The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Keeping the Weather Out

Well, it's cold and rainy in Northern California, and the problems I ignored last summer need solving. The driver's side window on my wife's '50 3100 (no vent wing) vibrates down an inch or two when we drive it. I've tried tightening everything I can find inside the panels, but the lever is real stiff and the window still slips down. Any suggestions? Also, the left side of the windshield leaks, dripping over the dash and down onto the floor at the parking brake. I keep a little bucket there when it's parked, but it's time to do a grown-up fix. What's the procedure?

Sounds like the side window needs some attention paid in a couple of areas. Most likely problem is that the window channels are shot. Should be a snug fit all around the perimeter of the window frame (a 50 should have a metal frame all the way around the glass that contacts the channel). Next place to look is at the regulator (easier said than done - easy to tell when it is shot as the crank has lots of backlash). My bet is on the channel . . . these are not that tough to replace.

As far as the windshield is concerned, if the window rubber is cracked - easiest fix is to pump crack full of sealant. You can buy windshield sealer in a caulking tube. Take the inner frame/garnish off to relieve the pressure and pull rubber away from glass and squirt away around the area of the leak. Do the same between the rubber and the truck body. Wipe down with a rag with a moderate solvent (I have used ATF to clean up followed by soap and water) Having put glass into lots of AD pickups for friends - biggest leaks I have found come from no sealant used between metal and rubber on the top and the water following all the way around and then showing up in the lower window corners.

You shouldn't need to use sealant with brand new rubber, right?

Well, since I have never not used sealant, I don't know if I am the best guy to ask. I can say I have never had any leakers and many of the guys I have helped fix leakers didn't use sealant . . . "with new rubber"

Also the way to apply sealer is to use a small squirt can made for specifically for applying automotive sealer. Looks like a small trigger pump oiler can only the spout has a flat / slotted outlet. Hard to explain, I'll see if I can get a picture of one and link to it.

Look at item "Q" . . . you apply the sealer (buy the flowable stuff) AFTER the windshield is installed.

Ken

Shop mans say to use sealer in rubber on glass side and metal side of strip. Even the new cars that still have/had rubbers get the sealer in them and they have to wipe down with solvent to get mess off when done installing.

On old rubber, it may have big cracks like mine and seperate and allow water in that way. That's where the metal edge gets rusty and needs repair quite often on these old trucks. I used black silicone on mine for now, squeezed it right into crack to push it thru to inside, then did more on inside. Old rubber won't give, it will just break off in big pcs, I don't reccommend messing with it much unless you want to replace whole thing.

The glass shop boys used black silicone sealant when I had new glass and rubber installed. I wish I had removed the old glass myself so I could have cleaned up any rust and painted the sealing surface before installation of the new glass.

Ken and other Sharks: Thanks for the suggestions. The windshield rubber is relatively new (1994), but I haven't checked yet to see if there's any sealant. Could be the guy I bought the truck from neglected to use it or it's broken down. I have a new window channel in the box of parts that came with the truck, so it seems like he planned to install it to correct the problem.