Which glue to choose for automotive glass?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

When repairing car glass, gluing headlights or mirrors, special compounds are required. Until recently, epoxy adhesives were used for this, and today more technologically advanced compounds are used to firmly bond car components to each other. How to choose an adhesive for automotive glass? Which brand of products should you prefer?

Features of compositions

Automotive adhesive is a universal product that can be used with any glass and optical components. Its structure and composition ensure tight adhesion of surfaces and sealing of joints. At the same time, the products are safe and free of harmful substances.

Automotive glass adhesive most often has a polyurethane base, which provides good bonding. Adhesive sealants are often used when bonding auto glass, headlights and any other optical components.

Selection rules

When buying a product, you need to pay attention to the availability of the sellerquality certificate. A prerequisite for high-quality glue is compliance with the parameters that are written on the package. The tool must meet certain requirements:

• elasticity, which is needed to compensate for the temperature difference - it occurs between glass and metal when the composition expands;
• strength: Auto glass adhesive must form a strong seam so that the glass does not fly out in an emergency;
• modularity: this characteristic helps to glue the parts of the car together so that there is no vibration when driving, and the vehicle itself is more manageable;
• conductivity: it is necessary in order to avoid contact of the driver with parasitic current.

Today you can buy polyurethane adhesives of various brands. We invite you to evaluate the products of the most popular brands with a description of their main features and benefits.

For glass repair or installation

Modern adhesives can be used both in the repair of cars and in their production, when windows are installed. When installing a windshield or rear window, it is important that the joints are tight and elastic, since they will bear a heavy load. The glue is applied to the darkened areas of the glass, as the composition does not have good protection from sunlight. In reviews of automotive glass adhesive, Terostat brand products are often mentioned, which have good adhesion to surfaces.

But also inIn the line of other brands, you can find tools that are distinguished by good durability, holding power and fast setting. For repairs, so-called optical adhesives are used, which are resistant to sunlight and quickly restore the optical properties of the surface. Special attention deserves ultraviolet glue, which hardens only under the sun's rays. You can use such compounds on metal surfaces.

About gluing technologies

Glasses are pasted using two technologies - primer and primerless. The first involves the use of a special primer - a black primer, which is applied along the edge of the glass. An activator and glue are already applied to it, after which the glass is fixed in the frame. This technology was previously used in many service centers, and today masters use a more modern method - gluing car windows without a primer.

This became possible thanks to the release of glasses with a protective strip, which is applied by silk-screen printing. And the primer is replaced by a colorless activator that can be applied to the metal or the remnants of the old sealant. You can't do without an activator - it is needed to improve adhesion with the primer.

LIQUI MOLY

How to glue car windows if they are broken or cracked? The LIQUI MOLY brand offers a whole line of one- and two-component formulations that quickly harden when exposed to air moisture. Adhesive sealants of this brand are ideal forgluing any glass in a car, and the process is completed in just 2 hours. In addition to average strength, the adhesive has high viscosity and excellent quality.

Using LIQUI MOLY 1400 glue, you can quickly paste the glass, and after a few hours you can use the car. It is applied to the opening of the body, which is carefully leveled and cleaned beforehand.

Terostat

This brand produces high-quality adhesive for car glass repair, which quickly hardens under the influence of moisture. Glasses are ready for operation after 2 hours. The composition is based on polyurethane, which has a high holding capacity at any humidity and temperature. The sealant is widely used for gluing windshields, side, rear windows of cars, both trucks and cars. Pasty consistency results in fast application and curing.

Adhesive sealant for automotive glass Terostat is applied to a dry, oil-, dust- and grease-free surface. First, Primer-8510 is applied using the applicator, after which 15 minutes are allowed to dry completely. When inserting glasses already coated with adhesive, an activator is used. It is needed to ensure good adhesion and is applied in a thin layer. The very last step is to apply the sealant by hand with some tools.

Betaseal

Professional bonding of automotive glass requires high quality compounds. Under the Betaseal brand, an adhesive for automotive glass is produced, which prevents the windshield from falling out, ensures the correct operation of airbags, and prevents roof deformation. Due to the rigidity of the attachment, the windshield and the vehicle body are firmly held together. The following characteristics speak in favor of choosing compositions with a polyurethane base:

• high elasticity;
• good adhesion performance with painted surface;
• high polymerization rates;
• resistance to sunlight and deformation.

With good moisture resistance and viscosity, high shear modulus and low resistivity, the windshield is fully compatible with the body.

FC Kit Dinitrol

Dinitrol Automotive Glass Adhesive is a universal polyurethane-based product that, thanks to its good consistency, easily and quickly fills all gaps and hardens under the influence of external moisture. The use of this composition is advisable for direct gluing of glass during the repair or production of vehicles. Good viscosity, combined with application on a well-prepared surface, ensures a reliable adhesive bond. The most popular composition in the brand line is Dinitrol 500, which differs:

• good adhesion with paint coatings;
• no smell;
• good performance;
• good propertiesshape stability;
• high elasticity.

The reviews mention that you need to use Dinitrol formulations with preliminary surface preparation, which involves treatment with a primer and activators.

Wurth

Wurth products are well-established as a reliable tool for bonding rearview mirrors, turning glass parts and bonding glass. The line includes sealants of various types, which are distinguished by ease of use, quick installation due to good adhesion, resistance of the adhesive joint to shock loads or vibrations.

Wurth Automotive Glass Adhesive is tested for safety in German labs and approved by leading vehicle manufacturers. As with other similar products, surfaces must be cleaned and degreased before applying the adhesive. This will increase adhesion and improve the performance properties of the compound.

The article describes the most popular types of sealants produced by leading manufacturers. All of them are equally effective and easy to use, so there will be no problems with replacing car glass.