Windscreen seal fitting ?

[MIG Wielder]

What is the correct way of removing & refitting a windscreen rubber please ?
I read from the manual that to remove the screen, you break the seal between the screen and the rubber and just push it out.
( With an assistant ) I assume that you then remove the rubber seal and discard it.
But the manual says that replacement is the reverse of removal but then shows a diagram of the screen already fitted to the rubber !
So when refitting,do you fit the glass to the windscreen rubber first ( with Seelastic ) and then fit the new rubber and glass assembly into the car with the nylon string. I think this nylon string goes in the groove on the car interior side of the corrugated section of the rubber ?
And then add the plastic/ chrome trim to the outside ?
Thanks very much,
Tony.

[Tony Burd]

If you are fitting a new rubber it is best to cut the old seal. Remove the trim from the seal and using a Stanley knife cut the rubber from inside where the trim fitted. This will make removing the screen easy and less chance of breaking it particularly if it is laminated.

Refitting, clean screen fit rubber to screen then use the cord method to refit, helps to have a helper pushing the screen from the outside as you pull the cord from the inside.

[Carledo]

And run a bit of washing up liquid round the bit of the screen rubber that is pulled through the opening before fitting. I KNOW washing up liquid contains salt, but trust me, it's what the experts use, it's a very small quantity and most of it wipes off afterwards! And it does oil the wheels of progress.

Otherwise just as Tony says above. Go round with a tube of mastic (the days of fitting them "dry" are long gone, it just won't seal) both screen side AND body side, before fitting the chrome insert, then clean off the excess once it's in and tensioning the rubber.

Steve

[cleverusername]

And run a bit of washing up liquid round the bit of the screen rubber that is pulled through the opening before fitting. I KNOW washing up liquid contains salt, but trust me, it's what the experts use, it's a very small quantity and most of it wipes off afterwards! And it does oil the wheels of progress.

Otherwise just as Tony says above. Go round with a tube of mastic (the days of fitting them "dry" are long gone, it just won't seal) both screen side AND body side, before fitting the chrome insert, then clean off the excess once it's in and tensioning the rubber.

Steve

The windscreen fitters near me fitted mine dry and it hasn't leaked. Of course that could just be dumb luck.

[tony g]

The way I have always done it is from the inside, push the lip of the seal downwards and out starting at the top and working either side. Once the corners have been freed it becomes a lot easier to gently push near the rubber and see it moving completely. A 2nd person is useful to catch it in case it leaves unexpectedly . When half way down either side it will probably lift out. To refit do as the manual says but as mentioned use some sealer. I used non setting screen sealer which is sort of like dum dum but in a caulk tube. Good luck

Tony

[Carledo]

The way I have always done it is from the inside, push the lip of the seal downwards and out starting at the top and working either side. Once the corners have been freed it becomes a lot easier to gently push near the rubber and see it moving completely. A 2nd person is useful to catch it in case it leaves unexpectedly . When half way down either side it will probably lift out. To refit do as the manual says but as mentioned use some sealer. I used non setting screen sealer which is sort of like dum dum but in a caulk tube. Good luck

Tony

This is how I do it too, if for some reason, I need to save the rubber. I use a flat blade screwdriver and carefully tease the rubber a tiny bit at a time to the other side of the metal frame, starting in one top corner and working round till both top corners and one lower are free. At that point it can be lifted out easily.

But since the normal problem is a leaky seal and you will have a new one, it pays to cut the old seal away so the screen will just lift out of it without stress, particularly with the more delicate laminated screen. With new screens expensive and a long wait and good used ones hard to find and almost impossible to transport, why risk it?

Steve

[new to this]

What type of sealler would you use ?

Dave

[geeksteve]

The windscreen fitters near me fitted mine dry and it hasn't leaked. Of course that could just be dumb luck.

Fitted mine dry and it pi**es like a sieve been meaning to pop it out and re-fit/seal properly but my garage is 3 miles away and virus etc..

[marshman]

Use a reasonably "chunky" piece of string/cord - around 4mm diameter. Preferably with with a smooth surface. If you use thin stuff there is a danger of tearing the rubber seal.

When running the string round the grove in the rubber I feed the string through an old "BIC" biro outer and use that the help feed the sting into the groove. I usually start in the middle at the bottom and overlap the end of the string by about 6" in the groove. As you start to pull the string in keep some downward pressure on the screen to ensure the rubber doesn't ride up, I usually work out from the middle quite evenly towards the corners. As Steve says use a "bit of lube" to help ease it in. Some screens slip in as easy as, others make you struggle!

[Carledo]

I have to admit that I rarely fit screens myself anymore, I'll do a toughened one without a second thought and the HRW is a piece of cake! But laminated screens scare me, you cant thump them and bend them like you can with a toughened screen!

So of course, I have a man for that, he's fairly local, fairly cheap, semi retired (he only does stuff that interests him, classics and exotics) and he owns a Sprint! But the main thing is, if HE breaks my window, it's down to him! He's only bust one in 30 years, one HE supplied for a Volvo Amazon. I don't think i've heard such creative cussing before of since. But he was back a couple of days later with another which he fitted successfully, God knows where he got it! He ALWAYS puts half a tube of mastic round a screen, saying he dislikes coming back for a second try! He's fitted dozens of screens for me over the 30 years i've known him and i've never had a leak yet! So I don't know what he uses for mastic, the tubes aren't labelled at all. The way he gets through the stuff, it's probably bulk buy trade use only stuff!

Steve

[marshman]

I have used this in the past, does what is says..

https://www.frost.co.uk/black-windscreen-sealer/

[Bumpa]

I have done a couple of screens and have used Arbomast - easily available on ebay. It is a black non-setting goo. It goes everywhere while you are fitting the screen but is easily cleaned off with white spirit. I cracked the laminated screen on my Dolly while trying to fit it. As Steve says, they are fragile. I claimed for it on the insurance and a new one was obtained direct from Pilkingtons and fitted by two guys from National Windscreens. They used Arbomast too. It only took them half an hour to fit. Having those large suction things for holding and moving the screen makes a big difference. Because it was an insurance claim I only paid £75. Bargain!

[tony g]

This what ive used. Ok for rear lamps etc. Non drying.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Windscreen-S ... 2749.l2649
Tony

[dollyman]

I would also get the professionals in Tony. Like Steve i have a bloke that i use, and he has never broke one of mine nor have i had a leaker He is also cheaper than the insurance excess.

Tony.

[MIG Wielder]

Well, I enjoy a challenge so yesterday and today I got stuck in and now it's all done.
Thanks all for your hints and tips. I decided to cut the old seal as it didn't seem to move at all at the start.
This is the sequence..
Put an old rug over the bonnet.
Remove wiper arms.
Remove the plastic-chrome filler strip.
Remove the heater vent duct inside. ( 3 screws).
I then ran a sharp knife all around in the filler strip groove.
It was still reluctant to come out so I cut a lot deeper into the rubber; and it moved.
The last thing I wanted was to break the screen, as SWK is a daily driver.
I removed the old seal, and cleaned up the screen. This took a long time as there was a lot of old sealants and gunge around.
I then cleaned up the aperture, which was surprisingly rust free.
I used a Seelastic clear silicone sealant on the new seal and ran it round the screen. So far so good.
I used 18 feet of thick strimmer line in the inner recess after filling this groove in the rubber with sealant as well and putting a smear of sealant all the way round the aperture to help it slide in .
Fitting screen + seal is tricky. It needs to go in square and needs gentle even pressure all round to help it in.
I concentrated on the lower edge and pulling on the strimmer line seated the seal O.K. It helps to have help pushing gently outside the screen while I pulled on the line. Up the left side and the top bit went O.K. except my roof lining was dry and cracked under the old seal. I think I should have glued this bit first.
It all went a bit wrong on the right hand side. There was a large gap on this side especially at the top, so I had to slide the screen in the seal to get it to line up. A bit more pushing and shoving and it dropped in.
I then used the sealant gun around the edge on the outside.
What did take the time was cleaning off the screen of sealant fingerprints and excess sealant. Thanks for the hint on white spirit; this works well. This is probably why fitters tend to fit screens dry. It also makes them a lot easier to remove.
I even washed the car and so far so good. No screen leaks !
I used red rubber brake grease in the plastic chrome trim groove. This was no trouble and went straight in. I didn't need the special fitting tool I had bought. But I've dropped the finisher somewhere, so for now there is a gap.
Tony.