Today’s semi-alliterative headline is courtesy of Jeep.
The company has already made Gorilla Glass available on the JK Wrangler. Now it will expand to the Gladiator and JL Wrangler.
For the uninitiated, Gorilla Glass is similar to the glass used on most smartphones, and in this application, the outer ply is 52 percent thicker than the glass normally used for windshields on the Gladiator and Wrangler.
This glass is tougher than the regular stuff, which makes it pretty appealing for off-roading. Bashing one’s way through the boonies can put glass in danger from wayward tree branches and limbs.
They also give up nothing in terms of functionality. They work just fine with the available forward-facing camera and its heater, and they have the same Jeep Easter eggs that non-Gorilla-glass models do.
Pricing starts at $793 and goes as high as $932 (JK Wranglers start a bit lower at $645). That’s for parts and doesn’t include labor. There’s a two-year warranty with unlimited miles.
[Image: Jeep]
I wonder how much better the Gorilla Glass holds up to stone and sand pitting?
If you do a lot of highway driving, especially in sandy areas, that could be a real selling point for the option.
That’s a very good question. As someone who keeps cars a long time and racks up very high mileage, pitting does become a problem. Sure, some will say crack it and get a replacement courtesy of your insurer. But that will likely get them to push you to Safelite – and that replacement glass is much softer IMO…it scratches from wipers and pits way more easily…there’s a reason its cheaper than OEM.
When I replaced my windshield on my MINI the OEM glass from Safelite was $50 more than their normal glass. Rep said it is thinner than OEM. So your opinion is more factual.
The weight of the windshield is a pretty important variable when trying to lower the weight and CG of a vehicle.
Gorilla Glass is thinner than most regular OEM windshields, and it’s also lighter, delivering a little weight savings in the process…bravo.
Are there any potential downsides? Say, the added surface hardness being more brittle when faced with extremely low/high/rapidly varying temperatures etc.?
I know glass isn’t metals, but for the latter, there tends to be a tradeoff between hardening and brittleness/lack of ductility. And there’s got to be some reason why auto glass is the way auto glass is. Eve if that differs from cellphone glass.
According to the article, the outer pane will be 52% thicker than the normal windshield, so I assume the overall weight of the Gorilla Glass windshield will be more than the normal one.
Or, you know, get it from jeep as a $95 factory option.
Not a typo. They are offering it at that price point.
https://www.quadratec.com/c/blog/adds-gorilla-glass-factory-option-new-wrangler-gladiator
That’s cool of Jeep to offer and not really seem to gouge on it, but you’re already spending $650,000,000 to get into the truck so how much kudos does FCAPCQ+ think it deserves here?
Does it mean that cars and SUVs will more and more imitate cellphones?
Is the Gorilla glass held in place with Gorilla Glue?
Have no clue.
I had a JK for four years, and never took it more off-road than some mild two tracks within federal land in Northern Michigan. However, I did replace five windshields on it.
If you own a Wrangler, having the replacement windshield rider checked on your car insurance is a necessity.
Thanks for the real world anecdote. I think Jeep keeps laying back the windshield a little more each generation, but it’s still pretty upright. Not much chance for rocks gracefully glancing off. Especially in Michigan, where paved roads become gravel roads very quickly.
Jeeps windshields are rather “upright” so rocks etc. don’t defect well. If one offroads a lot then they should install defectors to keep branches off the “A” pillars. The deflectors are basically a light steel cable that mounts at each hood corner and attach at the upper “A” pillar. They are worth every penny.