 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Polycarbonate Alpine Light Replacements |
 
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| northernerindevon Member Since: 27 Feb 2018 Location: Bristol Posts: 60   
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The seals on my alpine lights are well beyond their best and are perished and leaking.
I recently bit the bullet and replaced my door seals with Genuine ones after much research. Fitted perfectly and seal brilliantly. Quick to fit too, especially after hearing some of the horror stories around cheap aftermarket seals. My alpine lights are the older 5mm glass type. Aftermarket seals are dirt cheap whereas the genuine versions are more, a lot more. I was tempted but then I came across these - replacement tinted polycarbonate alpine lights with seals: http://defenderupgrades.co.uk/product/defe...oof-glass/ I've never used the company before but wondered if anyone had any experience of either the company or, more specifically, the alpine lights? The price would be almost the same as a set of genuine seals. Plus they'd be more resilient while offroading in overgrown greenlanes and in the woods. Should I / shouldn't I? Ineterested to hear your thoughts. Thanks, Paul |
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22nd Jul 2020 7:03am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Not seen those before. Polycarbonate is good in some applications but I wonder how scratch resistant it would be as Alpine lights? Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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22nd Jul 2020 7:47am |
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| defender9 Member Since: 12 Mar 2016 Location: Fylde Coast Posts: 1629 
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Polycarbonate generally has very poor scratch resistance but it can have a coating applied which makes the surface more scratch resistant, think glasses lenses etc. It’s a very tough material and has very high impact resistance however like a lot of polymers has a tendency over time to uv degradation which can yellow the plastic and decrease its impact resistance. After saying that I had some PC sheets on a car port for years and it did not seem to yellow unduly and also seemed still resistant to impact.
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22nd Jul 2020 9:22am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17450 
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As far as I know the seals for the alpine lights (and for that matter the small windows on the back of a hard-top provided to allow thieves easy access to the vehicle) use completely standard traditional sealing rubbers with a filler strip. These should be available from any vehicle glazing specialist or restoration supplier, you would only need to specify the panel and glass thicknesses (and the total length you require, of course).
This is one part where I would not bother going to Landrover, I would be good aftermarket sealing strip. It is also relatively easy to fit, but worth investing in the inexpensive filler strip insertion tool. |
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22nd Jul 2020 9:41am |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8059  
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Recently replaced the 130 rubber seals. Well it was done whilst in for paint. They couldn't get the allmakes ones I supplied to fit. Too thick, as in wide. Even had a vehicle glazer in to do it. In the end they fitted with their own outer using the allmakes filler strip. Cheers
James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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22nd Jul 2020 11:35am |
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| northernerindevon Member Since: 27 Feb 2018 Location: Bristol Posts: 60
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Cheers, hadn't considered the UV degredation aspect.
The Landy is garaged but still something to consider. Interesting to hear about the Allmakes seals too James. Thanks all |
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22nd Jul 2020 11:46pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20453
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I'd seriously avoid polycarbonate, as has been mentioned in different ekecme ts by different members.
UV can cause yellowing and weakening to impact, scratches are more likely than glass due to the softer nature too and it can go cloudy. Some of these things the only way out is polishing with ultra fine abrasives like Clear cost paint finishing, on small areas or in confined spaces this isn't skyways possible and removal could be required. The choice is yours, but the only benefit I've ever known of clear Polycarbonate or acrylic is safety / impact resistance. Beyond that, it's a real pain even more so when it can be varying quality as has been mentioned some can stay in good condition for years. Others go cloudy and yellowed in a year or two. Polishing it involves a great deal of work and patience too. No Guts, No Glory. 🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪 |
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23rd Jul 2020 12:07am |
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| northernerindevon Member Since: 27 Feb 2018 Location: Bristol Posts: 60
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Point taken.
I'll be avoiding them & sticking to good old fashioned glass. Will replace the seals & forget polycarb... Thanks all  |
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23rd Jul 2020 5:52am |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3425  
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My boat, which has spent all its life in the Mediterranean has acrylic windows, for safety i guess. The acrylic is 10mm thick. They are all crazed, and crazing I estimate to be about 2mm deep. No sanding or polishing can fix that, only replacement.
But of course I have to mention that boat was built circa 1985, so 35 years life is pretty good. Usually on curved acrylic, crazing can happen faster due to some residual stresses during bending process. I believe that polycarbonate, although has higher impact resistance than acrylic, has less resistance to degradation. I would look for some motorcycles in your area that have screens. Those screens are usually polycarbonate. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing 2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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23rd Jul 2020 6:00am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17450
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I believe that modern polycarbonates are more durable and UV-stable than in the past, but the only real argument for polycarbonate I can see is if you need a shape that is complex and not readily available, since custom shaped polycarbonate is much, much cheaper than custom shaped glass.
As an example, the roof window on my Iron Fairy is shaped- its front edge rolls round the front edge of the roof to be parallel with the windscreen (imagine a flat sheet which the edge rolled down). It needs replacing because it has degraded to a sort of nicotine colour, but would be a killer to get made in glass. As far as I know it was ploycarbonate from new for this very reason, although only the very early IF6 cranes had the curved window, after about the first year of production it was replaced by a flat panel. Unfortunately it is necessary in order to see the load/radius indicator. I rather hope that it won't be too expensive to get a new one made in thermoplastic polycarbonate. I cannot see any argument in favour of getting a plastic alpine light when glass ones are readily available. If you want a tint, get a film applied before fitting the glass. |
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23rd Jul 2020 8:05am |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831 
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I don't have any experience of the product or company but I have used Lexan which is a solid polycarbonate that is UV resistant to re glaze a neighbours greenhouse that was being used as target practice by some local kids that were playing football in the next garden. Its been in for about five years and there is no sign of any defect in it so far. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to  us off.
Richard |
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23rd Jul 2020 8:20am |
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| LoveTheMud Member Since: 19 Feb 2015 Location: Weybridge Surrey & Pontefract West Yorkshire Posts: 411 
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The website says the Alpine Lights are "Perfect for off roading" ? I mean my neck doesn't turn that far around whilst i'm in the drivers seat
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23rd Jul 2020 9:40am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17450
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That's marketing for you!
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23rd Jul 2020 10:06am |
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