Window Xperts advice needed
Window Xperts advice needed What's the best way to remove the rear glass from a Firebird hatch (without breaking it...I know I know..EASY just went out the door, but there are no chips or cracks)? Also, what about the rubber around the edge, can that be saved or is it most likely to be destroyed in the removal process?
Now for the re-install in a different hatch. How do you get the sealant off of the glass? What kind of window sealant (exactly, because I've seen a lot of different kinds) should be used? I'm assuming Liquid Nails wouldn't be the way to go!
I plan on using wooden dowels to ensure I get the even spacing around the edge, and a buddy and I are hoping to get this done before it gets too cold here in TN...or is it already?
ANY help is appreciated because the cheapest quote I could get was $120 and there was no gaurantee that they wouldn't break the window or ruine the rubber strip. Quite the professional establishment, huh?! Last time a friend went to a shop to have his windshield removed because the sealant was leaking, the shop pushed the glass out with their feet!! "Well we didn't gaurantee the glass wouldn't break." Thanks a LOT! Swat
Now for the re-install in a different hatch. How do you get the sealant off of the glass? What kind of window sealant (exactly, because I've seen a lot of different kinds) should be used? I'm assuming Liquid Nails wouldn't be the way to go!
I plan on using wooden dowels to ensure I get the even spacing around the edge, and a buddy and I are hoping to get this done before it gets too cold here in TN...or is it already? ANY help is appreciated because the cheapest quote I could get was $120 and there was no gaurantee that they wouldn't break the window or ruine the rubber strip. Quite the professional establishment, huh?! Last time a friend went to a shop to have his windshield removed because the sealant was leaking, the shop pushed the glass out with their feet!! "Well we didn't gaurantee the glass wouldn't break." Thanks a LOT! Swat
spend the money and have a class guy do it. find a good glass guy. the guy i had out here do my hatch didnt break mine and he saved the rubber. to get the cauking off i toop 1 and 1/2" scotch masking tape(neon green stuff) and stuck it for a bit and some more came off. anything else that didnt come off i used standox silicone remover. but your best bet will be to have a glass guy do it for you because we will clean it up and everything.
Well, that was my FIRST choice, but every place told me they wouldn't gaurantee they won't break the glass! Meaning, when the supervisor says 'remove that glass', they get out a hammer so that I have to spend even more money to buy new glass. If I wanted to just buy new glass, I would and sell my old Formula hatch with the old glass still in it...BUT it isn't worth it! That's why I'm wanting to do it myself so I know I really, actually tried to NOT break the glass. If I do, then I do and I'll have to buy new, but it's better than knowing the glass broke because a shop wanted to make the extra money. Thanks for the advice, but there just isn't a shop around here that even SAID that THEY could be trusted. Swat
That's what I'm sayin! lol I bet if I still lived up North I could find one, but I've checked everywhere nearby here in J-town Tennessee and they all say the same thing. We gotta look at the bright side, when I do it myself, I'll do a write-up! Swat
i used to work at a paint an body shop and the reason they dont guarantee it is because some time the glass breaks no matter how hard to try to get it out with out breaking it.
there a spray they make that dissolves the silicone that u can get, at my shop we had this blade that looked like a putty knife that u put on a saws-all and after the silicon start to come apart u run the saws-all around the edge of the glass and it cuts thru the silicon then u can pull the glass out, but some times u got to run a piece of wire threw the edge to get it cut all the way around.
you can use liquid nails to install the glass on the new hatch
there a spray they make that dissolves the silicone that u can get, at my shop we had this blade that looked like a putty knife that u put on a saws-all and after the silicon start to come apart u run the saws-all around the edge of the glass and it cuts thru the silicon then u can pull the glass out, but some times u got to run a piece of wire threw the edge to get it cut all the way around.
you can use liquid nails to install the glass on the new hatch
It is not installed with silicone, it is installed with urethane. I would not advise putting it in with liquid nails either. You can use piano wire and 2 pairs of vise grips and saw it back and forth to cut the urethane loose. It is quite a bit of work but it should take you where you need to be. Be careful not to cut into the glass and the hatch. Pay attention and you should be fine. As for the moulding you can replace it which is about $45.00 list from any stealership. When I repainted my car I just left the moulding off. I think it looks better off and I dont have to worry about the corners shrinking and rolling up again.
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You left the moulding off??? What's the edge gap look like? I hate the gap on the bottom since it hold so much muck and water...I thought of filling it with clear silicone. I've heard of the wire cutting, and I think the idiot that took the glass from the T/A hatch I got cut into the hatch a little. Nothing serious, and I've made the repairs. As far as my current hatch, there's nothing I can do with it since noone really wants em and you can get em ANYWHERE with the glass, so I'll prolly just scrap it and not worry too much about scraping it up. How do you get the wire thru to begin with? Any sort of window urethane will work? I gotta avoid UV curing I know. Vetman, how did you get the urethane off the glass? Or did you just leave the little bit on? You guys are a BIG help, Thanks a WHOLE lot! Swat
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Verdad Gallardo razor knife works great for removing urethane. I usually leave a small amount of urethane on both parts, about a 1/16 inch or less. With no moulding it actually drains the water out faster. I think it looks better without the moulding but that is just my opinion, plus it will save you a few buck going without it. But that is not why I did it though.