Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:46:04 -0400
Reply-To: Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@MAC.COM>
Subject: New Front Windshield Installed today
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
So my front windshield was broken by my mechanic by accident so he
replaced it today. It was done by Safelite.
The installer was very professional, unlike the last install I had
over a year ago for the same front glass. I block of Ice hit the van
while moving at 40 mph. Made a nice crack in it. A little over a year
ago the installer came in the rain and just pulled it out and slapped
the other one in. There after I kept getting rain in the van. It never
occurred to me that it was due to a bad seal. But in the end it was!
Here is the order ( I believe) by which he did the work. I took photos
with the iphone which you can see at this address.
http://gallery.me.com/rmstewart#100080
They are not great but will give you the idea.
(this may not be the order by which he did it but...)
1. He removed the glass.
2. Prepped the area by scraping it, removing some very very minor
rust, then cleaned it,
3. treated the rust with an inhibitor to neutralize it.
4. He then sealed it with a black primer paint. Let it dry for several
minutes.
5. Installed the BusDepot Seal I bought as last year I used there seal
and it was clearly inferior allowing water to leak in on the passenger
side causing a rust spot on the passenger door!
(it was clear that the European seal was better due to the longer,
greater quantity of rubber fins within the seal as well as the width
of the seal edge was better.)
6. He installed the window in 5 minutes with the rope technique. By
first spraying a glass cleaner it looked like on the frame edge before
placing the window in place.
7. Once it was in place, he let is set and pressed all the edges evenly.
8. He then used a Black Urethane and special plastic tool to open the
lip edge and squirt this 200 degree Urethane into the seam edge 360
degrees around the complete rubber seal.
9. Pressed the Rubber all around the edges to level out and force a
tight bond between the seal and metal frame. Cleaning it as he went.
10. Cleaned the rubber edge, the front and interior glass.
11. Moved the inspection and registration sticker and placed where
they needed to be.
Note he said never, every use vaseline or silicone on rubber
components. He said the Silicone will dry the rubber out and eat away
at rubber!!!! Not sure how true it is but I would believe him as he
does it for a living. He told me the one thing he will use to maintain
the rubber is something called Window Rubber Dressing.
He suggested a website called www.Somaca.com for information and
products relating to glass and sealants.
It then sends you to: http://www.crlaurence.com/
Here is the page for the automotive supplies.
http://www.crlaurence.com/adv/autoproducts/index.html
Robert
Bloomingburg NY
