 

I thought it was coincidence.... but the more in-car videos of track cars I watch the more I see this "track crack" I found everything for dodge vipers to porches to evo's with the "track crack" strange stuff. I got mine on the uphill turn at Lime Rock Park.

 

It's pretty simple, really. Evos already have thin/cheap windshield glass that's easy to chip and break. So there's already a big strike against us.

Then, any track car will be subjected to tons of chassis flexing and vibration. On top of that, stickey tires are throwing up debris. Every once in a while, a guy in front will drop a wheel in the dirt and kcik up even more debris.

Put all that together, and you've got yourself a cracked windshield.

Emre

 

agreed its the sticky tires kicking up rocks, plus the kind of driving conditions that leads many track cars to have cracks on their windshields.

if you want to try and avoid this, keep the bumper to bumper driving to a minimum, to when you are absolutely sure you can pass the car in front. In fact, for passing its best to give yourself some distance between u and the car ahead, remember its all about getting on the gas before the guy in front, can't do that if ure stuck to their bumper.

If your run group has cars with R compound tires then youll get sprayed from about to 5 car lengths away (speed dependant). That can make staying away from traffic pretty hard, in the end its just one of those risks you deal with when you track a car.

-heeltoer
There are times when this can't be avoided. In those instances

 

I always get hit by big rocks on the track.

 

i had mine replaced 2 days ago, around here in Queens. THey dont have the evos winshield in stock, so i just went for the lancer's windshield. I believe theyre just the same. Different part number though. But it fits well on mine. $150, not original mitsu. BUt what the heck, it will get chipped again anyway.