The Crack Arrest™ Process: Restoring Strength From Within
When a windshield is damaged, the real challenge isn’t just filling a crack or rock chip—it’s getting repair resin to bond correctly to the glass.
Modern windshields are constantly exposed to Rain-X, washer fluids, car wash chemicals, road oils, and other hydrophobic coatings that actively prevent proper adhesion.
That’s why our Crack Arrest™ Process uses a structural bonding system, not a cosmetic fix. Each step is designed to remove hidden contaminants, prepare the glass at a molecular level, and allow the repair resin to achieve the strongest bond possible.
Below is a clear breakdown of how our Crack Arrest™ Process works—and why it matters.
Step 1: Windshield Repair Resin Primer
The Crack Arrest™ repair begins with a special resin primer applied directly to the damaged area.
This primer is designed to:
- Remove invisible contaminants inside the break
- Strip away Rain-X and other hydrophobic coatings
- Eliminate residues from washer fluids and car washes
- Prepare the glass surface so repair resin can properly bond
Hydrophobic coatings are one of the most common—and most overlooked—causes of repair failure. If resin cannot bond directly to clean glass, the repair is structurally compromised from the start. This step ensures the glass is receptive and ready for repair.
Step 2: Special Additive – Deep Contaminant Removal & Surface Conditioning
Next, we introduce a special additive directly into the repair resin.
This step is critical because Rain-X and similar coatings don’t just sit on the surface—they often migrate into the break itself through:
- Windshield washer fluid use
- Automatic car washes
- Windshield wiper movement
If these coatings remain inside the damage, the repair can be adhesively compromised.
This additive works to:
- Break down and remove Rain-X and other hydrophobic coatings from within the damaged area
- Clean all remaining contaminants at the repair site
- Lightly etch and condition the glass surface for a superior bond
This ensures the resin bonds to properly prepared glass, not to residues that weaken the repair over time.
Step 3: Glass Adhesion Additive – Maximum Bond Strength
The final step in the Crack Arrest™ Process involves adding a glass adhesion additive to the repair resin.
This additive acts as an adhesion promoter, allowing the resin to:
- Etch and prime the interior surfaces of the rock chip or crack
- Create a stronger chemical bond to the windshield glass
- Improve long-term durability and structural stability
This adhesion-promoting step allows the repair resin to bond more effectively once cured, helping reinforce the damaged area.
Step 4: Premium Resin Selection & Advanced Injection Tools
Many companies performing windshield repair rely on lower-cost, thinner resins because they are easier to inject and allow for faster, cheaper repairs. While this may save the company money, it often results in weaker repairs with less structural reinforcement.
As part of the Crack Arrest™ Process, we use only premium-grade repair resins paired with advanced repair tools specifically designed to handle much thicker resins.
Thicker resins allow us to:
- Fill fractures more completely
- Reinforce the damaged area at a deeper level
- Create a denser, stronger bond once cured
Because of this approach, Crack Arrest™ repairs can restore the repaired area to up to 152% of the strength of new glass.
Why the Crack Arrest™ Process Matters
Most windshield repairs fail not because resin was used—but because the glass was never properly prepared, or because inferior materials were chosen to cut costs. Crack Arrest™ addresses the real issues that lead to weak or short-lived repairs:
- Hydrophobic coatings blocking adhesion
- Contaminants trapped deep inside cracks and chips
- Thin, low-grade resins that lack structural strength
By removing these barriers, properly conditioning the glass, and using premium materials, the Crack Arrest™ helps restore strength and stability from within the windshield.
Crack Arrest™: Not a Patch. A Bond.
Windshield repair should reinforce—not just fill—damage. The Crack Arrest™ Process focuses on advanced surface preparation, intelligent chemistry, premium materials, and superior adhesion, giving repairs the best possible chance to last.
Because what you can’t see inside the glass is what matters most.
By combining Crack Arrest™ with Glass Fusion™, we are often able to repair cracks up to 24 inches (with some exceptions), preserving the windshield and avoiding unnecessary replacement.