Someone told me that using de-icer is not a good idea as it damages paint work and the rubber on wiper blades. Can anyone tell me if this is true and if so, how much damage can this actually cause? I would've thought that using an ice scraper is worse as this could (potentially) scratch the glass if done too roughly.
Cheers
|
As long as you get a decent quality de-icer I think you're fine.
Similarly, low-quality screenwash can damage paint and wipers. I think the general rule is that, if it has the irritant badge on the package (black cross on orange background) that's the type that's bad for the wipers.
|
Tepid water, I find, is more effective.
See this thread for more advice:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=36...2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
freezing cold water straight out the tap 1st thing in the morning.....
--
www.storme.co.uk
|
|
Pouring warm water on the screen works only if the temperature is not too low. When the temperature is too low it can go either way, the ice melts or the water freezes. You have to avoid getting the water into the door seals. The water freezes the door seals onto the metal, and if you try too hard to open the door the rubber tears and leaves half of the seal stuck to the car Once when there was about a quarter inch of ice I sprayed the screen with an aerosol de-icer. The ice crackled loudly then re-froze.
|
|
|
|
If the choice was out purely out of those 2, i would say scraper. If your not too lazy, a scraper is all you need really. But de-icer can be useful for frozen locks etc.
To prevent scratching on the screen, only scrape in one direction. (well thats what my handbook says)
|
My heated windscreen does a lovely job in only a couple of minutes.
--
\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
|
If you haven't got one of those absolutely brilliant Ford Quickclear heated front screens then a scraper and a little patience is best.
Start the engine, put the heater on maximum temperature and maximum airflow to screen, scrape the ice off all the windows, switch the wipers onto the "intermittent" setting and just sit patiently in the car until the screen warms up. Et voila! The whole procedure shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 minutes.
If you have got a heated front screen then switch it on after you've started the engine and then carry on with the rest of the above procedure and de-icing will be even quicker.
--
L\'escargot.
|
Couple of helpful hints based on what's been said further up this thread:
"You have to avoid getting the water into the door seals. The water freezes the door seals onto the metal"
Get some silicon spray and use a cloth to 'polish' it onto your rubber door seals. It acts as a lubricant and water dispersant, but won't rot the rubber like WD-40 would. If your local motor factor doesn't do a specific silicone spray aerosol, get one of those 'dashboard shine' products, very much the same thing.
"But de-icer can be useful for frozen locks etc"
De-icer is good for frozen locks, but to stop them freezing in the first place spray a good amount of WD-40 into the barrel and onto the mechanism, then lock and unlock a few times to work in it. I do this at the start of winter each year, and never have to worry about frozen locks for the rest of the season.
|
|
Do people still put keys in locks? Do they still make cars without blippers? What new car doesn?t have a blipper?
|
Do people still put keys in locks? Do they still make cars without blippers? What new car doesn?t have a blipper?
Some poor people do not drive new cars and still have to suffer keys in locks, wind up windows and other such outdated things:-)
|
"Some poor people do not drive new cars and still have to suffer keys in locks"
How tiresome for them. How can they afford scrapers? I suggest they pour warm water over their windows and put the money saved towards a good square meal.
|
|
|
|
|
I don't, but the lock freezing up still stops the door opening, even if you are using the blipper.
|
|
|
|
I used to use a scraper on windows, only to find them scratched afterwards.
I now only use warm water!
A scraper is fine if you are certain that you do not have a dirty window underneath the ice or snow. You only need one bit of grit to get trapped at the scraper blade to ensure an unsightly score in the glass.
|
If I'm not at home I use de-icer (a trigger spray one, cos the aerosol ones seem to run out of propellant when theres still some de-icer inside), leave it a minute then scrape off with the rubber scraper blade, not the plastic one.
If I'm at home, I use very warm water, sort of dish washing water temperature.
My plan is to not just remove the snow/ ice, but to heat the screen until its warm, so that it cannot re-freeze.
And I dont just throw it on, let it gently run over the screen so the temp. rises gradually.
(I wont be held responsible if your windscreen explodes because you got the water too hot!) ;o)
I can't believe more cars havent got heated front screens. Did Ford buy the exclusive rights off Triplex?
|
I can't believe more cars havent got heated front screens. Did Ford buy the exclusive rights off Triplex?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=9866
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=31...0
|
"I can't believe more cars havent got heated front screens. Did Ford buy the exclusive rights off Triplex?"
I think Ford have the patent of the gauze-type elements.
I wouldn't buy a car with heated front screen like Ford's, every time I get a Ford hire car, I'm glad to see the back of it. It's like looking through a cobweb, especially at night and in low sunshine like we have at this time of year.
Apparently there is a new type on the way, which is microscopic, and based on the heat reflective purple screens we already have, but with line burned in with a laser to produce elements.
|
|
Auto Glym squeeze spray de icer, fantastic stuff!
|
|
|
|
>> I can't believe more cars havent got heated front screens. Did Ford buy the exclusive rights off Triplex?
Oh yeh, I didnt do a forum search for it.
I just remember many years ago seeing adverts in car mags. for a "Triplex Hotscreen", which IIRC could be ordered for "many common makes of cars" or something like that?. Possibly in mid- to late eighties, I can't remember whether is was before or after Ford introduced theirs. (God knows why things like that stick in my mind!).
|
|
Here in the country we can't afford scrapers - so we use animal feed or fertiliser bags. One bag, slit down the long sides, covers a windscreen and tucks into the front doors neatly. Another bag tucked into the top of the drivers door, and one more on the rear, and you are frost free in the morning - mind you, by the time I've milked the cows, collected the eggs and sheared a couple of sheep the sun is high enough anyway!
|
|
Always thought it was a bad idea using warm water (due to the sudden change in temperature) but I guess maybe this isn't quite true afterall (providing its not boiling water of course) if its a technique used by quite a few of you. However, I didn't realise that you can get paint/rubber safe de-icer (from Auto Glym - just read this from the link provided by Stuartli )
|
|
|
|
|
Concur with keeping water off door seals. Yesterday I physically couldnt open the doors evn by climbing in from the boot and pushing. It was a long (and unexpected) walk to work yesterday.:(
|
Concur with keeping water off door seals. Yesterday I physically couldnt open the doors evn by climbing in from the boot and pushing. It was a long (and unexpected) walk to work yesterday.:(
Having climbed in via the boot why didn't you just drive to work and then (if necessary) get out the same way? In any case, by the time you got to work the heat from the heater might have unfrozen the door seals.
--
L\'escargot.
|
Needed to drop kiddy winkies at school on the way. As this is about half a mile away doors wouldnt have thawed by then (or at least I didnt think they would have done).
The walk did me good anyway - need to reduce the waistline before the xmas onslaught!
|
|
|
|
|
Start the engine, put the heater on maximum temperature and maximum airflow to screen, scrape the ice off all the windows, switch the wipers onto the "intermittent" setting and just sit patiently in the car until the screen warms up. Et voila! The whole procedure shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 minutes.
doesnt the ice damage the edge of the wipers other thing to check is that the wipers arent frozen to the screen.
With the snow last week i couldnt lift my drivers side wiper off the screen as the snow had compacted and frozen it solid. putting the wipers on would have wrecked the wiper blade, the motor or both
--
Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
|
|
|
|
|
If frost is forecast I use a product from Halfords that is a soapy solutiom to prevent the frost sticking to the windows. Seems to work well and the frost lifts off easily. It was originally developed for the armed services in artic conditions. You certainly know how good it is if you forget to use it.
--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
|
|
|
|
My pre-heater starts via timer and 45 mins or so later I go out to a toasty warm car with clear windows and a warmed engine.... bliss ;-)
|
|
|
