Rear barn door window protection for GU Patrol

[micknor51]

Hi folks,
In 2012 we did a trip up to the Kimberley towing our Pioneer off road camper trailer. I noticed a few other 4WD towers with either cardboard or plastic on the rear windows and a couple with tape after a smashed rear window. This should have rung alarm bells but it did not because the Pioneer has a stone deflection barrier angled forwards to deflect stones downwards that I thought would suffice. This was not the case because on our last 100km of gravel from Sturt Highway to Kings Canyon 20km along I heard a ping and looked in the mirror to see that the small barn door window was shattered, 15 mins of taping it up got us back to Newcastle OK.
Repair cost for window $860 with $600 excess it was an expensive lesson.
I now cover the windows with 2mm thick polycarbonate sheeting and seal the edges with gaffer tape to keep out the dust.
Use this link not the one below
For a good explanation of the setup and application go
to 'campertrailers.org technical pages'
There is also a link to the Laser cutting files for each window.
The polycarbonate cost about $80 cut to size and the 3M Dual Lock (better than Velcro) $20 for 2 sets. A much cheaper option than the shattered window.
My thanks go to Malcolm Robins who posted this on camper trailer.org in 2008.
I hope this is of some use to others.
Michael

[4bye4]

Not having much luck with that link Michael, but good info. Thank you.
Tony

[micknor51]

Hi Tony,
Sorry about that, Try going to <campertrailers.org technical pages> then once in go to <tech tips>, then scroll down to <STONE GUARDS> where hopefully you will find the GU Patrol info under 'stone guard ideas'.
Good luck
Michael

[megatexture]

I've done my rear window once before also but only cost 380$ to replace. Personally I think the best protection is to stop the rocks with some extra large mudflaps like "rock tamers" as it's not just the window we have a few paint chips/ dents from them also

I think this is the link Micks referring to
http://campertrailers.org/stone_guards.htm

[micknor51]

I've done my rear window once before also but only cost 380$ to replace. Personally I think the best protection is to stop the rocks with some extra large mudflaps like "rock tamers" as it's not just the window we have a few paint chips/ dents from them also

I think this is the link Micks referring to
http://campertrailers.org/stone_guards.htm

This is the one you need if interested in protection plus the other ideas for stone guards mentioned in the link. My thanks to megatexture for this info.
I wish I had found your repairer at only $380 or was this for the part unfitted?
Michael

[megatexture]

That was fitted by racq in brisbane and it was the small barn door also not the large

[P4trol]

Speaking of rear bar door windows protection, I tried to make a plexiglass Velcro on addition to stick to the existing back windows (GU). It failed due to the curve in the windows, which was hard to put into the plexiglass. I tried hot water and a heat gun. I cut the pieces in half, to reduce the amount needed to curve across the windows. The Velcro was pretty sticky and worked for a couple of thousand km of corrugations. Eventually the glue on the back of the Velcro succumbed to the heat and humidity,and I chucked the plexiglass away.

Best temporary solution I've seen is to tape a neatly cut foam sleeping mat over the windows.

[micknor51]

You got a good deal there. I made the mistake of getting it done at the Nissan dealership in Newcastle where the vehicle is serviced. Mine was the small one also. The spare wheel offers some protection to the large window.
Cheers, Michael

[micknor51]

Hi P4trol,
If it is done as in the link to the camper trailers.org post using 2mm thick polycarbonate and 3M dual lock at the corners, with a piece of loop Velcro (fluffy side) at the centre of each window to stop the rubbing of poly on glass it works very well. The 3M Dual Lock can be purchased from Whitworths Marine for $10 a pack, you need two.
As I mentioned in my first post on this matter I tape around the edges with Gaffa tape to keep out the dust etc.
Michael

[P4trol]

Maybe mine was a bit thick. The stuff I has was at least 6mm thick. I'll measure it later.

The other thing I did was to mount the velcro down the sides of the window, with a piece in the middle top, middle middle, and middle bottom. I never thought I could keep the dust out, so made it so water would wash it straight out.

Also I made sure it was over the window size, so rocks didn't contact the black part of the window.