4x4moose Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 i need to replace the winshield in my twag do to a peice of sheetrock being drope on in my shop. is these something i could attemp my self? or should i leave it up to the pros and pay the dollar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4moose Posted January 27, 2006 Author Share Posted January 27, 2006 i know i have heard someone saying something about replacing a winshield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 I replace windshields. If you are going to do it yourself, you need a Equalizer long knife. it takes carpenter knife razor blades. Doing it by hand is gonna take you about an hour of cutting to get the windshield out. After you get the old window out you'll have to cut all the old urethane out of the window sill. You'll need 2 tubes of sikaflex fast curing urethane and a lil tube of primer and a activator pad for the window itself. You'll want to cut the tip of the urethane tube so you have a bead about 1/2 inch thick. You want the bead to look like this ^ If you have insurance, just tell your company you have a crack in your line of sight and they will make you pay the deductable and they will cover the rest. I've done subaru windshields by hand, and they, just like any other window, is a PITA if you dont have a the power tools to do it. A windshield shop can do the entire installation in a half hour, where as it'll take you 2 hours if you do it by hand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlelegacy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 i know i have heard someone saying something about replacing a winshield. I've never done a windshield, but mine is cracked, and the seals are bad and leaking. So, I guess I could have it replaced and the seals redone but I'm guessing it would cost a pretty penny (I have the bare bones minimal insurance - so anythign a pro does is out of pocket) and I'd rather just silicone the seals and deal with the crack. The car won't be needing a WSP inspection any time soon. In your case, it sounds like you might have good seals, but bad glass. There's a tool for reinstalling that rubber seal, and if you got that and some good glass from the JY, it may be a LOT cheaper to DIY. Give it a shot. Someone has to have some tips for you....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 there's some good information on the site about doing it yourself, do a search. new usually isn't that bad. you can find one used and have it installed for 50-100 bucks as well. i have a parts car and will be paying someone else to install the windshield into my daily driver instead of doing it myself. be sure to check if temperature matters and you have a sufficiently heated area to install it in, the urethane may need to be above a certain temp. some say this is a serious safety hazzard, i think it's just a PITA like mentioned earlier so i'll pay someone 90 bucks to do it and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 I may be looking into the same thing you are if this patch doesnt hold and mine desides to crack in every direction...I priced Safelite and they wanted a fortune...Over $300 plus another $148 cause of the chrome trim....I dont think so!!!! Found another place that was something like $277 after the $100 online discount...and that was installed. Glad you didnt seem to over-react like I did yesterday when I got my spiderweb:grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 I have installed over 300 windshields in different years of subarus (before I became a teacher), and none of them are very fun to do. If you're not experienced, pay the shop to do it for you. It beats breaking one and having to buy another shield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlelegacy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 I have installed over 300 windshields in different years of subarus (before I became a teacher), and none of them are very fun to do. If you're not experienced, pay the shop to do it for you. It beats breaking one and having to buy another shield. Gonna be in Seattle anytime soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azsubaru Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 pay the shop to do it for you. It beats breaking one and having to buy another shield. It's easy to make a miscalculation and CRACK! They don't bend worth a darn. It's just not worth it if you aren't experienced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Gonna be in Seattle anytime soon? Not planning on it, and from what I've seen of the replacement costs down there, it's cheaper than most other places in the U.S. XSNRG had one put in the XT6 I bought from him quite reasonably. Give him a ring to find out where he had it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 i was quoted $220 for a new windshield and i think others at http://www.xt6.net got it done for $177 from Safelite maybe? i don't know, they had a thread over there about pricing, was under 200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4moose Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 i already have the glass out. do i need to remove the old urathane? will a shop in stall a winshield if i have the old one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indrid cold Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 i already have the glass out. do i need to remove the old urathane? will a shop in stall a winshield if i have the old one out. so far Torxx, (3rd post I think) gave the information that you were looking for. I replaced mine. First one...and still in place... problem is no way to test it till you hit something or flip over cause yes, they are part of the integrity structure of the car. Would I install another..... probably. With window out a window shop may charge you a 1/2 hr rate or about $80. I think, you could go that route.... if not here is what I did. Yes, clean all the old Urethane off. Any scratch marks must be sealed. I used a can of spray primer and touched up with a Q-tip to prevent rust under window. Try using something that won't scratch surface when removeing. Doesn't have to be perfect, just clean. Follow what Torxx said, I cleaned inner window trim with Alcohal, then put on the activator, about 1/2" in prior too glueing down. Window shop also gave me a little marker that seals bare metal along the inside trim on car,...doh... same as primer but make sure no untreated metal. The "Hot" window glue MUST be 200 deg F. at least. I bought one glue gun/solid metal from Home depot. The cheap $1. caulking guns arnt strong enough to push glue out so I spent $9. and got a solid, strong caluking gun to apply and had another that was solid enough to do the job, so you need two of them, one for each side. Here's the trick. I heated my glue in the BBQ next to the car. I used a small aluminum pan, 1-1/2" of sand on the bottom, and covered to 1/2" sand on top. I set a thin path brick 1" or so thick on lower rack, then two tubes of the hot glue packed in sand on top of the brick. I stuck a Needle thermometer (small dial face with a long prope) into the sand in between the glue and turned BBQ on med-low, took about 1.5 hours. The solid brick under the glue will be the main heat sink, the sand should protect the glue from to hot on top and cold on bottom etc. I let mine heat too 200 deg, but next time will go too 240, let the heat come up and turn heat down and get it too hold there too assure tubes are fully heated.. Probably 250 deg above may be too much? but the glue MUST be over 200 deg. I can't remember if I pre-snipped the ends or pre-punchered the tubes? any way, gloves, glue and follow Torxx directions for applications along with directions on tube. Must look like this ^ when applied. I pre-fit the glass and used wooden shims (spacers) on the bottom to center window and got partner too look at gap on side so we both new too center side to side. We wore glove, put the tubes in, made the application to the windo trim, grabbed the window and set in. We didn't have a very smooth bead at first and it leaked at the top, ... of course, so I heated the tube up again and filled the gap at the top and shoved the trim in.... no leaky after that and the trim is in too stay! I got my window from a U-pull for $15. I got two tubes of glue, activator and some trim paint seal from local glass dealer for FREE... couldn't beat free as I think they felt sorry for me...wear old cloths when you go in and ask questions. Interesting experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4moose Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 sound like i'm going to do this my self. any window from a ea-82 wagon fit? my jy dosn't have any turbowagons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydfloyd44 Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Hate to say it... but.... As a professional in the auto glass industry, you guys scare me!! I also hate having to clean up these jobs and then charge an extra $100 to do so. Replacing a door, vent, quarter or backglass is no big deal. If it rusts, falls out, who cares. If it's your windshield, you have NO IDEA what the repercussions are. Look at what each of you do for a living. Doesn't it bother you when someone that doesn't know what they are doing reads the DIY website, totally messes things up and THEN brings it to you to fix? Some things are better left in the professionals hands. We still see people installing windshields with things like silicone, liquid nails and butyl. Now that is scary! Just because the windshield isn't leaking doesn't mean that it is installed properly. Unfortunately, people find out when the roof of their car has pushed their neck down around their waist or when the passenger airbag deploys and launches the windshield 50 feet in the air making it useless. Just too serious of an issue. I would much rather see you find an experienced replacement tech that will do it for you "on the side" for A LOT less money. Auto Glass companies do not like this, but it is not hard to find someone to do it. If you were closer, I would be HAPPY help you out without an issue. OK, bash me if you like, but there should be no compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 the same can be said of brakes, changing your own tires, and other car repairs. all are safety concerns. for windshields, most people shouldn't, i won't do it and it's great to have you around knowing the details and difficulty of this job. but there are skilled people out there that can do the job right. we need you to post the trickery of this task to sway those that shouldn't! i like reading through these discussions to learn the process and how people do it....BBQ grill and sand...awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indrid cold Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Sydloyd and I discussed this last year when I did my window and don't want to beat topic up again, yup, agree he has vallid point and expertiese to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I replaced shields with several glass companies - in CO, IA, IL and AK - over a period of 9 years. Some of the hype they (glaziers) profess is merely protectionist scare tactics to keep auto body shops from eating into their profits, and some of it is the truth. In the last ten years, the windshield has become a structural element in the design of the vehicle in roll-over tests. The glue used (urethane), if bonded to the shield and pinchweld of the vehicle correctly, does provide structural support, and is designed to keep passengers inside the vehicle. So, a reputable shop with experienced installers will replace the shield to factory specs, but a shop that cuts corners (the close-cut method) isn't any better than the do-it-yourself guy. Additionally, vehicles prior to 1984 didn't have urethane holding the glass in anyway. The rubber set shields of the early 80's were leak-proofed with a butyl, flow-grade sealant. Those could be replaced by anyone without a concern for safety. So, not to be the final word in all of this, but to speak from ample axperience, and one who is no longer vested inside with a fear for my livelihood, I can say that Syd and Indrid have some very salient advice, but some shields can be easily replaced by the owner. However, be aware that glass breaks and is expensive. Replacing a windshield is not 3rd grade work - there are no do-overs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4moose Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 ok will a shop install a shield that i provide, like one from a jy. provideing that it is not craked or any other way unsafe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Usually, they will tell you that they will put it in, but they won't guarantee that they won't break it in the process - hidden chips, or hairline cracks... - they just want to sell you their glass. So, you have two options: pay them what they want, or do it yourself completely. It's not rocket science, and if you do a search, I did a write-up on installation once. It should be in the stacks somewhere. ok will a shop install a shield that i provide, like one from a jy. provideing that it is not craked or any other way unsafe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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