The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors Installing rear window = about to kill my husband!

Okay... we have installed several windows (windshields, door glass, wing windows and the like) before...but this rear window is going to cause marriage counseling!! Cannot figure out why this thing will not go in. We already have had it pop out one way causing me to push it back through opening very briskly towards my husband, who in turn could not grab it time and it fell to floor but did not break! I don't think we will be so lucky next time. We have examined the opening and decided there were a few places in which it needed a little straightening and still this window refuses to go in like it should. We have compared the seal, the glass and the opening and everything matches. I am at a loss - maybe there is a technique that would work better than the way we are doing it? Some secret tool or something - I don't know. If anyone has anything to share please do and you may very well save a man from being pulverized by his wife! The truck we are working on is a 53 3 ton I forgot to add. Thanks so much.

Well I am not really going to kill him but we are at a loss as to why this window is so difficult. Any thoughts?

Funny story, but I'm sure you don't see it that way.

I'm sure the back window of a 3 ton is the same one on my 1/2 ton. I managed to put mine in by first using lots of liquid soap. Assuming you've already put in the rubber seal around the window opening, you'll need to pull it back on the bottom and slide the glass in. Then with a flat tool like a thin blade screwdriver pull the rubber away from the edge of the glass as you push it in on the sides. The top corners were the hardest for me but I just took my time and pushed with my thumb and pulled away the rubber at the point I was pushing. It should go as you work it in at the top. Patience was the thing I had to learn. It's just a piece of flat glass, so it really shouldn't be as hard as you describe. I'm beginning to wonder if the hole is out of round and that's what's causing your problems. Make sure you go back and straighten it as good as possible if it's bent.

Good luck.

Spot's right on the money,but I would steer away from using metal tools.
There are plastic or wood sticks available,we call them dibbers here,although I'm not sure what the American name for them would be......

Does this help?

A pointed wooden tool is suggested in the Shop Manual, assuming that the window is similar-to/same-as the one used in a "standard" 1953 cab.

John, EXCELLENT photos of your rear window install!! That should help OVRTROD with her install. Sometimes seeing how it's done is better than reading instructions.

Both you and tclederman make a good point.......use a plastic or wooden tool. I got away with the narrow flat blade screwdriver because I reused the old rubber seal when I put in the new glass. It was "stretched" a bit, so it didn't push the rubber against the window really tight and allowed the screwdriver to move pretty freely. No chips in my glass using it. OVRTROD, you should follow their advice and use a hard plastic tool. Much safer.

I used the flat screw drive up to the point when it slipped and I gouged the paint about 3 inches. That was the only cussing I did putting in the window. My wife provided me a large plastic crochet hook after that and it worked really well.

I have installed widshields before using the soapy string trick. Don't know if this will work for you, but link is below. Trick is to put the gasket around the glass, then put a soapy string in the body channel groove of the gasket, have someone gently push on the glass as you pull the string around the gasket from the inside. As you pull the string, the lip of the gasket will be pulled over the body flange. Have a piece of plastic available to help.

Hope this works for you..

Kurt

Soapy string trick