The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop need help on tips for glass installation

I received email from a guy that needs to know this.

I just bought new glass for my 1950 GMC 1 ton yesterday and I'm not sure how to put the glass and rubber seal in the back window. Are there any good tricks that you know of? Should I put the rubber in first then the window or should I put the rubber around the glass fist?


he is also a new member but having a little trouble with the post, I may have this in the wrong section, I suspose it could go in the general truck.. anyhow I hope someone can give the new guy a hand............

thanks

I can't help you, but I'll be looking for the answer, too. I tried to put the rubber around my rear window ('48), but there's no way it'll stay on. I bought it a long time ago, and maybe being cioled up for ten years has ruined it....

Same thing with the corner glass.

Joker,

If you search this forum using "rear window glass" you will come up with a plethora of information.

The rubber is attached to the glass, seam down and centered. A rope cord is inserted in the rubber outside channel and wrapped around window.

The window bottom is laid into the hole, bottom first, from the outside of the truck. The helper pushes and prods while the inside man slowly pulls the cord out of the channel. This procedure pulls the inner lip into the cab.

All this activity is accompanied with a spray bottle full of soapy water...a must.

There is a locking strip that goes into a small channel on the outside of the rubber when all is done. Will your friend find this forum!

Stuart

thanks Stuart, that helps me to on my 41. That is the way I had found some time ago, but I'm getting ready to try it. Do we use any silicone with the rubber in the channel between rubber and window, or is the seal enough by itself?

Tomcoe,

I am not an expert, but I have heard folks do it "dry"..without goo! If the rubber fails to seal 100%, you can have a auto glass shop run a bead around the outside by pulling back the flange.

Stuart

The back glass and corner windows I installed
the seals first, then put a little dish soap in
the rubber, seated it in the bottom of the seal first..then using a tapered fiber glass tool, picked
the flap up making it a simple job...The corner glass was somewhat more difficult, but no more than
10 minutes per side...The windshield halves, I used
nylon rope on....and still used soap too. BB

im with Bill B. warm rubber and LOTS of soapy water.

I am in the process of putting my glass in now! The first time I did it myself, which took great amounts of patience, cut fingers, and lots of swear words, plus I broke one door window. This time I found a 70 year old glass expert who will do them for $30 a piece of glass. I watched him do the corner window last week. Gasket in the window first. He kept pushing the corners for 5 minutes to as he put it, seat it. Glass was inserted into the bottom of the opening. He then pulled out his "bone" tipped tool that he used to lift the rubber all around the window. Not one slip or scratch. I said I have a bead lock tool for the bead, He said no thanks, pulled a bead lock tool out that was 50 years old, said this was the hardest part to do. Did both corner windows in 20 minutes, will be back next week to do the rear window and windshield. I didn't swear once, no cut fingers, no broken glass, and only spen $60 so far. He made it look easy!!!

2 people lots a beer. Soapy water in spray bottle,string to pull rubber lip over sheetmetal two nights,did I mention lots of beer. Satifaction of doing it yourself. Pass me a beer, please.

I used rope on the windshield, and plastic installation sticks on the rear. Warm and slippery is the key.

Rope, glass stick & soapy water. I would not use silicone spray to install glass or silicone sealer to seal it after it is in. If you have any painting to do the silicone will make you say bad words if you try to paint over it. Silicone & paint go together about as well as gas & water in your fuel system. I just thought I would warn anyone who didn't know that & save lost time & money.

Glass installation is one of those things that you have to develop a knack for. It took me a few tries to get the hang of it and now I can do it pretty quick. One thing that a lot of people overlook is the glass itself. A lot of times it is a bit oversize and won't fit right. If the glass is too big the seal will fight you all the way. It is best to cut new glass using the old as a template, or have access to a glass sander to size it down if it doesn't fit.

Years later but... I just spent 7 hours on my small back window for a '63 c20. I put gasket on cab first with 3M weatherstrip sealant, then applied a 1/4" rope soaked in Dawn soap into the top 3 sides of the glass channel. Then the s@%t hits the fan, Started the glass in the bottom of the gasket and use a rope, some oak pointy things, a utility knife, and eventually used a homemade tool cut from 20 Ga. sheetmetal to pry, caress, and otherwise molest the gasket over the glass. Don't know how much my troubles came from a "cheap" LMC gasket or just inexperience but I soon was wishing for some tool to help me with this nightmare...yes, please pass me another beer!

Sometimes the glass is slightly too big for the hole, which is going to make it much harder to put in.

Congratulations on getting it installed.