Windshield Install Question

[arbita1]

Before I start pulling the rope. Does this look right. It doesn’t seem to sit right to me but maybe once I start pulling it sucks itself in?




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[carreradpt]

Way too much tape to see what you have there. If the windshield is centered in the seal with the trim already in place and some tape ( a few pieces here and here) to hold them to each other, when you place the whole deal onto the opening it should be centered as best as you can.

Test it by pushing lightly in both sides and see how the seal will sit on the body. It will have a tendency to want to drop lower in the opening. Take your time to center it just right and then go for it. Make sure the trim stays put in the seal. If it slips out anywhere it is a bear to reinsert it with the windshield in place.

[trond]

post pictures with it in place ? Especially curious to see if you get the upper corners right, which I and many others have struggled with...

[arbita1]

Took off the tape for better photos.




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[Marwil]

Is that rust in the bottom right corner? I would address that and any other spots in the windshield channel before reinstalling the screen. I did that when I put mine in: cleaned, primed and painted to the edge of the channel. The repair line is hidden by the seal.

[florio]

I did mine alone not too long ago, it is not so easy with only two hands. What I did was to use two clamps to push in the corners. However, that causes the center section to pop out. solution? Two long beams to push it back down...

[Trackrash]

^ LOL. That looks like something I would do.

An issue to consider is the fact that the aluminum trim piece (bezel) can and will affect the curvature and fit of the rubber. Usually after the rubber lip is in place you have to use some force to adjust the trim and ultimately the rubber seal for the best fit.

[proporsche]

here is a little help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0oBCs70_78

and here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z3hPM2Zd0s&feature=youtu.be

[calidude]

Why not just pay a pro to come out and do it?

[RDM]

Originally Posted by calidude

Why not just pay a pro to come out and do it?

Wrong question for this crowd!

[75 911s]

The bottom is out way too far.You need to get the bottom on the channel. Then you have a friend apply even firm pressure to the area you are pulling the rope. Plenty of lube on the seal and rope. Soapy water works. Careful when pulling the rope. You can potentially sheer off sections of your brand new seal.

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by calidude

Why not just pay a pro to come out and do it?

This, absolutely this.

[Targalid]

I guess that is black trim in the gasket. Mine is shiny metal. I found it useful for a helper to press from the outside while pulling the rope from the inside.

[KTL]

You don't have a pro come out and do it because it's something that is definitely do-it-yourself ability. Not to mention its becoming more common that there's not a lot of pros who have done one of these before. So they may be learning as they go just like you. At least here there's a big number of people who can chime in with their experiences of what to do and what to watch out for.

I agree 100% to get someone, anyone, to press on the glass along the way while you pull in the rope. It makes all the difference. It can even be one of your small kids. What you're doing is keeping the glass as close to the body as possible so the seal lip pulls over the opening. I also must stress that you press where the rope is being pulled and not just press in the middle of the glass to hold it steady.

And keep an eye on the rubber lip as you go. Sometimes the rubber lip just falls short of pulling over the body opening right around the middle at the bottom. It's a bit of a hassle to get a tool down in the bottom of the windshield at the dashboard to coax the lip the rest of the way. I had to mess around with the bottom of the seal on my last 911 windshield install.

Agreed with Duane. Don't be shy with getting the seal and rope wet. I dunk the rope in soapy water before wrapping it around the seal. You definitely don't want the rope to be noticeably difficult to pull in because that's a sign that the seal is having a hard time sliding out of the seal and pulling the seal across the frame opening. Pull too hard and you'll likely rip the seal lip like Duane mentions.

I use the shape of the windshield to form the shape/bend(s) of the metal trim before I install the seal on the glass. Doing this prevents the trim from defining the shape of the seal and thus making the seal not lay in the opening where you want it to.

Like Trackrash (Gordon) said, the metal trim is REALLY sensitive to pushing and shoving of the glass after you've set it in place. You don't want to lean on it and press hard because you'll dent it and it'll look all wavy and crappy. One of the best tips i've seen over the years is using a piece of thin wood slipped under the trim, after the glass & seal has been roped-in, to coax the seal to move a bit. Hit the wood piece with a rubber mallet and it can re-position the trim, and therefore the seal, a little bit and make it conform to the body opening a little better.

What you don't want to do is pound on the seal/trim with the palm of your hand in thinking you'll push the seal down into place. That's the best way to make wavy trim. I have some windshield trim from my racecar hanging in the basement. It's as wavy as the ripples across a pond on a breezy day. It's basically junk but I hate to throw it away.....

[carreradpt]

And I also suggest wrapping a second piece of "rope" around the windshield just in case the first one misses a spot. Glad I had on my installs, twice. Lots of soapy water.

[arbita1]

I found that the seal was not fully seated on the windshield on the sides. My guess is due to the metal trim pushing it out. I think I’m going to take apart and reset it. There are some really good tips above. Thanks.

Btw...I’m not ready to give up that easily. I rebuilt an engine and transmission. I want to believe I can do this too.


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[Trackrash]

If the lube you used has not dried out, you and a helper can gently work the glass back and forth while pushing in at the bottom corners. Many times just because the lip is over on the inside you still need to fully seat the windshield and rubber seal.

Don't be afraid to push very gently on the bezel at the corners if that helps it seat.

If the lube isn't working, yes, you will need to remove it and start over. Sometimes a coating of vasolene on the rubber helps.

[kamaro]

I just installed both front and rear glasses with the help of a friend, there are 3 critical points that you need to fulfill :

1- ALWAYS start at the lower center.
2- use A LOT of windex all over the place.
3- ask your helper to push EXACTLY where you pull the rope.

[AndrewCologne]

Originally Posted by arbita1

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1. Apply Glycerin or vaseline on the parts of the rubber where the rope will be inserted and where the rubber touches the window frame
2. The hole window must be centered on the frame – that's the ticket. On your pictures its very normal that you will see big gaps when just laying the window & rubber over the window frame
3. When inserting the rope let its endings come out on the middle (not edge!) of the top
4. A second person must always press against the parts of the window edge where you will pull rope.
5. Start pulling the rope from the upper middle to one side just over the corner keep it like this. The same pulling procedure to the other side just over the corner (check always that the rubber lip keeps moving over the window frame fold).
6. Now ... check that the rubber on the outside of the corners covers the window frame and no gap is still visible. If a small gap is visible you can try to push a bit the windows bottom edge to the top (thats why you still keep the sides and lower part of the window till now not installed)
7. If you can't get the gap at the corner closed/covered then pull the whole window again out of the frame and remove the rubber on the corner where the gap occurred.
Now, ... put a piece of thicker electric wire in in the window slot/guide part of that corner of the rubber. When inserting the window into the rubber, now by this when the window is installed that part of the edge will be pushed more out so the gap could be covered. Just try and if its not enough use a thicker wire.
8. After installing the window again (point 5. above) and if the corners result ok, keep pulling the rope from the window sides over the lower corners to the bottom. Always with the pushing help from the second person against the window edge part where your just pulling the rope.

After that ... drink a beer and have fun :-)

Here you can see the approach its in german language but can be simply translated into english using google or similar online translators. See Post #29:
Bruno’s Targa im neuen Gewand - Seite 2 - Elfertreff - Das 911 & Porsche Forum

BR
Andrew

[arbita1]

Thanks for the great write ups and links. Hopefully I’ll get some time this weekend to get back at this.


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