How hard is it to install a windshield in my 1984 longbed pickup? Will it take two persons to do it right? Also, can I reuse the rubber seal and the molding?
I'd appreciate any suggestions and directions from someone who's done this.
jc
On my '84 the windshield is glued in -- the trim covers the edge of the glass.
Which makes me wonder, if the '84 pickup a Unibody? And is the windshield therefore integral to the structural rigidity of the pickup. And if so, did they use the right glue on yours (the correct glue is 3x as strong as another common one).
I'll take a close look at mine, but I'm sure there's a seal and trim.
jc
the '84 is not a unibody. I'd say, because I own one, that the windshield is not an integral part of the structure. My trim came out a long time ago and I reseal it with roofing repair caulk. That's not the greatest solution, but it works just fine. From a shade tree mechanics point of view, if the gasket has no tears, holes or any signs of rot and you can get it off in one peice, use it again. Otherwise, time to start hunting for a new Toyota part. I'd warn you about using aftermarket. That's how my trim fell off. A body shop used cheap aftermarket trim tabs and my trim flew off going down the freeway.
Brad,
Thanks for the information...very timely for me as I've located a used windshield and was wondering if I was going to have to deal with installation glues, not to mention how to get the old one out. I've done windshields on VW's, using the string method and I assume this will be the same.
When you said you resealed yours with roofing caulk, was that when you were installing the glass, or just resealing it from the outside because the trim was missing? BTW, I priced trim at the local dealer and it's too expensive to even consider so it's easy to understand a body shop using the cheapo version.
jc
Well, I'm sure there some who will gag at this solution, but here is what I have done. I did not replace my windshield. But I had water leaking in. Part of the problem was bad body work from a shop when I rolled it. First I removed all the clips that I could. The damn things just let water in if you don't. The first time I went down to the local mega home store (Home Depot) and bought a roofing caulk that could be applied even in the rain. I caulked all around the windshield where the clips and trim would normally reside. The stock gasket was already there. As far as I can tell there is nothing holding the windshield in place other than this gasket. I pressed the caulk into place much like caulking the house and cleaned up the mess with mineral spirits. This last time when water started to leak in, I used GE Blacktop and Roof Silicone II black sealant. The first caulk was more like a tar and fairly flexible. I needed to stop the water, but I'm thinking the silicone will deteriorate faster. Down the road somewhere I will need to turn my cab over to a good body shop that can repair that area or get another cab. I really messed it up when I rolled it. It sort of eggshell shaped it.
"jbclem" wrote in message news:LLGxg.1740$ snipped-for-privacy@fe03.lga...
The rubber "seal" is realy just an internal weather seal --- unlike on a VW Bug it doesn't hold the windshield in. The windshield is glued in. To remove use .024" diameter piano wire to cut the sealant. You will need special primer for both the glas and the metal body pls a cartridge of the sealant (plus a gun for it). I guess one could DIY but you'll have excess supplies to trash.
Wolfgang,
Do know if the special primer and sealant are available at a store, or are they dealer items. Actually, they must be used on many different cars so there should be a generic version of each one, yes?
jc
I knew there was a good reason I didn't want to pull out the windshield.
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