Shield More Than The Wind
Posted on: 19 December 2016
True to their name, truck windscreens are designed to protect you from wind, dust and the loose-flying debris that characterize off-road terrain.
Prospective owners often focus on engine power, fuel efficiency and other truck specifications. The type of windscreen that the truck has is often not given much attention. Yet windscreens and truck windows have the potential to shield against more than just the wind.
Laminated And Tempered Glass
Truck windscreens and windows are made of either laminated glass or tempered glass. Windscreens are almost exclusively made using laminated glass, while tempered glass is more common on rear and side windows.
A laminated windscreen is made up of a rigid plastic sheet sandwiched between glass sheets. The plastic sheet serves as a 'glue' of sorts that holds the two glass sheets together when the windscreen is exposed to sudden impact. Rather than break and shutter into dangerous shards of glass, the laminated glass cracks and/or pits.
Tempered glass is subjected to heat treatment before it's used on rear and side truck windows. Heat treatment gives this type of glass greater structural strength when compared to ordinary glass. Instead of shattering into shards, a tempered side window will break into small pebble-like pieces when exposed to impact. The pebble-like pieces have relatively smooth edges that will be unlikely to cause serious injury in the event of an accident or incident.
Blocking Out Cancer
Truck windscreens and windows can also help to prevent cancer by reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
It's likely that a new truck will double up as your primary means of transport whenever you're not on off-road escapades. Considering that Australian drivers spend approximately one and a half hours of their day commuting to and from various places, the potential for extended exposure to UV radiation is relatively high.
Superior resistance to ultra-violent radiation is among the various advantages of laminated glass over tempered glass. Laminated windscreens can allow as little as 2% of the sun's light to pass through, while tempered windows can allow as much as 79% of the sun's light into your truck.
After you've bought the truck, replacing tempered side windows with laminated windows should be the first step to a 'cancer-less' truck. Laminated and tempered glass have a similar physical appearance. You could replace truck side windows one at a time without people noticing that the windows are made using different types of glass.
Engine power and fuel efficiency are important. Windscreens and windows are not any less important. For information on purchasing any truck body parts that you need, contact a company like Moore Truck Parts.
Share