Alan,
Words sometimes fail - I hope I understand your questions and can describe what works for me.
"You use one piece with the ends hanging out at the bottom ... is that right?"One-piece of string? Yes, cross-over at the bottom and hanging out the bottom on the inside (interior side) of the seal (that's the way that I have always done and the way I've seen pros do it - also, look at the Steele instructions).
"PS: Are you saying that the 3M sealant goes in the sides (channels) only?
What about the top and bottom?"The way I do it: sealant goes all the way around the outer channel (rabbet) of the rubber seal (
step 8 in the Shop Manual ). I put the sealant in the outer rabbet/groove of the rubber seal (even though the Manual says to put it "along the the outside rabbet pinchweld"). I tried putting the sealant on the pinchweld a couple of times - it was messy and most of the sealant got displaced when trying to get the rubber seal around the metal pinchweld.
Larry's (Laroke's) advice might be better than mine - have you read his writeup?
I do not know what you mean by "top and bottom"
Aside:
Here are the Steele Rubber Installation Instructions. They show glass and rubber orientations that do not match the 54 windshield.
Steele Rubber Instructions with no trim insert Steele Rubber Instructions with a trim insert Look at their Type002.pdf - it shows the glass outside and against the side of the pinchweld. On all the 54 windshields that I have removed and installed, the glass must fit within the perimeter of the pinchweld. Look at the drawing: the 54 windshield fits above/inside the pinchweld - the pinchweld should point right up, towards the glass edge (that is why it is sometimes quite difficult to get the stainless trim/molding in that tight fit)
Maybe Steele's instructions are better suited for the 47-53 flat-glass installation?
