Windshield Replacement in Lockwood, MT
From the I-90 and I-94 junction to our downtown Billings bay is about 15 minutes, close enough to fix a chip on your lunch break.
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Lockwood windshield replacement and chip repair
Windshield replacement in Lockwood, MT is handled at Billings Precision Windshield, our glass shop across the river in downtown Billings: new laminated windshields in OEM or OEM-equivalent glass, rock chip and crack repair with UV-cured resin, ADAS camera calibration, rear windshields and pickup power sliders, door glass, regulators and quarter glass. Our office also deals with your insurance company on the glass claim.
Lockwood sits about 5 to 7 miles from the shop, a 10 to 15 minute drive on I-90 or across the Yellowstone on the Exxon Road side. That is short enough that chip repair works as a walk-in: come by between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm on a weekday, and most chips are filled while you wait.
Quick facts for Lockwood drivers
- 10 to 15 minutes from Lockwood to our shop
- Walk-in chip repair on weekdays, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
- New windshields in about two hours
- Camera calibration done in house, same visit
Living at the I-90 and I-94 junction
Lockwood is where Interstate 94 begins. It leaves I-90 at the east end of Billings and heads northeast toward Huntley, Ballantine and Pompeys Pillar, while I-90 carries on toward Hardin and Sheridan. That junction pulls in long-haul trucks from both directions, plus the tankers and service rigs that work the refinery and industrial yards along the river. With 7,195 residents at the 2020 census, Lockwood is the second largest community in the Billings metro and once the largest unincorporated town in Montana, and nearly all of them drive that stretch.
Truck tires pick up stones and fling them at the vehicles behind. At interstate speed, a pebble the size of a pea can leave a bullseye or star break. Windshields on Lockwood commuter cars tend to collect several small chips a year, which is why we see many of them come in for repair rather than replacement.
Construction zones and loose aggregate
The Montana Department of Transportation has been rebuilding I-90 through this corner of Billings. The I-90 Yellowstone River project widens the interstate to three lanes between the North 27th Street and Lockwood interchanges and replaces the river bridges, and the Lockwood Interchange is planned as a diverging diamond. Work zones mean milled pavement, gravel shoulders and haul trucks merging in and out, all of which add to the rock count.
Repair the chip before the commute turns it into a crack
A chip under about 1 inch across, or a crack under about 6 inches, can usually be repaired with resin if it sits outside the driver's direct line of sight. That limit comes from ROLAGS, the repair standard for laminated auto glass. Here is how we sort the damage Lockwood drivers bring in:
| Damage | What we do | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Bullseye or star chip under 1 inch | Resin repair | About 30 minutes |
| Crack under 6 inches, outside driver's view | Resin repair if it has not reached the edge | About 45 minutes |
| Crack over 6 inches or touching the edge | Windshield replacement | About two hours |
| Any damage in front of the driver | Windshield replacement | About two hours |
A fast-growing suburb full of camera-equipped vehicles
Lockwood grew by an estimated 58% between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, and new homes brought newer vehicles. Most models built in the last several years carry a forward camera behind the windshield for lane keeping, automatic emergency braking or adaptive cruise control. When we replace that windshield, the camera must be calibrated so it reads lane lines and vehicles at the right angle.
We calibrate in house with static targets in the bay or a dynamic road drive, depending on what the carmaker specifies. It typically adds $150 to $400 to the job and is done during the same visit. Our ADAS calibration page explains which systems need it and how long it takes.
Why a cracked windshield is a safety problem, not only a view problem
A windshield does structural work. In a rollover it keeps the roof from folding into the cabin, and the Auto Glass Safety Council puts its share of the cabin's structural integrity at up to 60%. In a frontal crash the passenger airbag inflates upward and uses the windshield as a backstop. A long crack, or a windshield held by a weak bond, can let the glass give way when it is needed most.
That is why the bond matters as much as the glass. Federal standard FMVSS 212 sets how well a windshield must stay in its frame in a crash, and the installation standard AGRSS describes how the urethane, primer and drive-away time should be handled. We remove the old bead down to a thin even layer, prime the glass and the pinch weld, and lay fresh urethane, then give you a drive-away time based on the adhesive and the day's temperature.
Montana law adds a practical reason. MCA 61-9-405 bars anything that materially obstructs the driver's clear view of the road, so a crack across the driver's side can draw a stop as well as a safety risk.
Work trucks and fleets along the river
Lockwood's industrial side, from Exxon Road to the yards along the Yellowstone, runs a lot of pickups and service vans. Those vehicles break glass more often than family cars: loads shift into the back glass, ladders swing into door windows, and gravel lots chip windshields every week. Each day a truck sits waiting for glass is a day a crew is short a vehicle.
We can line up several fleet vehicles back to back, confirm the glass for each one before they arrive, and handle the insurance or billing on a single account. Pickup sliders and power sliders, fixed back glass, door glass and regulators are all done in the same bay. For larger units, our shop also replaces motor home windshields.
Back glass and door glass
Side and rear windows are tempered glass, which breaks into small cubes and cannot be repaired. We vacuum the door and the cab, replace the glass and check that the regulator still lifts the window evenly. See car window replacement for door glass details.
Storm season in Lockwood
Billings-area thunderstorms run mostly from May through September and sometimes bring hail. Lockwood has its own place in local weather history: on June 16, 1965 an F3 tornado touched down nearby, still the strongest recorded in Yellowstone County. A hail-pocked windshield usually needs replacing, since dozens of small impacts are more than resin repair can address.
Hail and rock damage both fall under the comp part of most auto policies. In Billings a windshield typically costs $170 to $506, around $258 on average in 2026, so check that against your deductible. We bill the insurer directly once the claim is open.
North of the river, we also serve drivers in Shepherd along Highway 312.
Glass work we do for Lockwood
Rock Chip Repair
The most common Lockwood job. Resin fills the break under vacuum, UV light cures it, and the chip stops spreading. Usually 30 minutes, walk-in.
Windshield Crack Repair
Short cracks under about 6 inches that have not reached the edge of the glass can often be stabilized with resin instead of a new windshield.
Windshield Replacement
OEM or OEM-equivalent glass, new urethane and molding, rain sensor and mirror moved over. About two hours, with drive-away timing given at pickup.
Windshield Calibration
Forward camera aimed again after the glass is replaced, using the carmaker's static or dynamic procedure and a scan tool.
Rear Windshield Replacement
Tempered back glass for sedans, SUVs and pickups, with the defroster grid and any antenna leads reconnected.
Side Window Replacement
Broken door glass cleaned out of the door panel and replaced, plus window regulator and motor repairs when the glass will not move.
FAQ
Lockwood windshield FAQ
Do I need an appointment for chip repair?
No. Chip repair is a walk-in service at our downtown Billings shop on weekdays from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. From Lockwood it is a 10 to 15 minute drive, and most single chips are filled and cured in about 30 minutes while you wait.
How many chips can be repaired on one windshield?
Usually up to three chips in one visit, as long as each is under about 1 inch and outside the driver's direct view. Past that, the repairs start to affect clarity and a new windshield is the better choice. We look at the glass and tell you before any work starts.
Does hail damage mean a new windshield?
In most cases, yes. Hail leaves many small impacts spread across the glass, and resin repair is meant for one to three breaks. Hail damage is normally covered by the comp part of an auto policy, and we can bill your insurer directly.
Can you do work trucks from Lockwood businesses?
Yes. We replace windshields, back glass and door glass on work pickups and fleet vehicles, and we can schedule several trucks back to back so a crew is not off the road all day. Call the shop to line up the dates.
Does my car need calibration after a new windshield?
If it has a camera behind the windshield for lane keeping or emergency braking, yes. Carmakers require the camera to be recalibrated after a windshield replacement. We do it in house during the same visit, typically for $150 to $400.
