We were in BC and Alaska last summer with a 20 unit caravan, in a different
RV . In BC, 7 out of 20 units in our caravan wound up with small rock chips
in the windshield that went down to the plastic layer in the middle of the
glass. All but 5 out of those 7 could be fixed on the spot to keep them
from cracking. When we arrived at Watson Lake, B.C, the man who repaired
windshields just drove down the RV lanes and fixed one after another. He
did it all summer long at $20, American, a pop.
We got our big pit when we were passed by a local truck going about 70 in
loose small crushed rocks. The speed limit was 30 mph. He came from behind
before I noticed and could pull the rig down to park and let the rock
shower just fall down. As it was, we drove into it. It seems this same
truck caused 4 of 7 of our caravan's windshield pits. Most of the other
drivers were very considerate and slowed down and pulled over to make a
wide gap when passing. But, there's always one, isn't there. I don't think
it was the windshield man drumming up trade! Maybe his son? (Ha-ha.) The
windshields of the locals were are all cracked and pitted. I asked one of
them about this, and he said when the cracks get bad enough in the Fall,
the worst windshields are replaced after the road freeze. After the spring
thaw, it starts again. It's just part of life in that area of BC. We never
had a bad rock problem in Alaska.
We met a man who has been going to BC and Alaska every other year for the
last 12 years to go fishing. He drove his RV from the east coast. He had an
erector set support made out of PVC piping that he put on the front of his
RV bumper when he started his drive of the Alaskan Highway at Dawson Creek.
It went from the bumper to the height of his unit and wrapped around the
sides to cover the front 3 feet. Stretched over that support was a Nylon
net that caught all the rocks and large bugs. In the middle of the net he
had a polycarbonate window strip that he looked through. He could snap the
strip out for rain because people don't drive as fast. He said he never
lost a radiator, windshield or side window. At the end of his Alaskan trip,
he disassembles it before boarding the ferry for his trip home. He said at
the rate they are fixing the highway, he may not need it in a few more
years.
If I returned to Alaska and drove in BC and the Yukon, I would consider
something like that to protect my GMC. It looks odd, but it sure is better
than listening to all those rocks hit the vehicle.
RV . In BC, 7 out of 20 units in our caravan wound up with small rock chips
in the windshield that went down to the plastic layer in the middle of the
glass. All but 5 out of those 7 could be fixed on the spot to keep them
from cracking. When we arrived at Watson Lake, B.C, the man who repaired
windshields just drove down the RV lanes and fixed one after another. He
did it all summer long at $20, American, a pop.
We got our big pit when we were passed by a local truck going about 70 in
loose small crushed rocks. The speed limit was 30 mph. He came from behind
before I noticed and could pull the rig down to park and let the rock
shower just fall down. As it was, we drove into it. It seems this same
truck caused 4 of 7 of our caravan's windshield pits. Most of the other
drivers were very considerate and slowed down and pulled over to make a
wide gap when passing. But, there's always one, isn't there. I don't think
it was the windshield man drumming up trade! Maybe his son? (Ha-ha.) The
windshields of the locals were are all cracked and pitted. I asked one of
them about this, and he said when the cracks get bad enough in the Fall,
the worst windshields are replaced after the road freeze. After the spring
thaw, it starts again. It's just part of life in that area of BC. We never
had a bad rock problem in Alaska.
We met a man who has been going to BC and Alaska every other year for the
last 12 years to go fishing. He drove his RV from the east coast. He had an
erector set support made out of PVC piping that he put on the front of his
RV bumper when he started his drive of the Alaskan Highway at Dawson Creek.
It went from the bumper to the height of his unit and wrapped around the
sides to cover the front 3 feet. Stretched over that support was a Nylon
net that caught all the rocks and large bugs. In the middle of the net he
had a polycarbonate window strip that he looked through. He could snap the
strip out for rain because people don't drive as fast. He said he never
lost a radiator, windshield or side window. At the end of his Alaskan trip,
he disassembles it before boarding the ferry for his trip home. He said at
the rate they are fixing the highway, he may not need it in a few more
years.
If I returned to Alaska and drove in BC and the Yukon, I would consider
something like that to protect my GMC. It looks odd, but it sure is better
than listening to all those rocks hit the vehicle.
