Glass, Doors and Openings
RV Windshield Replacement for Class A Motorhomes, One and Two Piece
Typical range
$2,500 to $7,500
Shop hours
6 to 18
Labor rate
$210/hr
The short answer
RV windshield replacement covers one piece and two piece Class A glass, including gasket or urethane set, trim, and cap seal work. Jobs run $2,500 to $7,500, or 6 to 18 hours at $210 per hour plus glass, performed at our Yorba Linda facility.
01
What this work actually involves
A Class A windshield is not an automotive job scaled up. Most coaches use a two piece design set into a rubber gasket that also seals the fiberglass cap, and the glass, the gasket, and the cap opening are three parts that have to be right together. If the cap flange has flexed from a minor impact or the opening has racked from frame movement, the new glass will seat unevenly and it will leak at the top corner. We check the opening for flatness and squareness before ordering glass, because a windshield ordered against a distorted opening is a windshield that gets ordered twice.
Glass on a motorhome is also structural in a way owners underestimate. On urethane-set applications the bonded glass contributes to the stiffness of the front cap, and the urethane has a specified bead profile, primer, and cure time. Set it in the wrong primer or hand the coach back before cure and you have a windshield that will move under load on the first real freeway run. We follow the adhesive manufacturer cure schedule, which means the coach stays here rather than leaving the same afternoon.
Southern California conditions drive most of the damage we see. Rock strikes on the 15 through the Cajon Pass and the 10 east of Banning are constant, and a chip that would sit stable in a mild climate propagates fast when the glass goes from a cool morning to 115F direct sun in Indio. Blown sand during Santa Ana events pits Class A glass badly enough that owners replace it for visibility rather than for a crack. We assess for pitting and delamination at the edge, not only for the obvious break.
Location: All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility. We do not offer mobile, roadside, or fleet route service.
02
What the job includes
- One piece and two piece Class A windshield replacement
- Opening flatness and squareness check before glass is ordered
- Rubber gasket set replacement including the cap seal profile
- Urethane set replacement with correct primer, bead profile, and cure time
- Divider bar, center post, and trim removal and replacement
- Cap flange repair where the mounting surface is cracked or distorted
- Interior dash pad, defrost duct, and trim panel removal and reinstall
- Windshield wiper arm, linkage, and cowl removal and reinstall
- Water testing of the completed installation at every corner
- ADAS scan and recalibration coordination on camera-equipped chassis
03
When you need this service
- A crack that has begun to run, particularly from an edge or a corner
- A rock chip larger than a quarter or one in the driver primary sightline
- Water intrusion at a top corner appearing on the dash after rain
- Heavy pitting that scatters light badly when driving into low sun
- A gasket that has hardened, cracked, or pulled away from the glass
- A previous replacement that has leaked since it was installed
- Delamination or cloudiness spreading inward from the glass edge
04
How we do it, step by step
- 01
Opening assessment before ordering
The cap opening is checked for flatness, squareness, and flange damage. Ordering glass against a distorted opening is the most common way this job goes wrong.
- 02
Glass sourcing and verification
Correct part identified against the coach year, make, model, and cap style, then verified on arrival before anything is removed from the vehicle.
- 03
Controlled removal
Trim, wipers, and interior dash components removed and tagged, then the glass cut or lifted out without loading the cap flange.
- 04
Flange preparation and repair
Old urethane or gasket residue removed to the correct substrate, and any cracked or distorted flange repaired before the new glass is fitted.
- 05
Dry fit
New glass dry fitted to the prepared opening to confirm the seat is even all the way around, before adhesive or a gasket commits the position.
- 06
Set and cure
Glass set with the specified primer and bead profile or into a new gasket, then held for the full manufacturer cure time rather than handed back the same day.
- 07
Reassembly, water test and scan
Trim, wipers, and interior reinstalled, the installation water tested at every corner, and an ADAS scan and recalibration performed where the chassis is equipped.
05
Pricing and posted rates
| Item | Rate or range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job range | $2,500 to $7,500 | Varies with extent of damage and parts availability |
| Shop hours | 6 to 18 | Quoted after teardown, not before |
| Body and paint labor | $210 per hour | 2026 posted rate |
| Paint supplies | $55 per paint hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Body supplies | $5 per body hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Parts | 100% markup under $100, 35% over | Special order parts require a non refundable deposit at order |
| Deposit | 50% at authorization over $2,000 | Additional 25% when parts arrive on jobs over $10,000 |
| Sales tax | 7.75% on parts and materials | Labor is not taxed |
Insurance billed jobs may be billed at carrier negotiated labor rates that differ from the posted retail rates above. See all posted rates.
06
On the insurance side
Glass is generally handled under comprehensive coverage. Where cap flange damage is found behind the glass, we document it photographically so it is part of the same claim rather than a surprise later.
07
Vehicles we do this work on
Vehicle
Class A Gas Motorhomes
A Class A gas motorhome is a flat-front coach built on a Ford F53 or Workhorse front-engine chassis, typically 28 to 38 feet. Rear
Vehicle
Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhomes
A diesel pusher carries a rear-mounted diesel on a raised-rail air ride chassis, usually 34 to 45 feet with full-body paint and pa
Vehicle
Class C Motorhomes
A Class C is a coach body built onto a cutaway van chassis with a sleeping or storage cabover extending above the factory cab. Tha
Vehicle
Super C Motorhomes
A Super C is a full coach body mounted on a medium duty truck chassis such as a Freightliner M2, International, or Kenworth, with
Vehicle
Bus Conversions, Prevost and Marathon
A Prevost, MCI, or Van Hool conversion is a commercial motorcoach shell finished by a second-stage builder such as Marathon, Feath
Vehicle
Vintage and Classic RVs
Vintage coaches, from riveted aluminum Airstreams and Avions to GMC motorhomes and 1970s Class A units, use construction and parts
08
Questions about rv windshield replacement, one and two piece
Frequently asked questions
How much does an RV windshield replacement cost?
Replacement runs $2,500 to $7,500, or 6 to 18 hours at $210 per hour plus glass. A two piece gasket-set windshield on a common Class A chassis sits near the low end. A large one piece urethane-set windshield with cap flange repair and ADAS recalibration on a camera-equipped chassis sits at the high end. Glass is billed at parts markup, 35 percent over $100.
How long does the coach need to stay in the shop?
Plan on two to four days minimum for a urethane-set installation, and longer if the cap flange needs repair or the glass has lead time. Urethane has a published cure schedule and driving the coach before it is reached compromises the bond. We are not going to hand it back the same afternoon to make the job feel faster.
Can a cracked RV windshield be repaired instead of replaced?
Small chips outside the primary sightline can often be resin-repaired and stabilized. A crack that has already run, or any damage at the edge of the glass, is a replacement. Edge damage matters because that is where the glass carries load and where propagation is fastest, especially with the temperature swings a coach sees between a coastal morning and a low desert afternoon.
Why do RV windshields leak at the top corner?
Because the corner is where a distorted opening shows up first. A cap that has flexed from an impact, or an opening that has racked slightly from frame movement, leaves the gasket under uneven compression at the corners. Resealing the outside does not correct it. The opening has to be assessed and corrected before the glass is set, which is why we check it before ordering.
Does insurance cover RV windshield replacement?
Glass damage is typically handled under comprehensive coverage, and many RV policies have specific glass provisions. We work direct with every major carrier and can submit the documentation for the claim. Where cap flange repair is required in addition to the glass, that is documented photographically as part of the same loss.
09
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Ready to move on rv windshield replacement, one and two piece? Bring it to Yorba Linda.