Current Options for Rear Window Demisting?

[Arne]

Well Stephen, I just re-did the grid on my car this weekend, because the early style windows with vertical grid-lines haven't been available for quite some time. I used a two-part epoxy designed for this task, and it seems to have worked quite well.

The product I used was from VersaChem, Epoxy Rear Window Defogger Repair Kit, part #SR-130/90130. It included two prefilled and measured syringes with the A and B compounds, a wooden mixing stick, an alcohol wipe, and a plastic spatula to apply it. The instruction recommended masking the gridlines with ordinary scotch tape and then applying the epoxy. I liked the idea of the epoxy better than the normal conductive paints I've seen, and the kit says that the epoxy will repair damaged lines up to 10" in length and can also be used to reattach terminals.

In the pictures below you can see the missing grid areas, which I marked by applying blue masking tape to the outside of the glass. I then removed the hatch so that I wouldn't be trying to do this while lying on my back in the car.

After masking with the scotch tape, I mixed the epoxy. The kit says you have 25 minutes to work with it. I found the spatula was too wide to do the right job (it bridged two gridlines), so I cut it in two with a scissors. After applying a thin amount to the damaged area (the thickness of the scotch tape), I let it skin over for about 5 minutes and then removed the scotch tape and put the hatch back on the car.

The final picture shows the repaired areas as quite light in color, but that is only visible from certain angles. In the mirror, or from the outside they are almost invisible.

The instructions say you can apply current immediately, which will actually accelerate the cure time. Without any heat, allow 24 hours for it to fully cure.

I tested it today, and my grid seems to work like new. I spent $10 on the kit.

[ea6driver]

Arne,

It's now been almost three years since you repaired your rear window defogger with the Versa-Chem product. I'm about to take on the same repair and was wondering if you have any additional thoughts on the subject.

One reason I ask is that I'm having a fair amount of difficulty locating the Versa-Chem repair kit and just wanted to know if it would be worth the extra effort to get this particular product, or would the Permatex product that seems to be widely available likely be just as effective.

Any thoughts, particularly with the benefit of the passage of time, would be greatly appreciated.

[Arne]

The Versa-Chem product has held up great. In fact, it does a better job than the original. I find that the repaired spots actually heat up faster than the non-repaired. I'm not sure if a single kit would have enough product, but I've lately thought that putting a skim coat over the entire grid might have been a good way to go.

As I mentioned, I really like the fact that the product I used was a two-part epoxy rather than a simple conductive paint. I don't know if the Versa-Chem product is still available. But my results have been good enough that I would certainly try to find an epoxy product if I could.

[mlc240z]

http://www.autoparts2020.com/rsdev/part_detail.jsp?PART_HDR_ID=88439&cat=2,3,4,5,9

Need to call for pricing.

[ea6driver]

Well, after 2 days of online searching and numerous telephone calls, I'm reasonabley sure the VersaChem defogger repair kit is NLA, at least not anywhere on the west coast anyway.

Bart: I saw the link you posted and when you click on the link to find a local store it simply takes you to a webpage where you have to put in your zip code to locate the store nearest you. No map or anything that shows you where they have stores in the US. After much weaping and gnashing of teeth I finally found some stores in the eastern central US but they'd already closed for the day when I called them. I'll try again in the next day or two, but the best I can hope for is that they'd take a credit card order over the phone and ship the product to me if they have it - not the way most auto parts stores generally do business, but, hey, you never know.

Nothing available via the usual online puchase methods (ebay, amazon, etc.). If I'm missing something here and anyone finds a way to purchase this item in a more conventional manner then I'm all ears (and very appreciative).

[mlc240z]

http://www.allglassparts.com/product/404939/400279#

Different mfg (SYON) but another Google search lists it as SYON/VersaChem.

http://picclick.com/VersaChem-90130-Syon-Rear-400149172460.html

Different pricing, $21 for first $7 for second.

[ea6driver]

Looks like you're retracing all the same steps I had already taken earlier.

The $7 link you posted (picclick.com) points you to an ebay listing that has already ended, and when you search through the seller's online store the VersaChem product is no longer listed there.

The other link is a canadian retailer. When you try to purchase it from there the total costs exceed $40 once international shipping/customs charges are figured in. Certainly an option, however, if I can't find anyone that sells it in the US.

Again, thanks for trying, but, like I said, I've searched pretty hard to find this item and it certainly doesn't seem to be widely available in the US anymore.

[Arne]

I bought mine locally from a small mom & pop auto parts house. I'll have to see if they still have any on the shelf.

[Arne]

I stopped by today, my local parts house have restocked and have plenty on the shelf. No supply issues at all. I picked up a spare for myself, still 5-6 left.

[mlc240z]

This link;

http://picclick.com/VersaChem-90130-...149172460.html

Still showing 10 available, $2.95 shipping from Livonia, Michigan.

[SteveJ]

This link;

http://picclick.com/VersaChem-90130-...149172460.html

Still showing 10 available, $2.95 shipping from Livonia, Michigan.

I think your URL is being truncated. That's not a valid address.

[mlc240z]

Weird, original link worked. This is the full copied link.

http://picclick.com/VersaChem-90130-Syon-Rear-400149172460.html