Installing Windshield / surface cleaner?

J

j5ball

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I took out the old front and rear windshield . . WHAT A MESS!!! Probably the worst job I have had to do on my car. Ok. Back to the question. I have the tape, the sealer and new spacers for around the windows. What is the best stuff to clean the body (window opening) before I lay down the new tape and sealer? Exact name and where to purchase would be awesome. Thanks . . . JIMB
 
I believe 3M makes an adhesive remover in a spray can. You may have to go to a body shop supply store to find it.
 
Is that the stuff I put on right before I put on the new tape and put in the windshield ?? It cleans and preps the surface for new tape ?

Thanks . . . JIMB
 
It's a general adhesive solvent, I've never done a windshield. You may want to check with a body supply store to see if they have a recommendation for a more specific product.
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I am ready to install both the front and back windshields. There are two types of adhesive: Butyl and Urethane. The original windshield was installed with Butyl. But after watching U-tube (very dangerous) and seeing others installs. . . I am thinking about NOT using the Butyl and just using the Urethane. Any thoughts and suggestions? Thanks . . . JIMB
 
Not familiar with doing that type of work but logically if back in the 60's/70's they used Butyl and now they have Urethane, I'd go with the newer product.
 
Update. I decided to hire someone who could install my front and rear windshields. I called 4 places and 3 of them would not install. So I went with the 4th one - quote to install both windshields was $150 - He said he had done the old cars before and this would not be a problem. Righttttt, keep reading. He showed up and I could tell he was in a rush. He said he would use the Urethane because it was stronger and its what is used in newer cars. I bought into this because everything I read was telling me the same thing. So, he prepped the front and put in the Urethane into the pinch weld. Everything going good so far. Then he put on the windshield and the Urethane started pushing out everywhere. Outside the windshield edges and worse, onto my dash and out into my pillar moldings. I asked him how he was going to get the Urethane off my dash and he said he could do it. Ok, I thought to myself. 5 minutes later he said lets take the windshield out. So we did. He started to remove the urethane from the pinch weld and said . . ."I knew I should have used the Butyl tape." I was like, I hired you because you said you knew what you were doing. WTF. He left without installing any windshields and without any money. I ended up talking with someone from NAPA that actually had some experience. He said on the old cars the pinch welds are so small you have use the Butyl tape and then use Urethane on the outside edge of the Butyl tape. While the Butyl tape does keep the windshield in and does provide a good adhesion . . its main part is to keep the urethane from pushing everywhere. So, use the Butyl tape then put a nice bead of the Urethane on the outside edges of the tape. Paddle (using a plastic knife) the urethane in under the windshield for a good seal. I had to re-clean my front pinch welds to get all the waved urethane out the installer left behind. Urethane removed, cleaned and prepped again - 6 hours later I am ready to install my front windshield. I installed the back windshield in 1.5 hours, it looks great and no leaks. Lesson learned. Thanks . . . JIMB
 
Thanks for the update and sorry to hear about the grief you went through.
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j5ball, thanks for sharing your experience. I'll be putting the glass back in my Lemans this spring. This helps a lot.
 
Your welcome. I just installed the front windshield today and all is good. Its actually easy. Just nerve racking when placing the windshield on the tape/urethane - you really get one shot. Before I put the tape & urethane in, I fitted the windshield in the pinch weld and took some tape and made some position marks. I took the tape and put a piece on each side and two on the top. so the tape goes from the outside of the windshield to the body. Then just cut the tape at the windshield. Leave the tape on the windshield and body. So when you place the windshield back in you can just match up the tape marks and you know the windshield is back in place where you had it when you put the on tape on (for the positioning.) Hopefully this makes sense. Good luck. Would love to hear how it goes this spring. Thanks . . . JIMB
 
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