OEM Windshield or after market for a Kubota 500

cointoss · Mar 23, 2011

I bought a soft enclosure for my RTV for the winter and it has a roof ,doors, and front and back windshield which are very light duty. Since, I already have a factory roof I wood like to install a better windshield and put a wiper on it. Should I go factory glass or pick one of the plastic after market windshields? I am concerned about scratching and clouding of the windshield using a wiper and branches on the lexan or plastic ones.

art · Mar 23, 2011

Good concern!!! Wipers kill plastic!!!!!

timswi · Mar 23, 2011

cointoss said:
I bought a soft enclosure for my RTV for the winter and it has a roof ,doors, and front and back windshield which are very light duty. Since, I already have a factory roof I wood like to install a better windshield and put a wiper on it. Should I go factory glass or pick one of the plastic after market windshields? I am concerned about scratching and clouding of the windshield using a wiper and branches on the lexan or plastic ones.

Go with the Kubota glass one..Expensive, but well worth it. The lower 20% is removable plastic and it does scratch easily.

redharley · Mar 23, 2011

I really like my Dakota sheild I got for my RTV 900.It is lexan I beleive.It goes off and on with velcro in a minute[I had concerns about this but after winters use it has not come loose once]which is one reason I liked it.I like open air for the summer,but that sheild sure is sweet plowing snow or just joy riding in the winter for sure.In the summer I hang it on the garage wall. I know over time it will get maked up.But for $200 it has been a worth while investment for sure.We all like something a little different for different reason's, I guess thats why there's so many to pick from.

cointoss · Mar 30, 2011

Well, I ordered the factory glass this morning. Expensive but just want to be finished with my updates to the RTV. Thanks for listening, I appreciated your replys.

DIXIEDOG · Mar 31, 2011

cointoss said:
Well, I ordered the factory glass this morning. Expensive but just want to be finished with my updates to the RTV. Thanks for listening, I appreciated your replys.

Did you go with glass or plastic? What was the ballpark price if you don't mind me asking?

cointoss · Mar 31, 2011

Dixie, I went with the factory glass on top at $336.00; and plastic bottom at $137.00. Of course I have to pay sales tax at 6%, but no shipping charges were added since they had it at one of their other stores.

timswi · Mar 31, 2011

cointoss said:
Dixie, I went with the factory glass on top at $336.00; and plastic bottom at $137.00. Of course I have to pay sales tax at 6%, but no shipping charges were added since they had it at one of their other stores.

Believe me, you're going to be glad you paid for the glass the first time a branch rubs across the windshield...It's expensive, but worth every dollar.

I loved the glass part of the one I put on my 500...Wish the bottom piece would have been glass too...Can't even touch that without leaving hairline scratches...Upside is that you really don't have to look through the bottom piece.

I put a piece of cloth under to bottom to prevent rubbing on the hood. Remember to take that off when/if you ever tow the 500..Not sure what the wind resistence is on that piece even though it does have a connection to the glass in the center.

You will notice that the interior will be louder with the windshield and you may also want to look into a back "glass" once you recover from the cost of the windshield...The combination of the roof and windshield creates a pretty good vacuum from the rear of the vehicle...I ended up with a poly rear shield that scratched like crazy, but it cut down on the dust and freezing air coming in from the bed.

Just my opinion...Your experience may be different.

DIXIEDOG · Apr 1, 2011

cointoss said:
Dixie, I went with the factory glass on top at $336.00; and plastic bottom at $137.00. Of course I have to pay sales tax at 6%, but no shipping charges were added since they had it at one of their other stores.

Thanks for the info. Not as bad as I thought, it takes an arm and a leg just to get the local dealer to give you a price up here.....gotta count on a 1 hr event. :confused2: I'll have to see if they have any in stock so I can get out of the shipping cost.:thumbsup: