Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 16:38:29 -0700
Reply-To: Brian Sassone <bsassone@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brian Sassone <bsassone@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Windshield "How-To"
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Subject: Replacing Vanagon Windshield and/or Seal
Date: 7/18/2001
I just replaced my ’87 Vanagon windshield seal and thought some of you might
benefit from my experience. I tried finding a windshield “How-To” on the
net, but could only dredge up cryptic information on the “string trick”. I
hope this fills in the holes (and isn’t too long or boring!)
Identifying the Problem:
If you’re replacing your windshield because it is cracked or you’re sure
it’s leaking, ‘nuff said – skip the rest of this section. If you suspect
it’s leaking, but aren’t sure, you may first want to check the following:
First, look at the antenna gasket and seal. The body panel in this area is
thin and easily damaged by any abnormal downward rotational force on the
antenna. This can lead to leakage around the seal. You may want to remove
the antenna, straighten any bent body metal, and reinstall using silicon
sealer as a supplement to the antenna gasket. (Use a light penetrating oil
to help loosen the nut on the antenna – this thing always gets stuck due to
oxidation. If you ruin the old one, fear not, new antennas are relatively
cheap – around $15 last time I checked.)
Another potential source of leakage could be where the front-end wiring
(headlights, etc.) passes through the firewall on the driver’s side.
Remove the front grill and check the gaskets and reseal with silicon if
needed.
A few other tips:
 You might try a hose with a high pressure nozzle to help find the
source of leakage. This won’t really duplicate wind driven water at highway
speeds though, so keep that in mind.
 Remove the fuse block and/or glove box to get a better view up
under your dash to look for drips.
 If the window seal is hard or cracked, it needs replaced. It
should be pliable and relatively soft to the touch.
 Check the corners of the window by pressing in (moderate pressure)
from the outside - they should give minimally due to the flexibility of the
seal itself. However, if there is more movement here than anywhere else
around the seal, it means the seal is no longer seated properly in the
window frame and needs replaced.
Things you’ll need:
1. A new window seal. These can be found at www.gowesty.com as, I am sure,
other places. I am familiar with GoWesty and can recommend them as a
supplier. They sell two styles for the Vanagon vans: OEM style and Euro
style. The OEM style has an additional groove where the chrome strip is
installed. The Euro style does not. Since the chrome strips are usually no
longer chrome, and I don’t believe you get the new chrome strip with the OEM
style seal (call GoWesty to be sure), I would recommend going with the
cheaper Euro style seal.
2. A long piece of tough string. A multi-strand nylon is probably best,
although I used cotton without a problem.
3. Silicon sealer - black is probably best, although if you’re careful, you
won’t see any of it. Don’t use weather-strip adhesive!
4. Possibly some black spray enamel primer to touch-up the window frame if
damaged. Masking tape and old newspaper as well.
5. A putty knife, stiff wire brush, and utility knife.
6. Liquid soap as a lubricant.
7. Some blunt prying tools, like bicycle tire spoons.
8. Window cleaner.
9. Gloves.
Procedure:
-- Removing the windshield
If you have the OEM style seal, remove the chrome strip and using the groove
as a guide, slice through the seal, all the way around, with a utility
knife. The groove should put you right at the edge of the windshield. If
you have the seal without the chrome strip, slice in about 3/8” from the
inside edge of the seal. You don’t need to go too deep, maybe ¼” or so, but
don’t worry if you bury the knife either. Next, slice parallel to the
windshield (from inside to out) and perpendicular to your last cut,
intersecting that cut to remove a chunk of seal that will now expose the
whole edge of the windshield.
From the inside, gently push out on the windshield, a little at a time,
working your way around, to loosen it from the under-side of the seal.
Unless some bozo previously used a sealer or adhesive, this should require
little effort. If it is truly stuck, cut around the inside with the utility
knife as well. Another technique is to use a piece of piano wire, or an old
guitar string, to break the seal. Do this by threading it between
windshield and seal, inside to out, and with a helper working it around the
entire windshield. I would also highly recommend one or two helpers on the
outside to “catch” the windshield when it finally lets loose. Remember, the
Vanagon has no hood.
If you are reinstalling the same windshield, do not bend it unnecessarily -
it will not be rigid like a pane of glass, but flexible. Take special care
if you have any existing cracks or dings in the glass. Any flexing may
cause these to run or even ruin the glass. If you do have dings or cracks,
you really should replace the glass.
-- Preparing the seal surface
Remove the remainder of the old seal and examine the inside window frame.
If there was sealer applied, you should scrape this off with a putty knife.
If there is rust, you should scrape this with a stiff wire brush and remove
as much rust as possible. If it is really bad, consider having it sand
blasted. If it is rusted through, you have a bigger problem on your hands
and better go find a body work FAQ – I’m not prepared to get into that here!
You should leave a smooth surface free of any loose debris. Wipe the
surface with a tack cloth using paint thinner or similar. It doesn’t have to
be perfect, however, any bare metal should be painted to keep it from
rusting in the future. A flat black enamel primer is fine. Mask around the
outside edge so that you will not see any of the painted surface once the
new seal is installed.
-- Preparing the glass
First, clean the edge of the glass inside and out with a suitable cleaner.
Glass cleaner works fine, but make sure you get any of the old seal that has
stuck to the glass removed. You may have to use a razor blade or other type
of solvent (such as acetone) for this.
Once the glass is clean, install the new seal around the glass while it
still off the van. If you look at the seal closely, you will see two
grooves (OEM style has three). One groove will be obvious and on the smooth
part of the seal about in the middle – this is for the glass. The other
groove will be slightly hidden in the curved and ribbed side of the seal –
this is for the window frame. Lay the seal on a flat surface to find the
top. The seal should have corners and the top edge will be shorter than the
bottom. Install the seal around the windshield (a second person is helpful
here). A little bit of liquid soap will make the seal slide on the window
much easier, but will make a mess and make everything slippery if applied
too liberally. Using soap is also a good idea since later in the
installation you might need to slide the seal around a bit to get things
just right.
Finally, take a length of string twice the length around the windshield and
then some. Make a loop of this tying the two ends with a simple knot to
keep them together. You should now have a piece of doubled string that will
wrap around the outer edge of the seal leaving two tails: one that is the
loop point, and one that is the tied ends. Run this doubled string around
the seal inserting it in the groove that will mate with the window frame.
This groove is tight and should have no problem “eating” the string. Leave
the two tails at the bottom center of the windshield and (very importantly!)
overlap the two tails so that the loop starts to double back on itself. If
you do not do this, you will curse yourself when all but the middle 1” at
the bottom of the seal is seated in the window frame. Make sure your tails
are at least a foot long – you’ll be pulling on them quite hard and will
need the length to gain purchase.
-- Installing the windshield
Finally! If all goes well, this is the fun part. If not, you will be
cursing me, the windshield and all the gods at once. You might want to have
on hand a couple of blunt prying type objects like bicycle tire spoons in
case you do run into trouble. What also worked well for me is a foot long
piece of old flat curtain rod that I bent up 1” at the end like this:
_________| This was a very flat piece with the edges rolled over so it was
blunt, not sharp. Your mileage may vary.
First lay a thin bead of silicon sealer in the outside channel of the window
frame. It doesn’t have to be too thick, you don’t want it oozing out all
over the place when you install the windshield.
Now, with your helper (or helpers) position the windshield (with seal) over
the window frame making sure the string tails are on the inside. Center it
up and lay the bottom edge of the seal right up against the flange of the
window frame. Now, with you helper keeping the window tight up against the
frame, pick one of the doubled tails and pull outward. The string should
pull the inside of the seal over the flange. Before you get to far, work
the other side to make sure that you get all of the bottom edge of the seal
over the flange.
If you did not overlap the tails or let them come un-lapped, you will be
left with about a 1” part of seal right in the middle that is not yet over
the flange. Do not continue until you have either fixed this or have
decided to start over! Otherwise you’ll be out buying another seal and
trying again. To fix without starting over, get creative with your blunt
prying objects being careful not to cut the seal, break the glass, or mar
the inside of you dash board. To start over, lift the windshield out, reset
the string, reapply a bead of sealer and give it another try. If you are
really stubborn and continue with the seal all the way around, then later
cannot fix the part that is stuck, you will be left with a completely
non-functional seal as the window will not seat properly in the channel.
You must now cut out the seal and start from the beginning.
Assuming everything is fine, pull the string to seat the bottom edge of the
seal and about an inch or two up each side of the window. Now, from the
outside with your helper, make sure the window seats down into the channel
my pulling straight down on the top edge of the glass with a steady even
pull. Be careful not to lean against the windshield or you may crack the
glass. You’ll know you’ve seated the bottom edge if the top of the seal
looks like it will fit into the frame without too much overlap. You can and
probably should reseat the bottom edge as you work your way up with the
string, but it will get harder and harder as more and more of the seal is
set into place.
Continue pulling the string - a little on this side, a little on that side –
working the seal over the flange all the way around the windshield. When
you get to the middle of the top, you’ll have to grab both tails at once and
pull, but make sure you don’t pull the string out without seating the last
bit of seal. Go slow and steady all the way. If the seal isn’t lining up
or looks like it will not come in over the flange, stop and either reseat
the window downwards or apply moderate pressure from the outside to allow
the seal to work its way in. If you get impatient and pull the string out
of the groove without the seal overlapping the flange, you’re in the same
boat as before and will have to either so some creative prying or start
over.
-- Final adjustments
To insure the window is properly seated, check for flex at the corners by
applying moderate pressure from the outside especially at the bottom. If
the window is not seated properly, you will be seeing movement more than the
seal would normally allow which means the seal is not in contact with the
window frame. This will most likely occur at the bottom corners and is
fixed by standing up inside the van and applying moderate downward pressure
along the length of the seal trying to push it gradually down along the
frame and window to seat in the corner. You may have to repeat this
massaging a number of times to get it in there. If the seal is not
cooperating it may be tucked under along the bottom edge or corners; use a
blunt prying object to pop it out and massage some more. Also, help the
glass along by clamping it with your hands inside and out and pushing it
down into the corner. Be careful not to put apply too much or uneven
pressure that might break the glass. This is where having used a liquid soap
lubricant will allow the seal and window to slide if necessary to give a
good final fit.
Once the window is properly seated, and there is no more movement in the
bottom corners, you are done. For a bit more insurance against leaks in the
troublesome bottom corners, you may want to apply another bead of silicon
under the outside edge here by lifting the seal while squirting it in.
Happy motoring.
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