Junkyard Window Glass Install

[marshallnoise]

My e34 has rear glass that sucks. I went to the junk yard and pulled a great condition window glass for $40. I have the old one almost completely out ready to prep and install.

That being said, I know having it installed professionally would be a good thing. Thing is, I have called around about 10 different shops and most want $70 to $140 to throw it in. This surprises the hell out of me considering my 4Runner had a brand new windshield installed for $190.

So, my fellow r3v friends, should I quit being a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles and pay an installer or should I try and install this myself? If install myself, what adhesive should I use? Any alternative beyond 3M Windoweld?

[Matt-B]

3 things I don't do or mess with. Window installs, alignments, and tire mounting etc.

If you break window, your back where you started

[Kershaw]

That's 1-2 hours of labor. Not surprising at all.

[varg]

It's a pain in the ass, especially for a first-timer. Pay the $70 ye cheap bastid

[TobyB]

E34's the same as an E36?
No probs, just get the butyl adhesive roll (3/8") from the auto body place,
stick that puppy in there, and be happy.

getting the bad one OUT is the biyootch. Scraping all that adhesive... bleh.

Do make sure you have the spacers that keep it in place.
Otherwise, it no worky so well...

t

[rcsoundn1]

My windshield literlay fell out of my early 90s prelude. I cleaned the glass, cleaned the window gutter, laid down the correct glue, and with a friend dropped it in. But that was a relude.

[marshallnoise]

E34's the same as an E36?
No probs, just get the butyl adhesive roll (3/8") from the auto body place,
stick that puppy in there, and be happy.

getting the bad one OUT is the biyootch. Scraping all that adhesive... bleh.

Do make sure you have the spacers that keep it in place.
Otherwise, it no worky so well...

t

I am not ignoring everyone else, but this post looks like it will make easy work of the job. My biggest concern was getting the height of the liquid sealer correct when laying it down. Using this tape may make the job easier!

The good news is that most all of the rear window is cut out. I have about 8 inches left to cut along the top. Then I gotta prep it. If I bark it up, then I will use some JASCO to get it primed.

Thanks for the help fellas. I will take pics of the process and put it in this thread.

EDIT: So the ribbon sealer is butyl and not urethane. I am going to try the urethane stuff and see how it goes. Searching the web for e36 installs yields more results.

[TobyB]

If it IS the same as the E36, there are a few rubber parts that act as spacers to hold the glass
in place. Then the adhesive smushes down until the glass hits the spacers, and you're done.
The E36 uses the surround to align the glass to the body, so as I recall, I needed
3 or 4 pieces of that (all unique) to get the back glass in.

I looked at urethane in a tube, and thought that if I broke the glass in the process, it'd
suck to clean up. But I was being pessimistic- it'd be pretty hard to break it on install.

hth
t

[marshallnoise]

I wound up going to a shop and asking them in person with all the supplies in front of me. It was only $60 and I got to help from beginning to end. I figure I am trained enough now to do my windshield when I find a good one.

[Blackthorn]

Dude try it, the materials are pretty cheap and if you screw it up call in the professionals. Just dont break your glass!!!!

[TobyB]

Did it use rubber baby buggy bumpers to align it?

How'd they glue it in? Tape or tube? Dear God, man, we need details!

hee

t