Window removal and installation
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| + | == Tools needed == | ||
| + | For non-moving windows and windshields that are sealed in with butyl tape, you will need: | ||
| + | *"Bat wing tool" K-D #2038 moulding removal tool | ||
| + | *Window wire, piano wire, or guitar strings (this is available as a kit with tools) | ||
| + | *A good set of needle nose pliers and side cutters | ||
| + | *Possibly a pneumatic window tool | ||
| + | *Suction cups | ||
| + | *Pipe knife(basically a pipe that is smashed at one end to hold a blades for utility knife) | ||
| + | *liquid glass cleaner | ||
| + | *Extractor(very expensive, but pretty much the one tool for any glass) | ||
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| + | == Safety == | ||
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| + | == Basic removal techniques == | ||
| + | ===Windshield=== | ||
| + | ====Rubber seal type==== | ||
| + | On some older cars and even some trucks, it's really not hard to remove a front or back windshield. Many people suggest using a knife and just cutting the old seal which holds the glass. This runs the risk of the user getting cut when the knife slips. | ||
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| + | Say you want to remove the front windshield of your 1950's car. Get inside the vehicle and start at the top. Use a flat blade screw driver starting in the middle and working towards one side of the car. Push the old rubber seal over the pinchweld. Once you get to the side of the car, start again at the top in the middle working the rubber over the pinchweld to the opposite side of the car. | ||
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| + | After you've worked to both sides of the car, the windshield can then be pushed free of the body. Just don't push TOO hard or you may find the glass laying on the ground in pieces? | ||
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| + | Now the windshield will be out of the car. You didn't cut your hand with a knife, and this method really doesn't take any longer then using a knife to cut the old seal. | ||
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| + | PS. This removal method can also be used to remove a back (rear) windshield. | ||
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| + | ====Factory glued-in glass==== | ||
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| + | Materials: | ||
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| + | #Windshield wire (best choice) | ||
| + | #Stainless MIG wire (second best choice) | ||
| + | #Mild steel MIG wire (third best choice) | ||
| + | #Handles made from pipe/conduit. | ||
| + | #SHARP utility knife. | ||
| + | #Needlenose pliers (with cutter preferable) | ||
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| + | To start, cut off a length of wire about 3-4 times as long as your window is vertically, measuring from bottom to top of glass. Remove any interior trim if possible, to make things easier. | ||
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| + | Also, take the time to remove the wiper blades/arms and any plastic side trim or cowl fillers, so you can get to the bottom/sides of the glass edge. We will start at the bottom. | ||
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| + | Wrap one end of your wire twice around one handle, with 8-9" of wire hanging off the middle of the handle. Wrap this TIGHTLY around the long side of the wire, do not twist together. We will be pulling and do not want kinks or twists in the area between the handles and the glass, as this makes the wire weaker by work-hardening. Think of the little springs on a factory brake line and wrap the free end so it looks like that. | ||
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| + | Now, take the needle-nose pliers, and, starting at the bottom center of the glass edge, push the wire straight up into the urethane so it follows the inside edge of the glass towards the top. The wire should push fairly easily straight in, as if it was a needle. Once you carefully have pushed enough in to grab it with the pliers from the inside, pull about 4 feet or so into the car. Be sure it does not kink, a kink is a weak spot for pulling. | ||
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| + | From inside, feed it through the urethane along the glass at the top until it just touches the edge of the window recess. Again, like a needle would follow the inside edge of the glass. Now go outside, find the end, using the sharp knife to trim the urethane if necessary, and pull it out slowly until the wire is flat against the inside of the glass, without kinking it. If necessary feed more through until you have the bottom handle about 3 feet from the base of the glass, then with about the same amount of wire from the top of the glass, attach the second handle by wrapping it 2-3 times with wire, and twisting the loose end around the wire leading to the glass, as mentioned above. | ||
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| + | Hold the handles from a position along either side of the car, with the wire following the glass edge to the side. The closer the wire follows the glass recess the better. Alternately pull slowly but firmly, first one handle, then the other. You will see the wire cutting through the urethane as it is pulled, the vertical part of the wire will come towards you. Keep the part sticking out of the urethane following the glass channel to the side, do not pull at an angle or raise up away from the channel. | ||
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| + | As you get to the side turn the handles so you are pulling up along the pillar with the bottom wire, and down along the pillar with the top wire. GO SLOW! Going fast will heat the wire and make it want to work-harden and break. Once you finish cutting through one whole side you can carefully lift the side of the glass and slip your wire back under the edge of the glass to finish cutting the other side. Be careful it does not kink when doing this, a kink in the wire will break under tension. Many times if done carefully even the rearview mirror can remain in place, and the wire fed around it. | ||
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| + | Once the second side is cut through just stand the glass up vertically, and lift it off the car. | ||
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| + | If you are reusing the glass carefully trim any excess urethane from the edge of the glass. A thin layer is OK, but chunks along the glass edge or where the inside sits in the channel should be removed. | ||
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| + | Trim out the excess urethane in the channel the same way, so just a thim layer remains, and no big chunks. Some ppl like to leave the majority in place, I trim as much of the old out as I can and add new urethane, so I can be SURE it will seal all the way around. Any bare metal spots in the channel should be primed/painted of course, and rust removed as much as possible. If the channel has rot in it then the bad metal should be cut out and a new piece made up and welded in it's place. Pull the headliner before welding, and keep an extinguisher handy. | ||
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| + | ===Side window=== | ||
| + | On some vehicles the side windshield is bolted or clipped to the track assembly. On other vehicles there are rivets holding it in place. In either case one must either remove bolts or clips or carefully drill out the rivets in order to remove a side window. Then quite often the track assembly has an upper limiter which must be removed to allow removal of the side window | ||
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| + | == What to do after removal == | ||
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| + | After removal, the windshield and side windows should be stored in a safe place where they will not be damaged. If there is glue present on the windsheild you may want to spend some time cleaning it off so it does not have to be done right before installation. | ||
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| + | == Installing the new window == | ||
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| + | '''Windshield: Rubber seal type''' | ||
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| + | You will need: | ||
| + | * A strong thin rope about about 15 feet long | ||
| + | * A helper | ||
| + | * A slippery substance like dish soap, but preferably KY jelly type lubricant which is water soluble and doesn't leave a sudsy mess when washed off. | ||
| + | * A rag | ||
| + | * Water | ||
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| + | # If the rubber seal has an insert strip, install it first. | ||
| + | # Fit the seal around the windshield. | ||
| + | # Wrap the rope tightly all the way around the groove of the rubber seal, making sure the rope ends overlap. Let the ends hang on the inside part of the windshield. | ||
| + | # Apply lubricant to inside part of the seal which will contact the window opening on the vehicle. Applying lubricant to the opening will help too. | ||
| + | # Place the windshield on the opening of the vehicle. | ||
| + | # Go inside the vehicle. You will be pulling on the rope. Before you pull, have the helper apply mild pressure to the area were you will be pulling on the rope. | ||
| + | # Pull the rope toward the center of the windsheild. The seal should start slipping over the ledge and hug it. The helper should be applying mild pressure just ahead of you. | ||
| + | # Go all the way around until you've pulled out the entire length of the rope. | ||
| + | # Wipe off lubricant with a dry rag, wash off the remainder with a wet rag. | ||
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| + | *Do not store lubricant in your tool box. Your friends will not believe you when you explain what it's for. | ||
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| + | == Installing flush mounted glass == | ||
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| + | You can install windshield glass in most any car that had a windshield frame or rubber molding using the S-10 filler strip and an adhesive as long as the pinch weld is behind the glass. Some prefer to use urethane or silicone instead of butyl tape due to the irregularities in the flange or pinchweld that backs up the windshield. | ||
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| + | The basic procedure is to get your pinchweld all cleaned up and any voids filled. If there were slots or notches for hinges etc they need to be filled. Obviously rust and loose paint needs to be removed. A coat of epoxy primer is a good idea. | ||
| + | Have your glass cut so that you have about 1/4 gap between the edge of the glass and the windshield opening. No more than 17/64" and no less than 15/64" gap all around. Always trial fit the filler strip before you do the install to make sure it isn't too tight or loose. Too tight and the glass may crack or pop out during installation and too loose and you will have gaps. | ||
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| + | You can paint a uniform band around the edge of the glass with Dow betaprime 5500 pinchweld primer. This material will create a dark band around the edge of the glass similar to the baked on ceramic frit you see on most all of the newer cars. Mask off 1/2"to 3/4" uniformly around the edge so the glue line will look good from the outside. Mask off inside of the frit line so as to have a nice line to cut the setting adhesive to. Tape off the entire inside of the glass to protect it from scratching and excess glue. | ||
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| + | Position the glass so that it is flush with the body using at least 6 rubber setting blocks 1 in each corner and 2 in the middle.. You want the glass to sit evenly on these blocks .You can maintain your 1/4" gap with some scraps of filler strip or wooden spacers, removing them as you install the strip. | ||
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| + | Once the windshield is positioned, Optional step: You can dry fit the filler strip.. You can make a butt joint in the middle of the strip at the bottom of the window. Try to not mitre corners unless you absolutly have to because it is very hard to keep the edges down. The strip can be notched on the inside of a corner to make a tighter bend. Practice making corners on a scrap to see how it works. Once the strip has been dry fit you can install it permenantly. When you install the filler strip use super weather strip adhesive on at least one side of the strip. Glue the ends with super glue. Once the filler strip is installed backfill the space behind the windshield with urethane adhesive, tool it so it looks nice and has no voids. You should have at least 3 full size tubes of adhesive ready for your install. Let it cure and you are done. | ||
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| + | That is a fairly simple set of instructions, there may be other things that need to be considered such as what to do about your dash and header panel, etc. Is the windshield 2 pieces? this may require a center seam. | ||
| + | Most of the better glass shops will be able to get you the required supplies and may give you some better specific instructions for your particular application. | ||
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| + | ==Tips and Tricks== | ||
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