Sidecar windscreen chop or going to hack the hack screen

I like the look of the lower windshield but that makes no difference. The real difference depends on your passenger's opinion. How much wind will they like? Of my three sidecar K-9 copilots, two liked to put their heads out over the hood of the sidecar (no windshield), the third and final one liked riding behind the windshield. Then again, if your passenger is of the human type, the sort of helmet worn will have an effect on what they like. Just my two bits....

Tom definitely not human for sure. Ignore the lead. Meet Sam =)

Looks like some great adventures on the horizon!! For both of you!!

My dog was afraid of the windscreen and he'd lay down on the floor and not come up when the windscreen was attached.  I removed the windscreen completely and he was liberated!

So my vote is . . . chop it!

I just  received a  doggie  text from  Sam......Sam THEE Dog....and he said I should  agree to  cutting the  windshield where the  green  tape is.

So what is the best way to actually cut the screen and leave it neat and tidy? Remove from the sidecar or not?

Posted by: @none

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So what is the best way to actually cut the screen and leave it neat and tidy? Remove from the sidecar or not?

Steve, you are "hopefully" going to receive a myriad of different answers as to what is the best way to cut that windshield down.

In my shop, I have all the necessary tools (albeit primitive) to cut down windshields, and have been relatively successful with all that I have attacked with my tools.

I would leave the windshield in place, on the sidecar, as it is being held in position, and you won't have it flopping around on a work bench, on the floor, etc. After VERY carefully measuring, and determining exactly where you want to cut, then applying a taped line (as you have), I use an air powered dremel blade to brutally (I was going to say gently, but had to be honest) cut the windshield by scribing a line with the dremel blade (think of a circular cut-off rotating blade). I gently (ha ha) scribe across the line of the tape to make a mark (cut) into the lexan or acrylic of the windshield, then follow that line across the entire face of the windshield, then I go back over that same line, deeper the 2nd time, and eventually cut my way all the way through the lexan/acrylic until it makes a thru cut.

The final cut will NOT be perfect....but I also have all the sanding tools to go over that new top end of the windshield, smoothing it out, contouring it to blend into a smooth line, etc.

Finally, I install a full length piece of that Saeng TA windshield trim to cover up my incompetence of how I cut the windshield down, and make it look like a professional did the job. That Saeng TA windshield trim works two jobs in one application....it covers up the sins of my cutting job, but it also adds 3 to 4 inches of height in air flow, so a human monkey can look over the windshield, but still not have the air directly IN the face...and a canine monkey, Like Sam THEE Dog can choose to be IN the air flow, or under the air flow...always a dogs' choice.

And Steve....Caretaker of Sam THEE Dog, before you assume that all windshield trim is the same.... DON'T....because nothing else is like this Saeng TA trim.  https://saeng.com/product/quiet-and-smooth-air-pocket-motorcycle-edging-wind-deflector/

It works....plain and simple...it works. It's expensive, but well worth every dollar you spend on it, and as I have said in an earlier post, I transfer it from one bike to the next bike, as it can be reused, so if I sell a bike, I remove that Saeng TA windshield trim, and install it on the next bike.

Hi Steve

Just my thoughts here, I have cut down a windscreen like what your thinking and was pretty pleased with the outcome. Good luck with yours

as a fellow furry friend transporter, I need to ask you to Please move your leash securement point to the floor of the car, where it is now if your pup was to get a wild hair he could easily exit the side and be hanging from his collar 

I have a small greenworks circular saw with a three inch wheel that just happens to cut plastic. Just the right size for me to use one handed. I tried it out on the base of the original screen that Jeff gave me, like i knife through butter.

I will be getting the trim you recommended but for the moment i will reuse the old. Does this trim get in the way of a tonnau cover?

That is why i left the note to ignore the lead i will be moving it before pooch trial day =)

Not perfect but pretty good. Somebody up there loves me the screen split right along the tape line for about 10 inches. I will grab a decent fine file for a tidy up.

Posted by: @none

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I will be getting the trim you recommended but for the moment i will reuse the old. Does this trim get in the way of a tonnau cover?

Steve,  given that you will be  cutting  down the  height of the  windshield,  any tonneau cover  you  currently have  will  no longer  fit.

That means, you are  going to  need to  have a new  tonneau cover  made.

But to answer your question,  and give you an example,  when I cut down the  height of the windshield  on my  Hannigan Dream sidecar,   only  cut off  about  2 inches,  so...with the  addition of the Saeng TA trim, that filled in the  slack created by the  shorter  windshield,  and made the  tonneau cover  tight again.  I also added  a few extra  snaps, to  make  things even  tighter, to keep  rain from  entering  between the  sidecar  body and the  tonneau cover,  when driving at over 100 mph, or...160 kph.

And....the pictures  you  just  posted  of the  cut down  windshield  look very good.

BUT.....I  suggest  rounding the sharp corners so that you can  install the  Saeng TA trim  onto the  windshield  in one  piece,  all around the  windshield,  not just the  top rim of the  windshield.  Just buff those sharp  corners  with a  smooth  radius, so the trim doesn't have to  make  such a hard turn.

+ 1 what Miles said but more importantly you don't want Sam to hit one of those corners 

you get that front line level and it will look factory, Nice Job 

Good idea on the corners, thanks =)