Problems installing a new windshield in a Row car

[porsche5k]

Hi everyone,

Safelite is trying to install a new windshield in my 1987 RoW coupe. They are saying they are having trouble sourcing a "locking strip."

I figured installing a windshield would be the same whether it is a RoW vs US car. Can anyone confirm or give some comments?

Thank you!
Patrick

[Reiver]

They are the same....are they talking about the metal trim pieces?

[porsche5k]

Originally Posted by Reiver

They are the same....are they talking about the metal trim pieces?

Reiver, thanks for the quick response! I'm not exactly sure what they mean by the locking strip but yes that could be it. If so, is that part different on a RoW car?

[Iciclehead]

Originally Posted by porsche5k

Reiver, thanks for the quick response! I'm not exactly sure what they mean by the locking strip but yes that could be it. If so, is that part different on a RoW car?

No, I don't think so.....I checked PET and there is only the rubber and the trim strips there, Porsche calls them "Trim Frames".

You should have those and can usually be reused easily, albeit they are soft aluminium and very bendy. You need to align them first, put them in the rubber after the rubber is fitted to the windshield then fit to the car. YOu can't hammer them in after the windshield is placed into the car.

Dennis

[john walker's workshop]

If they were any good, they would have carefully removed the metal trim and reused it. Might want to mention you don't meed the extra expense of their f up.

[Iciclehead]

Trouble is, for the normal hack shop used to glued in windshields they normally slice the rubber to free up the windshield and then pull out the rubber from the body.

If these guys were not careful, they bent that soft aluminium to rat**** and now it may well be junk.

They are easy to keep and reuse, there is no real case to ever replace them unless the PO did something stupid like glue them to the rubber and even then, I think with a bit of care you could make them usable.

Dennis

[john walker's workshop]

If the rubber is glued so the w/s, rubber and trim can't be pushed out as an assembly, you use a box knife and cut the rubber in a V shape either side of the trim and then carefully remove the trim before anything else. I do windshields by myself with no trouble, long arms. I've seen 3 "professional" safelite guys struggle getting one installed and still messed up. Funny.

[porsche5k]

Thanks everyone. I'm pretty sure they bent the aluminum trim up to death and we have to order a new one. I'll post up when this is hopefully over!

[shoooo32]

I wouldn't trust a Safelite guy anywhere near my car. Not that my hoopty is nice; I just don't have time for them to screw it up and have to go back.

John - how do you push on the outside of the glass and pull the rope on the inside during installations? Those arms must be crazy long!

[porsche5k]

Originally Posted by shoooo32

I wouldn't trust a Safelite guy anywhere near my car. Not that my hoopty is nice; I just don't have time for them to screw it up and have to go back.

Yeah, I agree. I learned a lesson for sure!

[76FJ55]

I hope you have better luck with Safelite than I did. My insurance contracts with Safelite for windshield replacement, so that is where the sent me. The ruined 3 factory Porsche seals, sheared the antenna connection off a new OEM glass, damaged the forward edge of my dash from digging around with pick tools trying to pull the seal in. Then tried to give me the car back and tell me i was good to go. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a dollar bill and slid it between the aluminum trim and window seal, and asked if the really expected me to think this was an acceptable installation, and that was just the area that was the easiest to demonstrate their failure. After a few calls with my insurance and Safelite corporate, I took it to a local aircooled specialist where they did an impeccable job of installation, and insurance wrote the check.