Windshield instalation

Your call. Once you have seen the process done it is quite easy. The concern is the risk in breaking the glass, leading to a big bucks problem. If concerned, best to pay a professional and let them take the risk. Just make sure you tell them the cost of a replacement if they mess up.

Use soapy water on the rubber gasket. Get some 3/16 or 3/8 nylon rope. Place the rope into the groove where the steel lip of the car's windshield frame fits. Set the window on the car and align as best as possible. From the inside, slowly pull the rope starting at one end and working around. This will pull and move the gasket so it seats with the steel frame. Keep moving around the window working the gasket to assure a tight fit. Once the rope is pulled free, work the outside rim by gently pounding the edge to make sure it is well seated. Look all around the seal both inside and out to make sure the rubber is properly aligned.

Best to see this done once before attempting on your own. This process is nothing special and common on all cars before the glue in style windshields so most shops can handle this install.

I agree with Roverltd, a professional glass shop probably won't charge more than $50.00 or so, my opinion is it ain't worth the risk.

Gary#06984

You will also want to use "Windshield Sealant".

Not just any silicone sealer. I bought a couple of tubes from a glass shop (about $5 each). TotalSeal "Shat-R-Proof" SRP180HV.

Note that the stock windshield is a little "small" for the stock opening. Sealer
will help fill the voids. (Lower corners).

Good Advice: Pay the shop to install.

Chuck

Can you reuse the rubber molding?

Thanks.

Generally you can reuse the rubber gasket as long as it is still pliable. I would be reluctant to reuse 30 year old rubber.

quote:

Can you reuse the rubber molding?

Certainly. Unless you have extra $$$ just lying around to cover the cost for a replacement ;-) Just make sure there are no tears or issues from the removal process. If it is original, dried out and cracking, spring for the replacement. Probably should clean it up as much as you can, too.

Larry

I reused mine with no problem. I put the windshield in, and was nervous about doing it. Local glass shops here said they would give it the old college try, but tough if they break it. So I figured that if some one was to break it, it would be me. I had the first two windshield arrive at my house broken, so that only made things tougher. So I took the old windshield out and then put it back in as "dry run". They don't weigh much so when I put it back in, I had my wife spot me. No problems, just use the windshield caulk, and take your time. The trim must be put in with the gasket.

Has anyone ever seen a replacement "factory spec"(Saint Gobian)windshield that was too big? A friend has one that won't push all of the way down flush because the windshield is about 1/16" bigger than stock all the way around.
Has anyone ever heard of grinding down or cutting a windshield?

Grinding, perhaps, cutting would be hard for such a little area. I cannot remember if this is the new safety glass that is laminated, I would expect it must be to met DOT standards at the time. This creates more of a problem, with two panes of glass sandwiched together.

What if you enlarged the metal lip instead of cutting the glass?