Bakkie windscreen replacement in Pretoria

Why bakkie windscreens get damaged so often

A bakkie spends more of its life where windscreens get hit. Gravel farm roads, building sites, quarries and loading yards all throw stones. On the freeways around Pretoria, bakkies often sit behind loaded trucks, and Arrive Alive names debris from truck loads and from road works as the most common cause of windscreen damage.

The bakkie's own load can be a risk too. Loose sand, stone or rubble in the load bin of the vehicle in front ends up on your glass. And because a bakkie's screen is usually fairly upright, it meets debris more squarely than the raked screen of a sedan.

Single cabs, double cabs and the camera question

The bakkie market covers a huge range, from basic single cabs to top-spec double cabs such as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok and Isuzu D-Max. On a basic work vehicle the windscreen is often a plain laminated screen. On higher-spec double cabs, the screen may carry a forward camera bracket, a rain sensor or both.

Which version your bakkie has depends on the model, the year and the trim, and two bakkies with the same badge can differ. Check behind the mirror from outside: a black housing with a lens window means a camera, and the camera usually needs recalibrating after a new screen. See ADAS camera and sensor calibration for what that involves.

Repair first, especially on a working bakkie

On a working vehicle, a chip repaired the same week saves a screen and a day off the road. Drivers who report chips quickly, with a photo, keep most damage at the repair stage. See windscreen chip repair for the limits on what can be filled.

What is different about fitting a bakkie screen

• Bakkie screens are usually larger than car screens and the cab is higher, so the fitter needs room and sometimes a second pair of hands.
• Roof racks, roll bars, bull bars and spotlights can get in the way of the work and may need to be loosened or moved.
• Work vehicles often have dust and grit packed into the cowl and the pinch weld, which must be cleaned out before the new adhesive is laid.
• Older bakkies may have rust in the windscreen frame from years of leaks, which must be treated before the new screen goes in.
• After fitting, the fitter will tell you the safe drive-away time for the adhesive used. Wait at least that long before driving, and longer before driving on gravel or carrying a load.

Business bakkies and fleets

If your bakkie is one of several working vehicles, the job is as much about scheduling as glass. See bakkie and fleet glass for how fleet work is planned, or the local pages for fleet glass in Pretoria West and fleet glass in Silverton.

For a single bakkie, the process is the same as any windscreen job, and windscreen replacement in Pretoria explains it step by step. Tell us the make, model, year and cab type when you send an enquiry, and we pass it to an independent fitment business that covers your area. [CONFIRM: whether fitment businesses covering Pretoria do bakkie work on site at farms and work sites]

What drives the cost

We do not publish prices. These are the factors that usually move a quote for this kind of vehicle:

• Single cab or double cab, and the year and trim of the bakkie.
• Whether the screen carries a camera bracket or rain sensor, and whether calibration follows.
• Glass tier: OEM, OEE or aftermarket screens for the model.
• Accessories such as roof racks or bull bars that must be moved for the work.
• Rust treatment in the frame on older or hard-used bakkies.
• Where the work is done: at home, on a work site or at a fitment centre.
• Your glass excess if the bakkie is insured with glass cover.

See also what a windscreen replacement in Pretoria depends on.

Related glass services

• Bakkie and fleet glass
• Windscreen replacement
• Windscreen chip and crack repair
• ADAS camera and sensor calibration

Frequently asked questions

Other vehicle types

• SUV and 4x4 windscreen replacement
• Taxi and minibus windscreen replacement
• Truck windscreen replacement