Windshield modification

[colelkhunter]

While on a M813 recovery trip from Indy last week, it became very clear to me that the windshields on these trucks are designed to catch snow. The flat glass surface catches and holds snow and ice. The wipers are usually ineffective. After a few hours it becomes down right dangerous to operate. Obviously better wipers help the situation and washers on the 900 series trucks will also help, but I wonder what adjusting the angle of the glass would do to the problem.

I would think it would be possible to remove the glass and modify the frame as to give the glass more angle. I think this would help immensely in letting blowing snow not built up so fast. Don't know how to make it happen, but I plan to test it and try. I know most of you are thinking what is the point of doing all that work for a little angle in the windshield. Well you never need something like this until it is too late. We could have used it on this recovery and we don't get that much snow here. Places that get more than we do could surely benefit. I am sure it would increase the effectivenes of the wipers in rain as well.

 

[hndrsonj]

Does your truck have a heater? Look at Saturn Surplus for updated wipers.

 

[Csm Davis]

Do you have the defrost vent modification? It is just a piece of sheet metal bent and bolted over the vent in the deuce and 809 series cabs to help improve air flow to the windshield.

 

[colelkhunter]

It wasn't my truck, and yes the heater and defrost were working fine. Hot as he** in the truck.

 

[doghead]

How about opening the windows a few inches to get the angle you want, and fabricating 2 sides and a bottom to fill in the gaps? Maybe 2 - 3 inches wide at the bottom, and triangles on the sides (with a 90 degree bend to the front to seal against the stock seals.

I've driven in a lot of winter weather and I have not needed to make any modifications, but I do stop and clear the windows occasionally.

 

[colelkhunter]

Something along those lines is what I had in mind. I am contemplating upgrading the glass in the windows to polycarbonate (bullet resistant). After this last trip if just seems that angle would help more than anything. When it stops raining I will start playing with it and report the results.

 

[m816]

The defrosters sucked when I drove these trucks in Europe back in the 60's. Here is a trick we used in the civilian world before I went in the service (shows how old this trick is) Take your hankee (bandana) and rip it into four squares. Then steal two salt shakers from a diner. Empty the contents of a full salt shaker into the first square. Next pull the sides up, creating a pouch and tie with a string. Now you have what looks like a little sack of stones. Tie the pouch to the shaft on the windshield wiper with a little slack so the arm can knock it around as it swings back and forth. but not too much slack that it goes flying right off. Repeat for the passenger side. What happens is as the snow and or freezing rain hits the sack it will melt making a salt brine that will run down the wiper. It then gets splashed on the windshield and keeps the glass clear. This helps the anemic defrosters keep your windows clear. It worked for years with the old un heated trucks my grandfather drove and my father before me. and I used this in Germany to keep my windshield clear all winter long. No snow or rain? put a little water on it from your canteen. or pee on it.( use gloves to tie the thing on and then just cut and discard when back in the motorpool.) and give the salt shakers back to the diner. They only have a limited quantity, and when everybody else in the unit finds out your secret, the waitresses start running out of salt shakers, so do the right thing. Vinny

 

[wreckerman893]

We used to wedge a small block of wood under each side of the back of the hood to allow hot air coming off the engine to hit the windshield from the front as opposed to the warm air from the defroster hitting it from the back.
Unless it is super cold it works pretty good.