The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Windshield installation

This weekend my dad and I tried to install our new windshield on our '54 3104 (non-deluxe, so we have no chrome trim around the windshield). It was more of a pain than I had anticipated, and we are now in the process of regrouping, oh, and also wating for a new rubber loop to arrive (the string ripped a portion off the one we had).

I had prepared for this by reading a number of past topics on this board and also the BillyBob saga. I know it has been discussed a lot, but I'm hoping to get a fresh perspective, especially with my new experience with installing this thing:

1) Is it better to put the whole windshield/rubber assembly flush with the cab and work the string, or is it better to try to insert part of the rubber (top or bottom?) over the pinchweld first, and then use the string later to get the other side?

2) The bottom portion of our rubber loop ripped while pulling the string. Is there some tricky way to mitigate this problem? Maybe we didn't have the channel lubed up enough?

The shop manual makes this look so easy (typical, right?). I wonder if this is mostly a case of us being new to this installation, or if it would be similarly irritating for a "pro". Thanks for reading.. I'm kind of frustrated right now!!

I prefer the window flush to the cab method. It's hard not to damage the rubber...

Use two ropes in your groove, a larger one on top of a 1/4" or so rope. This will pull the big flap over the pinchweld & not tear it like the smaller rope. Do it on a hot day, leave the rubber in hot soapy water or out in the sun. I generally start at the bottom w/the glass flush, as the bottom starts over the pinchweld push down on glass & w/s.

I personally like to leave the rubber unlubed. It may slip on easier, but it also slips off easier too. Water can also be trapped in the rubber for some time before drying out promoting some rust. 64Fleetside seems to have the ticket though.

Above all...be patient.

I just did this job on my 51, with the deluxe trim. I know that the one piece is different but there are some common features. I laid mine against the frame and when the time came to pull the string, I lubed the pinch weld. I used KY Jelly and all joking aside, you couldn't get a better product for this. It doesn't stay a liquid for ever and mostly evaporates leaving a small sticky residue. I found that I had to keep checking if the window was centered in the frame etc. I would pull about an inch and then check. If the string is really hard to pull, usually the gasket is too far down from the lip and you can tear the rubber. If it is too easy to pull, the gasket is too high and it may slide off the lip. It is nice to have a backup plan in case the string pulls out ahead if the lip. This may be a second string or maybe proceeding from the other end. Also I started from the bottom and worked up. I figured if the window was a little high, I would have gravity working with me.

i just had one put on my 51 and the instaler used silicone spray, in the groove,, it went right on with no problems,,

The oldtimers' trick was to use brake fluid on the rubber gasket, and about a 1/4" diameter nylon rope to wrap around the pinch weld groove in the gasket. Use a piece of masking tape about every 6" around the outside edge to hold the rope in place. The tape tears away as you pull the rope, and you can remove the pieces as you clean up after the job. Rubbing alcohol or Windex will remove any brake fluid residue. I guess silicone spray would work, but we didn't have that stuff 40 years ago when I started installing windshields.
Jerry

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I'm going to up the ante with the pinchweld and rubber gasket lubrication. I also think I need to get a larger diameter string/rope. We'll give it a go again in the next few weeks and hopefully we'll have it all in place. I really want to get some updated pictures so perhaps I'll do so after we get the new windshield in!

Just a quick word of warning about the method mentioned by Hotrod Lincoln: Brake fluid is an excellent paint remover. Use extreme caution with this method and your brand new paint job.

Just my 2 cents :p

I called an old window/glass guy I know to do my 56 Suburban windshield. He wants $75. If he breaks it, I get another for him, he does not pay for it. He has been doing 50's windshields for 40 years. AND HE SAID THIS: In the last five years he has been having trouble/some breakage due to Chineese/Mexico glass and rubber. He says, as we all know, buy the best Glass and the best rubber. In my case that's Pilkington and Steele. As Forest Gump would say: cheap is as cheap does. You put the rubber on, center the windshield, center it, center it, do the rope trick while someone pushes in/follows you around, may need a NON-METALLIC hooky duver to get the corners.I believe that KY Jelly is best because it will wash off with water and leave no soapy or greasy slime-ation. Please recycle the broken glass!!!!!

Rubbing alcohol works great as a lube & evaporates.

I had an oldtimer do my windshield, rear window, and corner windows for $100. Best $100 I ever spent. He had everything done in an hour. He used a bone instrument to work the rubber and glass. Nothing more than windex as a lubricant. He only used the string method on the windshield. The corner windows and back window ,the rubber went on first and then the glass was worked in with the bone tool. He thought that the quality of the rubber had gotten bad over the last few years.

Ditto on the warning about brake fluid and fresh paint! Most of the ones I was installing were on vehicles with well-cured paint, and we did a quick cleanup with Windex immediately after the installation. Thanks for the heads-up!
Jerry

Not all rubber is the same. I almost gave up on a 55.2 until a glass man told me to get another rubber. Best $ I ever spent. The glass went right in with no leaks.

After all these horror stories I plan on taking it to the glass shop and let them do it. BTW I hope they can cut the glass themselves.
:hammering:

Always pull the rope (1/4 inch) towards the center of the glass. Use window cleaner as a lube. Piece of cake.

Yesterday was a sad day for our truck. My father and I began round 2 with our windshield and new rubber gasket/weatherstrip. We seemed to be doing well and then with one wrong "tap" with our rubber mallet... you guessed it, the windshield cracked. :mad: :mad: This is a frustrating experience and I just had to vent.

rubber mallet??? hope you weren't suprised never use more than the flat of your hand to "tap" a windshield, spread the force

Bill

Yep, we used a small rubber mallet (with descretion, albeit not enough, apparently). The only good thing that has come of this is that we now have a really good idea of our limits.

not possible to use enuff discretion with a mallet, especially a small one, it puts waay too much force on a small concentrated area - if there's the slightest chip on the edge of the glass a smack nearby will result in a crack straight to the chip .... even the flat of your spread hand needs to be used carefully

Bill