Windshield install...How hard?

[Ford_Crazy]

I'm thinking about installing my own windshield and rear glass after my headliner is in.  I looked at the manual and talked to my glass guy and it doesn't seem all that bad. I've been told the trim has to go onto the gasket before installing it in the car.  My trim was removed carefully and it's not bent.  After tackling the 70D rear quarter glass, I'm feeling a little more confident. Anyone tried this job?  What kind of problems can I run into?

[shopratwoody]

I've done all the glass in my Ranchero. The windshield and rear
window a couple of times. Getting the stainless in the rubber
and on the glass a little tricky, but not too hard. U need a buddy
to held hold things. I used masking tape to hold things together
with the windshield on a table. We set it in the opening and used
the string method on the rubber and walla, there it was. Used a bent
awl a little on the inside etc..rear was easier, but same deal.
Have fun
Ron

[rmk57]

 Scarier part is removing a windshield that hasn't been touched for 53 years without cracking it. I must have called 6 glass shops
and not one could guarantee not to break it.

[JPotter57]

Its easy to get them out, rmk, use a utility knife with a good sharp blade, have it out in less than 5 minutes.  Now back in, that is when you get to try out all those 4 letter words.   I may have even invented a couple new ones the last time around.  I did it though.  I used a small chinese made screwdriver, with the tip heated and bent to a crook, and used the nylon cord around the perimeter.  It was a major PITA, but it worked.  I did have a hard time with the seal at the bottom of the dogleg, where the negative radius is.  From what I have read, you have to use a sofdt mallet, and not be afraid you're going to break the glass to help seat the seal and glass.  I was scared, so I had a small leak on the driver side when it rained.  I kept it inside, and only got caught out in the rain during Cruisin the Coast in 2004 before I moved here.  Any other time it rained, it stayed in the garage.

[shopratwoody]

The awl I used was actually a cotter pin remover from Sears. Nice
curve to it.
Ron

[Meteorman]

If you use your existing gasket or another used gasket its not so bad how ever if you have a new gasket  be prepared for a fight  they can be a bitch.  As it goes in be prepared to slap the out side of the glass periodicaly to give it some persuasion make sure you slap it with a wide open hand with no rings on fingers. Sometimes if the gasket is dry or hard spray a little wd40 on it. you can buy some glass installation tools but an old screw driver with the end bent has helped many wind shields go in. good luck

[Ford_Crazy]

I'm wondering if there is any difference in gasket manufacturers?  I suspect that all come from the same supplier and like everything else, made in China?  

[RICH MUISE]

Most of the dennis carpenter stuff I've got has had made in usa on it. The body mount kits they supply to everybody are made in India. (I'm ok with that...India has been a supplier of rubber components as long as I've been around). Remember the good old days when the cheap stuff was made in Japan?

[Meteorman]

If you are going to use a new gasket, as soon as you get it put it on the glass and leave it there as long as possible to help it hold its shape better. when you get it you will see what i mean.

[Ford_Crazy]

 I installed the rear glass in my 70A today.  It was a hastle, but I finally got it.  The hard part was getting the glass to go in with the new gasket.  It's was a very tight fit.  I used some WD40 and a rubber mallet and it finally went in flush.   Feeling pretty good.  Now on to the windshield.  

[RICH MUISE]

This may sound a little anal but one of the weird things I spent many hours on were the areas around the windshield and back window where the seal contacted. Looking at the factory fit and finish, and reading about windshield sealing problems, I figured it sure couldn't hurt anything to remove all the (large) burrs and smooth out all the ripples, gouges and other defects that could be a source fo a water leak. Yes, I actually smoothed out alot of the flange where the inner and outer panels were spotwelded with body filler. I remember a debate about the pros and cons of using sealer and or adhesive vs. not using any at all. And I'm still unclear on that, but I can't see how you could get a tight seal without a sealer even with my smoothed out flange.I believe the arguement was, that the seals are expensive and if you used a sealer and didn't get a good seal, there was no way you could remove it to retry without damaging it.
Ford-crazy:Which was did you go, sealer or no sealer?

[Ford_Crazy]

Good question.  After much contemplation, I decided not to use sealer between the glass and the body.   The body lip on my car where the seal fits is perfect with no rust, bumps or distortions. I just couldn't get my mind around what it would be like dealing with the gasket, trim & glass install while a bunch of sealer runs onto my headliner and paint.  I do plan to run a small line of sealer under the outside lip of the gasket.  I will not be driving the car on a daily basis, only to car shows and cruise nights.  I may be sorry, but I'll deal with that later if I have to.

[Meteorman]

congratulations on your  rear glass installation.  you will find the front glass a little more difficult  because it wraps around a lot more, carefull with that rubber mallet we prefer to slap them with our hands. to seal the wind shield there used to be sealers available specifically for windshields they neither glue or go hard but would stay  sticky  and you could remove and replace the windshield with the same rubber no problem.DONT USE SILICONE OR URETHANE. there maybe still sealers available. if you do seal them put the nozzle of the sealer tube between the body and glass (which sounds like you did) and squeeze the sealer in untill it just bulges out and clean the excess off after, same between glass and rubber.sometimes a messy job but some body has to do it.good luck

[RICH MUISE]

I'm not ready to install my windshield yet, but last night I dug out my new windshield from an unsafe storage area, and my new gasket from Dennis Carpenter. I decided to heed the advise of setting the gasket on as soon as posible to let it conform to shape a little better, and got it stretched on, holding it in place with duct tape. Now that I've done that I can see what's going on and have a few questions.
First off, the instructions that cam from Dennis Carpenter with the gasket are a copy from an old Ford manual. Reading them, it's obvious that Carpenters gaskets are made differently than the originals. The old instructions talk about the "vulcanized joints" in the corners. So I'm guessing that Ford moulded the back lower tight corners as seperate pieces, and joined them to lengths of the extruded shape. Carpenter's are made from one piece with one joint. trying to bend the extrusion around that tight corner leaves some hellacious puckering in the corners. Were you guys able to get that puckering out? I haven't started to install the stainless trim yet, So I'm guessing the trim is going to at least help with that problem. I'm wodering if that outer flange area that is puckering can be cut and rebonded to simulate a molded corner??
Second question..the grove the glass fits into is a v shape and lets the gasket roll back and forth rather than being a real positive positioning, so I can see why one would want to put sealer (not called for in the instructions)at this point, to hold it on after you remove the tape. but I'm wondering if the sealer will prevent the gasket from rolling into it's correct position when you start assembling the trim and then the installation.   Thanks   Rich

[Ford_Crazy]

Funny you should mention the puckering problem.  I am dealing with that right now and deciding what to do.  I didn't have any problems with the windshield, but the back glass gasket puckers on the inside around the top edges where it touches the headliner.  The repro gaskets stink, but I guess they are better than nothing.  It looks to me like the only way to fix the problem is to cut the gasket at the pucker and lay one side over the other. The pucker is inside the car and I don't think it will affect the seal any.  I used sealer to glue the gasket to the glass before installation and ran sealer under the gasket on the outside of the glass after it was installed.  I am definitely going to avoid driving my car in the rain, but time will tell if I have any leaks. Any other ideas on how to deal with the puckering gaskets would be appreciated.