Front and rear window installation

[BulldogTom]

Anyone in the Lodi or Hollister area have any skill at putting in the front and rear windows? It is a single rear window and the split front for my '52. I don't have time to tackle this myself as I just got a new jobe and I am moving in a couple weeks. I don't think I have the tools or skill either.

I am not asking for charity - I am willing to pay (and even throw in some tri tip bbq) for the help.

If we can't get together in Lodi in the next couple of weekends, I am moving to Hollister and we can do it then.

Thanks for any help or recommendations,

Tom Carlson

aka Bulldogtom

[bach4660]

I google mapped Lodi and Hollister and it comes up as CA, NJ,WI and OH.

[B1B Keven]

I google mapped Lodi and Hollister and it comes up as CA, NJ,WI and OH.

He's in CA.

[Tony_Urwin]

I put new glass in the rear window of my B1C this afternoon, using new rubber from Steele. Two solid hours of very flavorful language seemed to help. My rubber already has that aged, scratched look from a dozen attempts at installation. I gave up on the curved side glass after the third attempt. Time for professional help!

[Bradley S.]

I had a professional come out and install mine. Real struggle for them on the corner windows. I have never seen anyone beat on glass with a dead fall hammer that hard and not break. They had to trim the windshield glass to make it fit. Definitely outside my expertise.

[Merle Coggins]

I also gave up quickly and called in the pros. They did a good job but expressed that it wasn't easy. I was happy to pay their fee.

Merle

[52DodgeB3B]

I don't know if this will work for a pilothouse but usually you can put the rubber on the window and a piece of string all the way around the outside then set the glass on the opening and pull the string, with the seal in tow, through the opening.

Hope this helps.

[pflaming]

Is one end of the string tied to something, like a small hole in the window frame?

[Dave72dt]

Actually both ends hang out. You can pull either one, switching between them as you go to first get the bottom in then working your way up both side and then across the top. 2 people. one to pull the string, the other to apply some pressure and control the glass. First one my brother and I ever did took us ten minutes or less for a rear window and we went at it real slow. windshield took us an hour or better, single piece but had a strip of stainless trim in the seal that had to go in at the same time. You use the string to lift the seal over the metal lip. Lubrication doesn't hurt.

[Tony_Urwin]

That's how I installed the center rear window. On Pilothouse trucks, the rear glass actually sits inside the window flange (I think it's called a pinchweld). First, install the glass into the rubber molding. You put some strong cord, like a clothesline cord in the pinchweld slot of the rubber molding. One person holds the glass on the inside, while a second pulls the rubber molding over the pinchweld by pulling the cord through the window.

Sounds easy, right? We spent 2 hours last month with no success. That time, I lubricated the rubber with soapy water. Yesterday, I lubricated the rubber and pinchweld with AstroGlide personal lubricant, and got it in in about 30 minutes. The window, I mean.

Don't know where the AstroGlide came from. Someone must have left it in my medicine cabinet.

[Dave72dt]

We used a length of 16 gauge wire and some dish soap

[Monkey Truck]

I just had a mobile professional installer come out to my house and replace the two windshields and replace all the gaskets on the 3 back windows. He said if I had 1 more window to change out, he couldn't do it because his fingers hurt sooo bad when he was done. He did an awesome job, but he said it was real tough.

I'm glad I didn't try to tackle that one myself.

[HanksB3B]

I had a professional come out and install mine. Real struggle for them on the corner windows. I have never seen anyone beat on glass with a dead fall hammer that hard and not break. They had to trim the windshield glass to make it fit. Definitely outside my expertise.

watching someone attempting to install my corner windows with a BFH . It just wouldn't happen. It'd be like watching Donald Trump (who also makes me want to throw up).

You're Fired,

Hank

P.S. That just ain't right.

[TheMoose]

Both of my corner windows were installed wrong, I can actually see thru the gaps in the rubber!

I've had a couple of shops say they wouldn't (Couldn't?) do them, maybe I need to call one of those guys that come to your house to look at it!

[HanksB3B]

Guess someone didn't knot their left hand from their right hand or up from down? Assuming they are not from a 51 Chevy, I'd suggest before you do, to buy some new rubber gaskets from Steele. Based on Bevis and Buthead's installation on Bradley's truck the glass must be pretty tough. Because rubber has a memory, I'd opt for new gaskets.

How it works out just fine for you,

Hank

P.S. Bradley: I saw your beautiful truck on another thread congratulations, looks awesome!

[Desotodav]

I had all of my fixed windows professionally installed. I saw that it was not an easy job on the corner windows even for the trained professional. They install from the inside, and the left and right corner windows will only install on the correct side. Giving the rubbers a good lube before trying to install was the way to go. The corner glass is not toughened though - as we found when we broke one of mine (lucky I had a spare). My window fitter used his fist rather than a hammer. Ausiedodgegirl had one of her corner windows broken with another professional installing them in a similar manner as mine. I don't think that the pull-rope method would work on the corner windows as it is so tight to get them in place. I was happy to pay the installation fee (as Merle was), and I think that the window fitter was even happier than me to be driving out my driveway after the job was done!

Desotodav

[pflaming]

I found this explanation on the net.

First a little history on how to install a windshield:

Rubber window channel

Originally used up until the early 60s for windshield on cars but used much longer for flat glass windows and truck windshields. Basically it is a rubber channel that surrounds the windshield and holds it into place in the windshield frame. The windshield fits into a groove in the rubber channel. There is another groove that the windshield frame flange fits in.

You place the windshield with the rubber channel against the windshield frame. Previously, you've placed a soapy wet string in the frame groove. A buddy presses against the windshield from the outside, you pull the string from the inside hoping that the string will pull the rubber groove over the frame flange.

Some tips:

Run the string completely around inside the frame groove. The two end pieces should be exiting in the bottom middle.

Use lots of soapy water - liquid dishsoap works very well.

While someone pushes from the outside, pull both strings evenly starting from the center bottom

Have a plastic knife or flat blade handy to help lift the rubber frame groove lip over the flange.

[Desotodav]

That's how it is done Paul, the only difference to the process is that our windscreens go in from the inside. You actually need to push the windscreens from the inside and have your buddy pulling the string from the outside.

Desotodav

[Todd B]

UNCLE!!  My son and I put the windshield in with new steele rubber, piece of cake.  We fought with those dam corner window for hours yesterday.  I Give up and am calling a pro.  I did my semi with steele rubber and by memorie it went right in. 

 

Todd B

[ggdad1951]

UNCLE!!  My son and I put the windshield in with new steele rubber, piece of cake.  We fought with those dam corner window for hours yesterday.  I Give up and am calling a pro.  I did my semi with steele rubber and by memorie it went right in. 

 

Todd B

guy did mine in like 2 minutes each...a pro knows what he's doing!

[Merle Coggins]

I had the pros do mine and they even commented how much of a PITA the corner ones were. Good luck

[Desotodav]

I had a window fitter install all of my fixed windows.He uttered a few swear words when he broke one of my rear corner windows whilst thumping it with his fist getting it to pop into place. Even he was surprised at how difficult the corner windows were to install. Lucky that I had a spare. I installed all of the moving windows myself - fiddly but do-able.

 

Desotodav