Help!! Windshield Woes

[mung]

Wouldn't wax be a little sticky? 

Now as far as Gojo, the petroleum in it wouldn't be my issue (most rubber is petroleum based), my issue would be the grit in there which I think is pumice. 

[chessie4905]

   Just get the type without pumice

[Gordie Allen]

I put mine in three times before I got it right. Suction handles help a lot.

[luvrbus]

Wax doesn't get sticky here 109 today don't use Bee's wax I just read a GM manual on installing windshields in transit buses it says use wax

[mung]

The manual says paraffin, so provided it is a paraffin based wax that would be good.  The interesting thing is that paraffin is petroleum based so that kind of debunks the petroleum debate huh?

[luvrbus]

At the price of honey you probably would need to take out a loan to buy bee's wax

[eagle19952]

The manual says paraffin, so provided it is a paraffin based wax that would be good.  The interesting thing is that paraffin is petroleum based so that kind of debunks the petroleum debate huh?

do you have plastic spoons like in the video ?
if so you can use them to put between the glass and rubber and work the channel to stretch it back into shape. do not use metal....
is the lock strip the same as the old one ? then you can take your lock strip install tool and work it repeatedly in the groove that will relax and position the rubber too...often the strip "looks" to big but really it is not...if the tool fits the strip will.
good luck.

i prefer this tool..




ps paraffin is made from foreign oil....it's not the same as what the book calls for....
pss that's some sarcasm....

[mung]

I have actually been using bondo spreaders for the lip and would probably use them to expand the channel a bit too.  That spline tool does look better than the one I have. 

[eagle19952]

this tools is also in my arsenal..with and without a handle..

[mung]

Nice!

[eagle19952]

i have a couple of these.. the ones that have the business end parallel to the shank don't work well ... for me... sorry about the giant picture...i am not sure you can buy some of these tools anymore...the chisels, yes the others all i can find are pictures.. this one used to be made by KD..cheap but a goodun...

[John316]

We had very similar problems putting our first windshield in. Then it got to the point, we were putting others in for them, since it was so easy

One note. Do NOT touch the windshield with anything metal. We worked for probably 3 hours, with four guys, getting our first windshield in. Then it cracked. Turns out we were using 8in steel mudding trowels to try to spread the gasket. That chipped it, and it cracked.

We went to Harbor Freight and bought a bunch of plastic tools. Plastic chisels, plastic screwdrivers, plastic prybars, you name it. For less then $40, we were totally outfitted. When we got just the right placement technique down, we were pros (even replaced the windshield on a reality star's bus, that we are friends with).

So take your time. Get lots of plastic tools. Use lots of straight dish soap, and be slow and careful. You will get it.

[mung]

I will hit HF tomorrow and grab some more plastic tools.

[luvrbus]

Bonded windows and windshields the best invention since sliced bread

[Oonrahnjay]

Ooon gives good advice, it is a tough job even with the correct tool. The strip is easy to stretch and then it slowly shrinks leaving a gap. So try not to stretch it and make the strip an inch or so too long, then wait a day or two to let it adjust before making the last cut.

Install the bottom strip first since the weight of the glass is on it - the top is easier

Use lots of dishwashing detergent since it is the mildest. Gojo is a grease solvent, not good for rubber.  

    There are a number of little tricks ... cut the gasket so that you have to push it into place and there's pressure from the two ends butting into the gap.  Remember, if you don't get it 100% into the corners, the pressure of the glass will push the gasket into the corners -- if the ends are cut too short, the gap will be pulled apart and widen.   Some people think that the gap should be be upper center of the glass (thinking that rain etc. will run away from the gap), others think that it should be on the side at about 2:00 position.  I don't think it matters much as long as there's pressure by the two ends butting together when all the gasket is forced into place by the glass.  And the gap in the lace should be 180º from the gap in the gasket.
    Another thing, as you're putting the lace in, push it in with your fingers; the process of using the tool will pull it and that tension will draw it up and shorten it if you don't push it in as you go.  Gus is right about leaving a bit of the lace sticking out for a day or two.  Even if you pushed them in as you've gone along, you'll be surprised at how much they draw up.  It's worth it to try to lessen that tension as much as possible.
    And Clifford is right about lube.  At Land Rover, we rarely used this kind of installation on anything but the little "eyebrow" windows over the side windows and small side fixed windows.  Since they were small (and the guys did it all day and could just zip through them), dish soap would stay liquid long enough to work for us but i can see that a large job -- like a windshield -- it might not.  But beware, some lubes will attack and rot rubber so whatever you use, be sure that it's compatible with rubber compounds.   And yeah, the right plastic tools are necessary.  The "Hi-Teck" metal tool that Eagle shows in the photo is what we used on the production line, push the lace into the diamond-shaped gap as you pull the tool towards you.