golf cart
guru
• What is the difference in golf cart windshields?
Folding windshields, in particular, are made with
varying materials and assembly techniques. Here’s
a brief explanation to help you as a consumer
understand the various windshields available. One
interesting point: They all look alike! Your only
assurance is to do business with an organization you
trust.
Materials used in windshields:
• Acrylic: This is your basic material, often known
by manufacturer trade names such as Plexiglas.
Acrylic is the hardest of the three materials we will
review, which has advantages and disadvantages.
• Advantages: Cost: Acrylic is the least expensive
material. Scratch resistance: All plastics will scratch,
but acrylic, being the hardest material, is more
scratch resistant than the other materials.
• Disadvantages: Shatter resistance. The harder
the material, the easier it is to break. A golf ball or
any object striking a standard acrylic windshield will
cause it to break, and if the force is sufficient it will
shatter.
• Impact-modified Acrylic: This is the material
most often used on Factory fleets. Standard acrylic
is “modified” during its manufacture by adding
rubber to the plastic. This makes the windshield
more resistant to impact, hence the term impact
modified. A golf ball or other object striking an
impact modified windshield (sometimes called
“high impact”) will most likely crack or damage the
windshield, but will not shatter, providing a safer
windshield. Since this material is softened somewhat
by the addition of rubber, it is less scratch resistant
than standard acrylic and more care has to be taken
when cleaning impact-modified windshields. Impact
modified acrylics cost more than plain acrylics and
are the middle product price-wise.
• Polycarbonate: This is the Cadillac of materials
cost wise and is the only material that can take a
significant direct hit from a golf ball or other object
and not break. This is possible since the material is
softer, and it actually gives when hit by an object.
Polycarbonate thus provides the safest windshield.
Polycarbonate is also often known by manufacturer
trade names, the most common being Lexan.
However, since it is the softest of the three materials
it is the least scratch resistant and greatest care
must be taken when cleaning to avoid scratching.
Starting with 2017 models, Yamaha is now offering
a Polycarbonate windshield as standard on its
new carts. All of the above are typically available
in clear or gray tint, which doesn’t affect the above
advantages and disadvantages, other than that gray
tinted windshields cost a little more than the clear.
the
Hinge Materials:
There are two materials factors to be considered:
the plastic, already discussed, it’s thickness and the
hinge materials. The materials discussed are offered
in varying windshield thicknesses. Hinges are the
source of many customer satisfaction problems.
Some manufacturers use PVC for the folding seam.
This material is not resistant to ultra-violet rays, so
the more time the windshield is exposed to sunlight
the more brittle it becomes. As it becomes brittle, it
tends to crack at the seam.
Price:
Acrylic is the least expensive, and Polycarbonate is
the most expensive. Thinner windshields are less
expensive than thicker ones. Good hinges are more
expensive than ones that will rapidly deteriorate.
Like so many things, you tend to get what you pay
for. Buy from a trusted source. •
Have a question? Send it to Tim at: [email protected]
JANUARY 2019
37