Windshield

Technical Information and Restoration Parts for the 928

Windshield Removal and Replacement

The windshield on the 928 is glued in place. It is generally assumed that glued in windshields cannot be easily removed without breaking. We have had very good luck removing 928 windshields. It just takes the right tools and a little patience.

Tools - The easiest and quickest way to cut the sealant is with a vibrating saw. The manual shows a special tool and a hook blade. The special tool is really a German made Fein Corner Sander. This is a great tool for wood working and operation in tight places. One of the many accessories available is a half saw blade. Because the sander works with vibrations it is almost impossible to cut yourself with the blade. The small blade will cut the top and sides but is not long enough to reach the bottom. For this I created a longer blade from a kitchen spatula.

In addition to the sander / saw, it helps to have some wedges to use as separators, a utility knife and a few picks. The Fein is an expensive unit but there are now a number of companies making corner sanders that could be adapted to the job.

Trim - Before removing the windshield the window trim has to be removed. If the car does not have factory paint then it is a good idea to use a utility knife to cut any paint to trim contact before removing the trim. A little heat or solvent carefully applied helps soften the pint and insures getting a clean cut.

	Side Trim - The side trim is held on with four plastic clips that attach to the a metal track. The trim can usually be removed by tapping the edge away from the windshield with a block of hard wood and a hammer. Sometimes the trim is glued in place and it is necessary to destroy the trim when removing it.
	Top Trim - The top trim is held in place by spring clips attached to the roof panel. The clips fit into a grove in the trim. To remove the trim has to be pried up and away from the glass. There are a few methods to do this. In the most severe case a body slide hammer with a hook can be used to pull the trim away. A rag under the putty knife can be used to protest the paint on the roof. Push the putty knife under the top of the trim and pry up. A metal shield can be placed directly on the windshield and the trim pried up from underneath. Caution is advised as the paint can easily be chipped, the trim bent or even the windshield cracked.
	Bottom Trim - The bottom trim is really a panel that unbolts. Remove the windshield wiper arms. Remove the two Phillips head screws at each corner of the panel. Open the hood and remove the top fender bolts on either side. The panel lifts up and off. There is a rubber gasket between the panel and windshield. If the windshield has an embedded antenna unplug the connector from the socket on the lower bottom of the passenger's side. Putting a piece of tape on the lead is a good way to keep it out of the way.

Removal - Once the trim is off it is just a matter of cutting the old glue-in gasket and pushing the windshield out. Before starting work on the inside use an utility knife to cut around the outside edge of the glass. Be careful in the area of the embedded antenna not to damage the connecting wire.

Move to the inside and start at a top corner and work towards the middle - either with the saw, a very sharp hot knife or a pick. The material that holds in the windshield is very sticky and will reattach itself shortly after it is cut. To prevent this use thin plastic shims from the hardware store to keep the material separated. (The ones I have are made for installing Pergo flooring and have two thickness and can be stacked) Once a three to six inch area is cut free install a shim in the gap to keep the windshield separated from the frame. By gently pushing on the inside of the glass you can tell how free it is and adjust the number of shims as necessary.

When cutting with the saw the design of the blade prevents it from cutting into the metal. However be very careful in the area of the VIN tag. The best way to avoid damaging the tag is to bend it back out of the way.

Once the windshield is cut free from the top and sides, push gently out and install more shims to separate it from the body. Again use caution not to assert too much pressure. With a longer blade cut away the glue from the lower two corners of the windshield and run a knife blade along the center bottom. At this point the windshield should be pretty loose. Push out at the top an inch or so and keep running the knife along the bottom cutting deeper into the glue. Eventually as you move the windshield out from the top and cut away at the bottom enough glue will be cut to allow the windshield to come all the way out.

Installation

Preparation - It is extremely importantly to start with a very clean surface. A little dust on the windshield or window frame can act as a conduit for water. The edge of the windshield has a black painted band. Scraped any old glue off with a razor blade and then wash the area with a little acetone.

The frame should also be cleaned up, but a little of left over glue does not hurt. The lower portion of the window frame has two rubber stops. These are essential and separate the bottom of the glass from the frame. If the rubber stops are not used the windshield will drift down and contact the frame of the car and eventually crack. The bottom of the rubber stop has a tab that fits into the window frame.

Installation Kit - Most body shop supply houses sell an installation kit made by 3M. The kit is really a roll of very sticky rubber rope with a paper backing. The kits come in a quarter, five sixteenths and three eights inch wide strips. The five sixteenths wide kit seems to work best.

After the frame is clean unroll the installation kit onto the edge of the frame taking care to keep it even and straight from the edge. The glue should be centered on the edge with an even space between the two edges of the lip. It is best to join the ends of kit at the bottom of the windshield to prevent leaks from the seam between the two ends. After the glue is centered and in place remove the paper. DO NOT remove the paper before installing the kit. The rubber rope is very easy to stretch causing thin places that will not seal.

Setting the Windshield - Once the glue has been installed on the frame the next step is to simply center the windshield in the window frame and seat it in place. The glue is very sticky so it is important to have the windshield properly centered before it touches the glue. This is a place where the spacers can be put to used to help center the windshield. Place spacers around the windshield frame and set the windshield in place. This is best accomplished with two people. Once the windshield is in its proper place slide the spacers out and press the windshield in place by gently pushing down around the edges.

Sealing and Water Testing. The installation kit should provide a good seal, but to improve on the seal 3M makes a companion sealant in a tube that fits a standard caulking gun. Run a bead of sealant around the outside edge of the windshield. When the sealant has set water test the windshield with a hose to insure there are no leaks. If the windshield has an embedded antenna plug the connector into the socket before installing the trim.

Installing the Trim - Probably the most time consuming part of the whole job is installing the trim. While the trim is off the car it is worth the time to refresh the finish. SEM makes a trim paint that does an excellent job - the OEM original black looks the best.

	The lower trim installs pretty much the same as it came off. A little sealer under the two hood bolts helps seat the trim and eliminates squeaks.
	The side trim is held on with four plastic clips. The clips push on over the rail lining up with the four holes in the rails. The trim then slides over the clips. There is a small plastic foot that inserts into the bottom of the trim piece. A little of the same window glue will keep the foot in place. A plastic hammer and a block of wood covered with a rag helps in seating the trim.
	The upper trim snaps in place on the spring clips. Before installing put on the two slide clips on the ends and push them up to clear the connection to the side trim. It is also a good idea to pre-fit the trim to the contour of the windshield. The upper trim is made of aluminum and can be bent gently to fit. Once lined up use a rubber hammer and a rag to seat the trim even with the roof.
	The joining pieces just slide down over the side trim. Since it is common for these to come loose and fall off use a little super glue to hold them in place.