Need some windshield advice...windshield shop woes.

[turbotom09]

Hi all,

I have a new windshield seal, and chrome lockstrip. Tried to do the install myself and the windshield ended up cracking (first time+original brittle glass). Finally found a shop that could get the new glass. The guy came out, and struggled with it for a few hours before finally getting it in. The new seal and lockstrip are both beat up pretty good, but thats not really my concern.

The upper passenger corner has a visible gap, and the lower driver corner you can fit your fingers up under the seal and move the glass.

And it leaks, probably worse than the original dry-rotted one.

Called the shop, and the manager came out this morning to look at it. showed the guy how the glass is obviously off-center, he replied "yada yada, been doing this 28 years I would know".

Now he wants to glue it in around the edge. I told him NO and he claimed once you break the factory seal its impossible to get it in without leaks!

So, sorry for the extremely long post, but...any opinions or advice? I've never heard any of you guys/gals having to glue yours in to seal it, so what's the deal?

[Mike Self]

one from URO? If the latter, they just don't fit correctly.

The Guardian Glass shop on South Dixie in Dayton spent four days trying to get a made-in-Thailand gasket to fit properly on my '73 while all the time I was telling 'em to get an OEM gasket. Finally on the fourth day they gave up and asked me where to get one. I gave 'em Max's 800 number, Max overnighted one and it fit perfectly.

I'm only 25 mins south of you in Beavercreek, drop me an e-mail and we can discuss. There are several good glass shops in the Dayton area who can install the windshield correctly.

cheers

mike

[turbotom09]

The seal I used was not a uro, but also not an o.e.m. I dont think. The seal fit the windshield well when I tried to install it.

Mike, I sent you a more detailed email about the situation.

[c.d.iesel]

don't take it from me - but READ the BMW repair manual on windshield

installation:

inject caulk between the glass and rubber,

and between the rubber and body opening at the corners

after installation.

even with a new BMW rubber seal - you'll have a water leak

if you do not inject glass sealant into at least your two lower corners

now if your car will never see rain again - don't inject sealant into the corners

[TobyB]

A good seal with the right kind of glass

(Pilkington works, as of a few years back)

doesn't need sealant.

And it rains a lot around here...

t

[Scott Sislane]

It's a major task to get that stupid gasket in flat. Everything has to be heated and soft, both gasket and lockstrip. Before you do anyhting else, I would try taking a hair dryer to the gasket & warming it up, and working it in. You'd be amazed what happens.

What's the lower strip look like? Is it flat? or is it almost touching your wiper arms? If it's close to the wiper arms, it has to come back out & be re-inserted properly. And if that's the case, I'd jus take it to a shop that knows what they're doing, like Mike is suggesting.

Good luck-

Scott

[uncnchs1]

Read your post on the glass replacement, is Max's phone

number available for general use? Not at that point yet, but will be eventually.

[turbotom09]

Driver side lower corner.

Passenger upper corner.

They are wanting to glue it in tuesday...

[jgerock]

I would resist letting that place inject some sealant. From your pictures, it appears either you have a faulty seal or the glass hasn't been installed correctly.

Also make sure you are using the correct seal for the front. There is an extra flap on the inside to cover the gap at the dashboard. The rear seal does not have this extra flap (but they can be interchanged).

I purchased a new front seal from Max - it came in a plastic bag with no Roundel on the part number sticker - only a part number. It didn't fit correctly, so I sent it back for a 2nd one which had a different part number sticker and fit much better.

[turbotom09]

It is the front seal with the "flap", looks much nicer on the inside than the old one!

I'm assuming its just installed incorrectly. Looks to just be off center, hence the gap on the pax side and the over-hang on the driver side.

They are going to re-do it, and if they can't do it correctly I will not let them glue it. They can buy me a new seal and lockstrip and i'll do it myself.

That was a brand new seal and lock-strip fyi...doesn't look so hot now.

[jgerock]

Looks like that glass shop tried to "walk" the lockstrip into the groove by jogging the tool up and down. Doing this may cause nicks in the lockstrip. For a better result, push the lockstrip and don't wiggle it up and down. This works much better in warmer weather.

It took me two times to get my front one installed correctly. The first time, I re-used the old glass with a new (bad) seal and new lockstrip. The second time, I bought a new windshield and used a better seal with the same lock strip. It helps to have great friends who know this stuff better than me. Matthew Cervi, Bill Riblett and Bill Williams have done this many times.

This cord worked well when we did the rear glass.

[turbotom09]

That looks really good! Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures, I bet it's not too bad of a job with knowledgable people to help.

I think I will likely buy another seal, lockstrip tool, and rope and try it myself (again).

Tired of my floorboards getting wet!

[austinmf]

what tool are you using?

[turbotom09]

I'm not using any tool yet, the windshield shop installed it...