Replacing windshield glass

[PaulK]

Hi Guys,

I am painting the windshield frame and will be replacing the gasket. Can someone tell me how I should go about installing the glass and gasket in the frame? Thanks.

Regards,

Paul

[wesk]

If the windshield glass was originally installed correctly the rubber lock strip which spreads out and tensions the rubber gasket should be on the rear side of the windshield. I like to differentiate between the Windshield (Entire hinged assembly including steel windshield frame, windshield glass and rubber seal) and the Glass. Remove the wiper arms and blades.

You'll need some things to help out. Pliers, knife, spray bottle of soapy water, a roll of twine and a putty knife or windshield spoon and a blanket to lay across the hood.

Fold the windshield down on the hood. Find the end of the lock strip and pull it out of the gasket. Using your putty knife to slight lift the seal lip at the metal frame slide the knife around the glass seal while you squirt the soapy water into the space between the seal and the metal frame. Now gently nurse the glass and seal as an assembly out of the frame by pushing down towards the hood.

Now clean the frame and the gasket, You can reuse the old gasket if it is not dried out and weather checked.

For some it is easier to remove the empty windshield from the jeep and turn it back side down on a table and start the installation there with the glass now laying on top of the frame. I do that with an A1/170 windshield but not the M38. Now lube the gall side groove in the seal with the soapy water and fit it around the glass. If you are on the table lay this glass/seal asembly on top of the frame which is front face up on the table. If you have the windshield still on the jeep then using wood blocks space the glass /seal assembly on the hood so it is up against the face side of the frame. The ends of the seal should be kept along a straight area of the frame towards the bottom edge of the frame.

Take your twine and string it inside the seal groove that faces the frame. Lube the groove and the edge of the frame with the soapy water. With the glass/seal asembly tight against the face of the frame grab one end of the twine from the back face of the frame and slowly pull the twine which will raise the rear lip of the seal over the edge of the frame while you are firmly keep pressure with your other hand on the glass at the point where the twine is leaving the groove and the seal lip is climbing over the edge of the frame. If your twine slips once in a while just use the putty knife or windshield glass spoon to nurse that part of the seal lip over the edge of the frame. When you have the seal fully seated on the frame you can now use the putty knife to hole the lock groove open in the rear face of the seal and slide the putty knife around while squirting soapy water in the groove. Thoroughly soak the lock strip with soapy water water and start it into the groove with you finger and use any firm smooth object like the handle of the putty knife to smoothly press it into the groove all the way around. Now clean up your mess, re-install the windshield on the jeep if you removed it and connect the vacuum system for the wipers and reinstall the arms and blades.

[Jeeps4Brains]

Some people like to use small guage insulated wire instead of the twine. It seems like it slips past the rubber better.

[DJ]

Not to be picky,Wes ,but to country boys twine could mean what comes on hale bales,and that stuff can make a mess. Little pieces of it can break off and remain . I know this by experience. (thats all we had at the time). Nylon mason twine or small diameter nylon rope is a much better choice.


DJ

[oilleaker1]

Windshield guys and bodyshops also use a plastic wedged tool to work the gasket with soap etc. The plastic is less likely to mess up the glass or painted metal surfaces. Don't ever use aluminum , it pemanently marks the glass! John

[wesk]

As said twine to a farmer can mean baling twine but to the rest of us it means twine. But we can call it smooth string that has no tendency to fray or leave deposits.

The soapy groove will release the string easily.

The plastic wedge is the "windshield glass spoon" I referred to above. Since there is no need to use it against the glass pane becauese you hand wrap the seal on the glass pane before you install it in the frame the putty knife works just fine between the seal and the frame. It is also more likely to already be in your toolbox.

[Skipanellin]

I know that the thread is pretty old, but I thought I would provide an update anyway, because replacing the windshield glass is where I happen to be on my M38 project.

I removed the original glass, which seems to still be in great shape, as well as the original gasket and spline. It all came out fairly easily, with just a razor knife and screwdriver.

I read Wes's post from back in 2009, and it gave me enough confidence to try installing the new gasket and spline myself. As I got into it, I realized that the new gaskets are probably more "supple" than they were a few years back, because there was no way that the gasket would stay on the glass. So, i re-grouped and put it on the windshield frame first, with the frame laying flat and face down on my work table. I then layed the glass on top of the gasket, and wiggled one end of it into the gasket. It wasn't too hard, because the gasket kind of wrinkles up in the corners. I then worked my way across top and bottom toward the other end, working about 6 inches at a time on both. I had to keep the glass pushed down, but I could work the gasket up and over the glass just using my fingers - sometimes reaching under and pushing from below as well.

When I had worked it all around, the glass was sitting loosely in the gasket, and the gasket in the frame. Putting the spline in took some more experimentation, put Wes' tip of soapy water was key. I just worked it slowly all around at about a half inch at a time, mostly just using a wide blade screw driver. In the end it seated fine, and came out nice and smooth all the way around. Total time was about two hours, but it saved $150. Not bad.

[Bretto]

I remeber doing this, all to save a buck of course. I thought it was one of items, of the whole restore, up on the top of the list that was a real PITA.

[circleburner12]

yep remember trying to do this to save a buck. it was a pain, took it to a shop and 15 dollars later it was done.

[Ryan_M]

I tried saving a buck last week. I wish I hadn't.

[Bretto]

Yumpin Yiminy! No savins there.