The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Windshield Sealant 1954 3604 Windshield Installation

This post is an FYI for those of you who have experienced problems with the windshield leaking after installation. The "standard" easy to flow, non hardening sealant that was always recommended , 3M 08509 Bedding and Glazing Compound is no longer made or available from 3M. Yeah, I called them and got my answer. So now the recommended sealant is CRL 7708 , made by CR Laurence Company. ( crlaurence.com or usalum.com ) and that is what I used over the weekend to "seal" the new window and Steel Rubber windshield seal.

So, let me tell you that it works. I purchased a Red Devil Extreme caulk gun with a 26:1 thrust ratio to use because my grip isn't as strong as it used to be. I masked off the area around the windshield and can tell you you'd be better off to use masking paper and cover everything around the windshield back about 2-3 feet because the stuff is very "stringy" when your doing cleanup or removing the masking tape. Its a good idea to actually have a rag and keep it close to the tape as you pull it off. It'll make sense once you start removing the tape.

Back to application - I cut the end off of the applicator nozzle so it has just a bit over 1/8" hole. The material is "runny" . I used popsicle sticks to create openings to help with getting the "nozzle" in behind the edge of the windshield seal and down to the ribbed area of the seal. I started in the middle of the seal at the top of the cab and pulled caulk gun back to the outside and then down around the corners and to the bottom of the windshield. I did this for both sides. You'll need to keep one finger pressing down on the applicator tip to keep it from popping out, just keep squeezing and moving along and you'll get it done.

You'll make a mess, but it cleans up easily with dry rags to start and then finish up with rags and mineral spirits. You can wrap paper towels or a cloth around those popsicle sticks and help get down into the crevices to remove the excess sealant. The mineral spirits won't damage the paint and it works very well. So there you go, it's doable. I wrote this not so short post because I put this task off for months, dreading the thought of it and just wanted to help any fellow procrastinators.

Thanks for that Ron. I just used the last of a tube of the 08509 material I got from 3M (bought it directly). The fellow I dealt with up there told me they dropped the 08509 because it just wasn't in demand any longer. Only old guys and a few younger ones messing with sealer like that.

But here's another idea for anyone who might be interested. It is called Big Stretch. It is made by Sashco, Inc (in the USA) and it is designed to set and remain stretchy forever...they claim it will stretch up to 5 times the installed size. And it does...basically it becomes rubber when cured. I've used the stuff as caulking and I've also mixed some mortar grit (to make it look like mortar) and used it for areas where brick mortar has cracked or separated and I don't want to re-point or such. Anyhow it comes in several colors including black and it cleans up with soap and water. It skins over in about 4 hours, cures in 1 to 2 weeks and you ought to protect from water and rain for 24 to 48 hours after using it. You can apply it in temps as low as 40 degrees or as hot as 120 degrees (although at 120 degrees I think I'd wait until it cooled a bit). Given that friends running body shops, etc have told me they don't like the CR Laurence stuff (for the reasons you mentioned...thin, stringy, runny, messy, etc). Since most people can wait a week or two to drive their truck, I'm thinking this might be an alternative for windshield sealing.

Jon, good information.

Jon and Dusty, thanks for the great windshield sealant information!

I just installed a new Steele Rubber windshield gasket and I'm pondering the use of sealant. I have an unopened tube 08509 3M material; however, it's outside the five year use window. I also purchased the CRL 7708 from Steele with the gasket. Is the 3M product headed to the trash can?

The tip of the sealer tube seems like it would work well on the top and sides of the windshield gasket, but can you really get the sealer up in the bottom of the gasket? I would imagine a 10 ounce tube is more than enough to seal the perimeter of the gasket. Are you filling that void by the pinch weld or just applying enough to seal the gasket to the body where the windshield gasket is located?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.......

Hi Andy,
3M has discontinued the 08509 material, but here's two things I have learned. One, the expiration date only means the product will start to dry out to the point it won't come out of the tip of the tube as well anymore. Two, if you cut the tip, stand the tube upright and pour as much naphtha as you can in there (probably will only be about 1/2 teaspoon), it will revive somewhat if you leave it alone for a few weeks (cover the tip with masking tape or something). However...If you don't want the 3M 08509 please don't discard it. I'll gladly pay for postage if you want to send it to me.

Sorry...I hit send before answering the second part. Yes, if you mask well at the bottom, remove the wiper blades, escutcheons and push the wiper turning knobs back inside (tie a piece of string on them to make it easy to pull them back through), you can apply enough to the bottom side. Generally you won't be able to fill the entire space between the pinchweld and rubber. That is unless you get some plastic hose, tape it well to your nozzle and use popsicle sticks to lift the rubber up. If you can do that, you'll be able to push a bunch of sealer under there. If you apply sealer to the area outside the pinchweld and then try to install the windshield and rubber, you'll have a bunch of sealer everywhere...including your hair if you pulled it all out by the time you're finished. No matter what style of sealer you use, that is not a good plan. Years ago there were two tools commonly used. One was a tip that screwed on to the caulking tube. It was curved and had a pliable plastic end piece you stuck under the bottom side of the rubber. It made sealing the bottom edge a walk in the park. One looked like a common oil can and it had at the tip a flat piece about 1/2" wide. Actually it was a flat piece that contained an internal slot through which material was pushed. The material used to seal the rubber to the glass was thin and you squirted it in using this tool. It dried fast so you had to work quickly and you couldn't leave it in the tool. You had to mask the glass so you wouldn't scratch it. I haven't seen either of those in over 30 years and wish I had bought some of them when they were available.

Jon G - Would these items be a modern version that would make this job much easier and maybe less messy???

JES SD26-20 Caulk gun (handles standard caulk cartridges)

10 pack of 45 degree angled applicator tips *

* They sell them in a smaller 5 pack, but more expensive.

They would, Dan. The 45 degree angled tip would. Thanks for the suggestion.

Jon G - I probably won't use the 3M product since I'd like to finish this windshield project sooner rather than later. I don't have any naphtha either. The 3M product is yours, we can work out the details in a PM.

Dan - Thanks, the 45 degree caulk tip looks like a game changer! I'm going to see if there available locally. Could they be used with a standard caulk gun too?

I've attached the Steele Rubber Products general instructions for the the windshield weatherstrip. As indicated in diagram C, the sealant is applied in the corner of the pinchweld around the perimeter of the gasket. IMHO, I believe with the 45 degree caulk tip and some popsicle sticks an adequate bead of sealant can be applied to achieve a water tight windshield seal.

Thanks for the info and assistance.......

HandyAndy, From what I can tell the angle tip works only on a full sleeve tube caulk gun like the one I indicated above. They will not work on a open framed caulk gun as the tip needs to be secured against the end of the cartridge in the caulk gun or you just get a huge mess squeezing out the side. You can order one of the caulk guns HERE (least expensive I could find).

On the 45 degree tips, you can order them through Lowe's on-line for ship to your home or in-store delivery at the Lowe's in Corralville, IA (seems to be nearest location to your Iowa City locale). The Lowe's website says they can be delivered to your home by Monday Sep 23rd or pickup in-store in Corralville Wed Sep 25th.

I managed to get sealant (the CRL stuff) all around my windshield by supporting the tip on the caulk cartridge with my finger. I was wondering if the tip was going to come out of the tube for a while. But as noted above in this thread, it was messy.

If i were going to do more than one windshield, then that caulk gun and special tips that Dan found might be worthwhile.

Thanks for the info Dan. I agree with your assessment of the angle tip and full sleeve caulk gun.

Kevin, your experience gives some hope!

Now that I have the windshield gasket installed, it's time to seal it to the body and the glass. I only have this windshield to do, so I'll just suck it up and use what I have available to finish the job. It looks like I'll have some time mid-week, time to get it done.....

My windshield is in and I'm happy with the results.

Many thanks to all of you that responded to my questions. The information that was provided was spot on!

IMHO, anyone contemplating this project should use the Big Stretch product that Jon has recommended. The CRL stuff is probably effective; however, the caulk tube is junk. I too was concerned the tip was going to come out of the tube and as you can see, some product started to come out of the base of the tip. The tip just doesn't stand up to the pressure needed to apply the CRL windshield sealant.

Thanks again fellas!!