Fabricating Hail Shield for Nissan Xterra

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I sure need help, fellas. I need some guidance on building a hail shield for my Xterra.  My wife and I are storm chasers, running from Texas to South Dakota.  I want to "fold" the metal shield shield up when it is NOT in use to make its footprint smaller.  When we are on a storm, I want to "unfold" the shield so it hangs over the sides and hangs over the windshield and rear glass to protect from hail strikes.  The Xterra has a factory roof rack.  I -imagine- welding a rectangle that covers the roof out of either angle iron or aluminum or square tube.  I would then cover it with expanded metal or ???.  I then -imagine- I would then be able to stack the "fold out" panels on TOP of this base frame and fold them out, OR put the "fold out" panels UNDER this base frame and set them up to be pull out panels.  The "panels" would have expanded metal covering them too.PHOTOS BELOWQuestion:  How should I make the "fold out" panels work?  Should I use hinges and actually have them "fold", or should I use heavy duty drawer slides and pull them out like drawers, OR?????  It must be strong enough to survive being hit by softball sized hail falling at 110mph, and winds of 120mph without failing.  Weight, resistance to corrosion, strength are important.  Also, the sound of them "clanking" around up there while driving is a concern.  I sure appreciate ANY guidance/thoughts/ideas you guys care to share.  I'm 45, and brand new at fabricating/welding.  I really need some help to get going.  Thank you.Last edited by JeffInDFW; 01-01-2013 at 12:11 AM.
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Reply:My professional advice...Hire a professional to do your fabrication. You want to make sure those welds hold going down the road.
Reply:Better yet, find a garage . . . - Tim
Reply:I see any number of engineering challenges in this.One it needs to be relatively light weight if you need to be able to "fold" or unfold the panels. This means thin materials. I'm not quite sure sheet metal is the best option to stop "softball sized hail falling at 110mph". I have a feeling some testing would probably be in order. I see sheet metal bending and I'm not sure if having it in contact with the glass for support is such a great idea. Going to alum plate will create fab issues as far as welding and increase costs.2nd issue I see is high wind. What ever you build will need to lock down securely so the wind won't lift it up. Take a look some time at some videos of the materials testing they do for hurricane resistance. Most things hold up really well until the wind gets under it. As soon as that happens, everything goes to he11.You might look at heavy demolition equipment. They usually use expanded metal permanently affixed with frames to cover the windows, so concrete and so on won't break the glass. Down side is your car will end up looking like  prison bus going down the road.3rd is the whole mechanics of how to make this functional. I'm guessing you will want this to be deployable relatively quickly. I see this as complicating much of the program. Rolling shutters like what they use for heavy storm shutters in hurricane prone areas comes to mind or for security in cities. Cost will be a big factor though with this idea, and you still need permanently mounted tracks. I can see fabbing plates that fit in the door panels and raise and lower like your windows do, but I'm not sure if you can make something like this work without major modifications, or replacing the existing glass. If I was going to replace the glass, I'd probably look at impact resistant Lexan 1st, though there are companies out there that will make bullet resistant windows for vehicles. The glass has a limited service life however before UV breaks it down and they no longer rate it for protection.4th Corrosion resistance will be another issue. Paint is the easiest for steel. Alum is semi corrosion resistant, but it adds issues with fabrication as mentioned above, plus cost. Stainless would be the best corrosion resistant choice, but it adds significant cost, plus weight and also some fab issues as well.I also see issues with things like visibility. I'm betting the DOT will take an disapproving view of anyone who completely blacks out there vehicle windows and drives down the road, despite what might be shown on TV. Heck they don't like it if you have a little crack on your windshield. Plate steel probably won't be listed as "approved". State troopers take an even dimmer view of completely blacked out vehicles, since their safety is directly endangered if they have to stop a vehicle like this. Have an accident while driving in this manner and you can bet you will not have a good time in court. You can probably write off any insurance coverage you have because as soon as the company sees you had reduced visibility, they probably won't cover you, and you'll probably be the one found at fault if at all possible..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:have any way to mount a frame on the top the vehicle? just off the top of my head, definitely the design would need to be thought out more but heres my idea.. Make the rear part of the frame rigid which would bolt onto the top frame thats mounted to the top of the vehicle, make the front portion of the side frames slide forward and latch in both positions, make the front windshield guard hinge down and attach to the side panels that you slide forward.  you would have to lift the assembly on and off the vehicle, frame could be made of aluminum tubing, would depend on how much protection you want or need....tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Guys, thank you SO MUCH for all the replies.  I value every point being made.  I also realised I needed to give you some other photos to help visualise what I am describing.  I do not want any part of it covering the windows.  I basically want a horizontal flat umbrella over the Xterra like shown below, only I want mine stronger and to protect the SIDES of my truck as well as the windshield.NOTE:  None of this is my work.  This Xterra belongs to another chaser.PHOTOS MOVED TO NEXT POST TO KEEP THEM FROM CUTTING OFF TEXTLast edited by JeffInDFW; 01-01-2013 at 02:29 AM.
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Reply:Based on the photos, are you a storm chaser? It makes sense then . . . - Tim
Reply:Yes.  We drive 30,000 miles per year, and run from Texas to South Dakota to Alabama.  We stream live video from the truck, and ping our position to the national weather service which allows them to call us via radio or cell.  We've got a lot of technology in the truck that helps us try to stay out of hail, but as much as we are out there we still get hit.  Hail the size of grapefruit will fall out of nowhere with no warning sometimes.  I want to protect not just the glass, but also the body work.  We do make money from video sales and viewer minutes, but not near enough to even cover gas costs so we eat the costs of all this.  It is an expensive hobby, but we really enjoy it.  We are also both trained for search and rescue which is really needed in the rural areas we work.
Reply:I'm a storm chaser too. Only difference is I beat up the insurance companies to replace roofs, gutters and other exterior parts of homes. The thin metal used for vents gets beat up pretty bad, but the thicker stuff and galvanized metal holds up much better. An insurance adjuster who has been on the job 20+ years told me he only paid for galvanized metal maybe a handful of times.The other thing that minimizes damage is the pitch of the roof. The steeper it is; the more the hail glances off and does not damage it. That being said; your windshield is going to be your main concern because it is not as steep and you will be driving towards the falling hail. I don't know if it makes sense to do the sides and rear as they are a tougher glass in modern vehicles and the hail would most likely glance off. I want to say they called it laminate glass when I had a side window replaced in my truck.The only other thing I can think of to help you is flexibility. If you were to design it so it had some downward flex to absorb the impact; you would not need as thick material compared to a rigid design. I have seen tons of damage to the roof and metals but minimal or no damage where gutter guards and flashings were flexible. Hope this helps.Millermatic250Miller Spoolmate 200Miller Spoolmatic 1Lincoln tombstone with century DC converter1945 K.O. Lee company stick welder (looks like R2D2)Miller 30E feederHobart AH27 FeederMiller Thunderbolt AC/DC
Reply:based on your drawing i would be inclined to make one which folds back on itself, and can be just the footprint of the roof rack when not in use.use 1" square tube and 1/2" mesh welded panels, you would hinge the two that come out each side of the truck, so when you open them the tubes keep them level, then you'd have the front and back, 2" higher where you unfold the front and back and then from those you unfold the corners,Ideally it should all just lay flat with the weight, and you could have bolt holes so you bolt them together to stop them flapping about when driving.I've adjusted your picture to show what i mean Attached Images
Reply:Just get a bullet proof wind shield, simpler, but a tad more expensive.www.Markcuda.com"you didn't build that"weldor does have two "E"sOk,I stand corrected,there is a word "Weldor"But,in this day and age, how many frickin'times have you heard a moron use the term(spelling)?
Reply:Flat horizontal surface in high wind... Can you say "wing". 120 MPH is well above the speed most small aircraft take flight at.  You have a vehicle with a high center of gravity and now you want to place a large flat wing around the entire perimeter of the vehicle.The only way I see this as being practical is if you use mesh to reduce wind resistance..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:What does the local rules (or your self preservation) say about maximum weight on top of the car? Here (Sweden) it's usually something around max ~100lb (as weight high up makes any car unstable), and 100lb really isn't alot of steel pipe and expanded metal.
Reply:softball sized hail falling at 110mph, and winds of 120mph without failing. Weight, resistance to corrosion, strength are important
Reply:I'd use all lexan sheets. Can see threw them, they don't break, and lighter than steel. I like lexan and use quite often for all sorts of projects. Watching the storm chasers shows I almost always ask myself why they don't cover the vehicle in lexan instead of all this heavy metal that you can't see threw. Sure its not as cheap as metal but you should only have to build one once and swap it from vehicle to vehicle over the years.
Reply:Gerry1964, what you posted is EXACTLY what I had in mind!  DSW, I agree completely and that is a concern for me.  When parked in high winds, you feel the truck rock.  A giant sail on the roof could be all that is needed for us to go over.  SO, yes I want to use a material the wind can blow -thru- while keeping hail larger than golf balls out.  Larger mesh expanded metal would be preferred over a fiber mesh that would fail in the elements.Millertime, THANK YOU for the insight on materials and also how angles apply.  Real world information that is a real help.VPT, I plan to use a large lexan sheet to protect the hood/front fenders/front grill/headlights.I'm wanting to protect more than just the windows glass.  Smashed door handles, side mirrors, front grill, headlights gets expensive and a hassle.  Thats why I want the wings to over hang the sides of the Xterra.QUESTION:  So, nobody thinks going with heavy duty drawer slides would be a good idea?  Go with hinges for sure?  Gerry1964 has perfectly drawn up how I had planned to fold it all up.  How should I place the hinges to get the panels to fold flat when "stowed", and be able to unfold into a parallel position?  What STYLE of hinge should I use?  It must be VERY strong.Thank you again for the help, guys.
Reply:i would look at a woven wire cloth type product over an exspanded.    has a little flex and give to absorb the hits from larger hail stones.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Very cool
Reply:Dualie, great idea!  I just Googled it and there are a lot of options available too.  As you said, it would have some give, PLUS would be a lot lighter.  Thank you sir!
Reply:You could simply make a weave of any suitable (high strength? Dyneema?) rope, if you weld up frames to put it on. You'd end up with a soft mesh, that I'd expect to hold up better against the real heavy large ice chunks. Downside would be the larger holes through it, letting some smaller size hails go through.
Reply:I think it would be much more practical and even cheaper to just accept the damage, it's a storm chaser vehicle, it's supposed to have hail dents all over it   maybe look into windshield overlays that can add some protection there, a few brush guards over the lights....short of that I'd recommend panels of aluminum tube frames with wire mesh... only practical way to offer protection without being ridiculous when not in use and easy enough to deploy when necessary. I would just have each panel latch into place. I would use latches at the outer edge of the perimeter too, for example the front panel would latch at the roof rack and extend to and latch at the front bull bar. you would then also be able to operate the vehicle with the guards in place too. strong reliable and simple... hinges may also come into play if the panels happen to lend well to hinges as there laid out, but latches would probably be the more practical way to allow them to fit and store easily. most likely a combination of hinged and latched panelsLast edited by turbocad6; 01-02-2013 at 02:56 AM.miller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Ummm, I'd either go with a lexan windshield for safety and durabiliy reasons, or just drive it.  Your vehicle will get damaged no matter how well you think it's protected.  If you don't like that, then quit chasing trouble.My name's not Jim....
Reply:You could fab up permanent guards for mirrors and door handles. Just remember to make them steep to avoid damage to the guards. The weight is going to become a problem protecting the body, but the hood and roof are going to be the hardest hit. Making a frame inside the roof rack and stretching the mesh over it should be easy. I'm not sure what if anything you want to do for the hood.You could probably just weld door hinges on the frame and U-bolt them to the roof rack. Mock it up first so you place them correctly to have it lay flat. On a side note; I saw tamper proof hinges at home depot for over twice the cost of regular hinges. I bought the regular ones and welded the ends to make them tamper proof. Also, if you end up with galvanized for the frame; make sure you wear a respirator when welding as it gives off toxic fumes.Millermatic250Miller Spoolmate 200Miller Spoolmatic 1Lincoln tombstone with century DC converter1945 K.O. Lee company stick welder (looks like R2D2)Miller 30E feederHobart AH27 FeederMiller Thunderbolt AC/DCGotcha.  See, I did not know about welding galvenized being a problem but it makes sense.Again, guys, I really appreciate the thoughts from all of you.  I really like doing all my own work (from AC repair to plumbing to car repair etc), but my father passed away when I was young.  So, that means when I get into something new to me, I have to find guys willing to take the time to give me guidance.  So, thanks.The reason I MUST protect the truck is, if I end up in Nebraska and all the glass is broken out of the truck, I can't get back home to Dallas.  I checked on Lexan and it is illegal to do the windshield because it yellows and scratches easliy (I've checked Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas DOT).  I have incident lighting on the roof that lights up the left and right sides of the truck plus left/right search lights and off road lights plus a rear facing light bar.  I can't just replace all that after each hail encounter considering we are in a LOT of storms every year.  I have one hail hit right now that cracked the paint in rings, so it will require body work to prevent rust.  I've chased all these years without hail protection, and it sucks.
Reply:Again, this is not me but rather chaser Scott McPartland with his Xterra.  Here is a video of what the hail was like from inside the truck, and he shows the damage afterward.  You can see what he was using for hail protection and see what DID and what DID NOT work for him on that day.  To save you guys time, I have set this link to skip directly to the part with the hail.  If you want to see the tornado, etc, you can make it play the whole video if you wish.Last edited by JeffInDFW; 01-02-2013 at 05:08 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by JeffInDFWGerry1964, what you posted is EXACTLY what I had in mind!  QUESTION:  So, nobody thinks going with heavy duty drawer slides would be a good idea?  Go with hinges for sure?  Gerry1964 has perfectly drawn up how I had planned to fold it all up.  How should I place the hinges to get the panels to fold flat when "stowed", and be able to unfold into a parallel position?  What STYLE of hinge should I use?  It must be VERY strong.Thank you again for the help, guys.
Reply:Understood.  Thanks Gerry.It is going to be a couple months before I have an update, but at least now I see WHERE I am trying to go.  I'll let you guys know how it all comes together.  If nothing else, I can give you all some good laughs!
Reply:I would go for a heavy expanded metal on a small (1x1) angle iron frame. But even that will catch a lot of wind.Also, when are you going to be deploying it? I'd hate to have to jump out into the hail storm to save a windshield because a surprise hail storm set in...IW Local 580 NY, NY
Reply:i would rhino line the body and just protect the glass.  I sitll think woven wire is the best bet,  you can get stainless woven wire its not to crazy,  but your looking at a couple grand to get this done right.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:I know the Border Patrol has such items installed as they drive along right on the border and have pieces of concrete and large rocks fired down upon them, but I cannot find a good, close up pic to see the details. I will keep looking. Several countries use SUV type vehicles with that protection installed to protect their glass/occupants as they drive thru riots.   I will be watching to see what the final plans are. Very interesting. With our economy going to "you know where", this may be the next big add-on accessory for all vehicles simply for daily driving as people try to attack you for tax money and other necessities! Good luck and good readingFrom NE TXps-one of my little Mennonite church ladies, who is a patient, went to church on a Wednesday night several years ago. We got a hail storm and one of the ham operators/storm spotters was talking you could not hear him, it was so loud.  The little church lady was in it,too.  She told me two things:1-her little truck was all beat up. But, until a later point in time, she would call it "dimples"2-She said "God takes care of drunks and fools", then looked at me after a couple of seconds and stated, "I don't drink."TxDoc's Photos Lincoln SP175 PlusLincoln Power Mig 256Lincoln 250 LX Spool Gun Lincoln Precision Tig 225 Hypertherm 600 KMG 2x72 Belt GrinderBaldor 812RE Grinder
Reply:TxDoc, she sounds like my kind of lady!  Very funny....Thanks to your heads up, I will see if I can find photos of what the border patrol has rigged for their trucks.  Great idea.When will we open the shield?  We will drive a long distance to get in position.....putter around waiting, and then right before all hell breaks loose we always stop and fill up the tank.  We would like to go ahead and deploy the hail shield then, lock it in place, and keep it there until the threat is gone, then pull over to fold it up.A few chasers (and off roaders) have gone the route of Rhino Lining the entire vehicle with good results.  Again, my problem is I have a LOT of equipment on my roof, including a LOT of expensive lights that we need when we have to stop chasing to help with search and rescue.  Weather sensors too $$$.I do agree with you guys that I am concerned about doing all I can to keep this from "catching wind".  As stated, we are already in a high profile SUV.  Now, we are adding weight to the roof, AND a sail?  Yikes.  The good news is, whatever woven metal mesh I go with can be large mesh.  Anything smaller than a golf ball can go thru.  I sincerely -think- that if the mesh is THAT large, it would no longer catch the wind?BTW, for Christmas, Santa brought me a new 14" chop saw so I can start trying to do these projects that I have no business trying (lol!).  The Evolution Rage 2.  It seemed like it would be a good beginner saw for me since I doubt I'll be cutting anywhere NEAR as much metal as YOU guys cut each year.  And you know since you have all been so kind and helpful, you are now stuck with me.  After I get this thing mapped out, I get to start playing in the garage with my new welder.  I'll be sure to post photos of the results so you guys can remember just how BADLY a newbie welds and crack up laughing!  I promise.  But, I hope in between laughs and ribbing, you guys tell me what I'm doing wrong.  Over time, maybe you all can turn me into a decent enough of a hack welder that I can build my hail shield.  Deal????Oh, and after the hail shield is done, I'm sure I will cut it apart and rebuild it again from scratch since by then I will know how to do a better job.  After that second build, I want to build a HIDDEN WINCH MOUNT!  I want to place it behind the factory bumper on the Xterra.  A guy who is a really good welder did one on the Xterra forum, and I thought that was the coolest thing EVER.  But, I don't want to buy one.  I would rather spend 3 times as much money on materials, screw it up a few times, and be able to say, "Hey, I MADE this!".Last edited by JeffInDFW; 01-03-2013 at 02:06 AM.
Reply:I was thinking about the windshield protection.  No need to have it fold up.  Check out what tree trimming trucks have.  Usually a permanent frame with mesh on top to keep the limbs off the glass and hood.My name's not Jim....