Replacing a g body windshield

[Longroof79]

Jack, you can almost smell the stale piss, right? I removed the windshield from my Malibu wagon and saved it because it was perfect. I bought that oscillating tool from HF just for that job, figured the $20 cost was worth the glass. It cut the old sealer away nicely and quickly and won't hurt the glass if you hit it, then I went around it with piano wire, to get any stuff I missed, and that frees it up cleanly. I like to use the rolled up ribbon to set the glass on (is that butyl?) and then I smear LIFECAULK around all the edges for a permanent seal. I NEVER get a leak after all that.

Mark,
Hahaha...yeah, looking at the subway takes me back to the sights and sounds. As you said, stale piss, popcorn, pretzels, street musicians, etc.. I remember you recommended the oscillating tool to cut the adhesive. I just ended up cutting it with a utility knife and retractable blade and one of those cable devices. It took longer than it usually would. It was already cracked from hitting one corner with a die grinder. Man was i pissed. Especially that the windshield was only 6-7 yrs old.
Yes, the ribbon, or tape is butyl. It's very sticky and once it's put down it sticks.
I put in a windshield that way before using the butyl tape and urethane caulk around the perimeter of the glass.
Do you remember what size tape you used?

 

[Longroof79]

I used one of these to get the windshield out and it worked pretty well. I slid it between the window and ledge from the inside and cut the adhesive. It came out without breaking cause I wasn't using it again...

Steve,
You used to be able to find those linoleum knives locally, but not so much anymore. Probably in your mom and pop hardware stores.
I think I learned alittle more from the last experience. What to do and not to do. :?

 

[Longroof79]

I use one of these and my cordless sawzall cuts right through the urethane. No muss no fuss, No broken glass. 8)

Paul,
I've seen similar tool/ blades in one of the auto glass tool sites where you install a cutting blade to an oscillating tool...or sawz-all. I'm sure it must make short work out of removing a windshield.
Fortunately, all the glass that I need to remove is out. It's now a matter of painting the car and reinstalling the glass.

 

[Blake442]

Use urethane... That's how the factory installed them.

 

[lsx80monte]

Use urethane... That's how the factory installed them.

2X... butyle tape is for older cars. By the time our cars were built the factory was using uethane. I saw a report a few yrs back about how it can be dangerous to use butyle tape on cars that were designed with urethane holding the windshield. Supposedly, vehicles that came from the factory with urethane were designed so that the windshield is actually structurally important in the event of accident. I thought to myself, " really ?... the windshield?....glass?"... then I said, " who am I to argue that with automotive engineers."

 

[1LOW95GMC]

if a shop is going to replace it for you, and they see any rust at all around the window frame they will not replace it.

 

[lsx80monte]

if a shop is going to replace it for you, and they see any rust at all around the window frame they will not replace it.

true that, I lucked out cause i only had some light surface rust and they let it slide.

 

[tc1959]

I use one of these and my cordless sawzall cuts right through the urethane. No muss no fuss, No broken glass. 8)

Paul,
I've seen similar tool/ blades in one of the auto glass tool sites where you install a cutting blade to an oscillating tool...or sawzall. I'm sure it must make short work out of removing a windshield.
Fortunately, all the glass that I need to remove is out. It's now a matter of painting the car and reinstalling the glass.

That's what I wound up doing also, I removed all the glass to paint the car and replace the quarter window weather strips. After the car was painted I had a Auto glass Pro come and reinstall everything and supply a new windshield.
He used the proper 3M window weld urethane and primer on all the glass, He was happy because when I prepped the car for paint all the surfaces where clean with no rust or old sealer to cause any problems. He charged me $230 for installing all the glass and supplying the new windshield. It was well worth it. The car is tight and the glass looks fantastic, Like she is brand new again.

 

[Longroof79]

I use one of these and my cordless sawzall cuts right through the urethane. No muss no fuss, No broken glass. 8)

Paul,
I've seen similar tool/ blades in one of the auto glass tool sites where you install a cutting blade to an oscillating tool...or sawzall. I'm sure it must make short work out of removing a windshield.
Fortunately, all the glass that I need to remove is out. It's now a matter of painting the car and reinstalling the glass.

That's what I wound up doing also, I removed all the glass to paint the car and replace the quarter window weather strips. After the car was painted I had a Auto glass Pro come and reinstall everything and supply a new windshield.
He used the proper 3M window weld urethane and primer on all the glass, He was happy because when I prepped the car for paint all the surfaces where clean with no rust or old sealer to cause any problems. He charged me $230 for installing all the glass and supplying the new windshield. It was well worth it. The car is tight and the glass looks fantastic, Like she is brand new again.

Paul,
That's a good price for windshield and glass installed. I might consider doing it that way. This way they have all the necessary equipment, primer, urethane, etc. I'll shop around when I'm ready.
I think it would be a piece o' cake for an installer with everything painted, cleaned and ready to go.

 

[80ELCAMINOFLAKE]

I say the pro's, i just got my new windshield on monday from "danny's auto glass" all of the prep they do to just drop the windshield in looks like alot...it was free moble service and he charged me $100.00 total...cant beat that....know i got a nice clear windshield...let the pro's do it i say.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/pt ... 14738.html