Windshield Replacement in Huntley, MT
From I-94 exit 6 to our downtown Billings shop is about 20 minutes, and most Huntley windshields are replaced in about two hours.
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Windshield replacement for Huntley and the Huntley Project
Windshield replacement in Huntley, MT starts with a call to Billings Precision Windshield: we replace cracked windshields with OEM or OEM-equivalent laminated glass, repair chips and short cracks with UV-cured resin, calibrate ADAS cameras, and replace rear windshields, power sliders, door glass and regulators. Farm equipment cab glass, motor home windshields and insurance claim paperwork are part of the same shop.
Huntley is about 15 miles from our downtown shop. Most drivers take I-94 from exit 6 and join I-90 at Lockwood, a trip of around 20 minutes; Highway 312 on the north side of the river works too. We are open Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, and a call ahead lets us have the glass waiting.
Huntley drivers, at a glance
- About 20 minutes via I-94 exit 6
- Glass confirmed in stock before you drive in
- Farm cab glass and pickup sliders
- Insurance claims billed directly
Beet harvest season on the Huntley Project
The Huntley Project is one of the oldest federal irrigation projects in the West. The Bureau of Reclamation authorized it in April 1905 and began delivering water in 1907 to Huntley, Worden, Ballantine and Pompeys Pillar. More than a century later, sugar beets and alfalfa are still the main cash crops, along with silage for local cattle.
For windshields, that means fall. When the beet harvest starts, loaded trucks run between fields and receiving stations on Highway 312 and the county roads, shedding dirt clods and rocks with every bump. A Huntley pickup that follows a beet truck for a few miles can pick up two or three chips before it reaches the interstate. Fill them while they are small: a chip under about 1 inch is usually a resin repair that costs far less than new glass.
Tractor, combine and pickup glass
Irrigated farms run on equipment, and cab glass breaks. A door pane cracked by a swinging gate, a rear window hit by a rock off the mower, a side panel shattered in the shop: we replace cab glass on tractors, combines, swathers and other farm machines. Bring the old piece or the machine's make and model so we can match size, curve and glass type.
Farm pickups break their back glass more than most vehicles, from loads shifting in the bed to stones off trailer tires. We replace fixed rear glass, sliders and power sliders, and test the defroster grid and slider motor before the truck goes home. More detail is on our back glass replacement page.
I-94 miles and what they do to glass
Interstate 94 starts at I-90 in Lockwood and heads northeast through Huntley toward Miles City and Bismarck, so Huntley commuters share it with freight trucks running between Montana and the Dakotas. In winter, the Montana Department of Transportation spreads traction sand made of crushed local gravel, and that grit stays on the road long after the storm.
How we decide between repair and replacement for the damage I-94 leaves behind:
| What you see | Repair or replace | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One to three chips under 1 inch | Repair | Resin restores strength and stops spreading |
| A crack under 6 inches away from the edge | Usually repair | Within the ROLAGS repair limit |
| A crack that reaches the edge of the glass | Replace | Edge cracks keep running |
| Damage in the driver's direct view | Replace | Repairs can leave slight distortion |
A new windshield matters for more than visibility. The Auto Glass Safety Council puts the windshield's share of cabin strength in a rollover at up to 60%, and the passenger airbag deploys against it.
A river town that moved, and the roads it left behind
Huntley has been a crossing point for a long time. The first steamboat, the Josephine, reached it in June 1875, and the Northern Pacific arrived in 1882. The Yellowstone flood of 1937 hit Huntley harder than any other community in the region, destroying much of the original town and washing away the suspension bridge that carried Highway 312 across the river. The town rebuilt on higher ground on the south bank.
Today about 442 people live in Huntley (2020 census), but traffic through it is far larger: I-94 on one side, Highway 312 on the other, and the county roads of the Project between them. Many of those roads are gravel or freshly chip sealed, and the dry, cold semi-arid climate keeps the dust and grit loose most of the year. For drivers here, a windshield takes more hits per mile than it does on city streets.
One caution on hardware store chip kits: their resin often seals the top of the break without filling it, and a chip sealed that way cannot be properly repaired later. A shop repair under vacuum fills the whole break, so it is worth the 20-minute drive.
Motor homes on the way to Pompeys Pillar
East of Huntley, Pompeys Pillar National Monument draws summer visitors to the 150-foot sandstone rock where William Clark carved his name on July 25, 1806. Many arrive in motor homes and travel trailers coming off I-94. A rock strike on a one-piece motor home windshield is a different job from a car: the glass is large and heavy, often needs ordering by chassis and coach model, and is set with either a rubber gasket or urethane depending on the coach.
Our shop is one of the few in the region that work on motor home glass, so Huntley residents with RVs, and travelers stopping in the area, can get the coach back on the road without a long detour. Details on sizes, ordering and timing are on our RV windshield replacement page.
Road work coming to Highway 312
The Montana Department of Transportation plans to replace the deteriorating Twelve Mile Creek bridge on Old Highway 312 near Huntley and improve the road around it. Phase 1, expected in 2027, covers resurfacing, a two-way left turn lane, wider shoulders, new culverts and a seal and cover treatment from the bridge to the Shepherd Road intersection. Expect loose aggregate during and after the work, and plan on a few extra chips.
When the time comes for new glass, newer vehicles also need their forward camera recalibrated, which we do in house for typically $150 to $400. Heading west instead of east? We also serve drivers in Park City, on the far side of Laurel.
Glass services for the Huntley Project
Farm Equipment Glass
Tractor, combine and swather cab glass matched from the old pane or the model number and fitted in our shop.
Windshield Chip Repair
Beet-season and I-94 chips filled with resin and UV cured, usually in about 30 minutes for a single chip.
Power Sliding Rear Window
Pickup power sliders and fixed back glass replaced, with the defroster and motor tested before you go.
Windshield Replacement
Laminated OEM or OEM-equivalent glass set in fresh urethane, with molding, mirror and rain sensor moved over.
ADAS Calibration
Lane and braking cameras calibrated after the windshield is replaced, by static targets or a road drive.
RV Windshield Replacement
Motor home windshields sourced by chassis and model for campers visiting Pompeys Pillar and the Yellowstone Valley.
FAQ
Huntley windshield FAQ
What is the best way to get to your shop from Huntley?
Most Huntley drivers take I-94 west from exit 6, join I-90 at Lockwood and come into downtown Billings, about 15 miles and 20 minutes. Highway 312 through Shepherd and the Heights also works. All work is done in our shop, so call ahead and we will have the glass ready.
Can you replace glass on my tractor or combine?
Yes. We replace cab glass on tractors, combines, swathers and other farm equipment. Bring the broken pane or the make and model of the machine, and we will match the size, shape and glass type. Flat panes can often be cut quickly; curved ones may need to be ordered.
Should I wait until after harvest to fix a chip?
It is better not to. Every cold night and every bump on a gravel road can turn a chip into a crack, and a crack past about 6 inches means a new windshield. A single chip repair takes about 30 minutes and is often covered by insurance with no deductible.
Does insurance cover a windshield in Huntley?
If you carry comp coverage, rock and hail damage is usually covered after your deductible. A Billings-area windshield typically costs $170 to $506 in 2026, averaging about $258. We confirm the coverage with your insurer and bill them directly.
Will my pickup need camera calibration?
If your pickup has a camera behind the windshield for lane keeping, emergency braking or adaptive cruise control, yes. The carmaker requires recalibration after a new windshield. We do it in house during the same visit.
