Likelihood of pulling a windshield from a car for reuse without breaking it Options

[Tdskip]

Good morning.

What do you think the odds are, if diligence is taken, of success will be removing a windshield for one car and getting it successfully in place on another?

Quite likely? Am I fooling myself about the billet he to do this?

[mepstein]

It’s more likely to work if it was an original windshield install with factory butyl tape. By now the tape would have dried out and the glass should pop out. If it was reinstalled with urethane, good luck.

[Krieger]

I did it! The car was in pick n pull. It had the original butyl seal. I slowly worked a piece of thin wire aroiund to separate the windshield from the semi dried butyl. I cleaned the old crud off and used new buty to install.

[brant]

I broke one trying...

and have heard a lot of others with the same broken experience

I'm going to bet 30/70, with the 70 being the likelihood of breaking it

[914forme]

Done it several times, only broke one. And that was when it slid off the table when I turned my back. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I used to use one of the draw knife type units. I now use one of the oscillating tools used to flush cut stuff. I noticed it was the same concept as the tool the pros use. Just add a bit of soap to the blade, thinner and narrower the blade the better. Takes no time to cut out a windshield set in tape.

Best of luck

[Tbrown4x4]

I believe anything with urethane will be tough to get out in one piece. I suppose a windshield with the butyl tape would be easier, but I've only replaced "modern" car glass.


The piano wire trick can be a pain, but does work. There is a seal cutter that you hold and pull along with a small T-handle. That can be hard to get started without chipping the edges.

I also have a long piece of aluminum with a utility knife blade that works best for me. My first one I made myself by flattening a piece of 1/2" conduit and trapping a blade in the end.


With these you cut the seal from inside the car

[Coastal6]

I broke one trying...

and have heard a lot of others with the same broken experience

I'm going to bet 30/70, with the 70 being the likelihood of breaking it

I put the odds at breaking at 50/50. You will either break it or you won’t.
Getting the aluminum trim off without bending it and wrinkling the anodized finish will be equally tough. Just take your time.

[Tom_T]

Paint & Body shops do glass R&R all the time for their work, but they're pros with the right equipment. If you're talking at a shop - or if you are/were a pro at a shop, then the chances are better.

Otherwise as an average person, it will depend on the butyl tape or urethane, your care & patience, & quality of the glass being removed - as others have said.

I'd guess remove the trim, get some thin steel or very strong lbs rating poly fishing line to cut it loose - better with 2, one inside & one outside, then slowly & carefully work your way around the edge. & use the suction type windshield puller to lift it out & place it at the new car.

This makes a good case for using old school butyl tape for an install, instead of the urethane, poly, silly-cone, or other gel type adhesive to seal in the glass - so you don't have to replace the windshield or other glass for any work.

Good Luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[Tdskip]

My goodness you guys are awesome.

Wonder if it makes sense to have a pro remote and reinstall?

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

if a younger windshield no problem, like old people windshields get old and brittle as they age. Therefore chances of getting an old one out are less

Good morning.

What do you think the odds are, if diligence is taken, of success will be removing a windshield for one car and getting it successfully in place on another?

Quite likely? Am I fooling myself about the billet he to do this?

[rhodyguy]

I'm prob a 25% success rate. First 3 broke at the corners. 4 time took a few days. Car sat in the summer sun to soften the mastic. Cedar wedges. Mind that I had to work IN the sun. The windshield is in the shed. Just old glass. New replacements are reasonable and seem to have good QC. I would never do it again. The value these days is salvaging the trim.

[mepstein]

The only one i've gotten out perfect, I sat on a box inside the car, put both feet up against the glass and gave it a push. Popped out with the trim. Gave the glass to Paul P and put the trim on a shelf.

I bought the car from the original owner and the glass and trim had never been out.

[raynekat]

I think if you are careful and have a good plan, high probability to get it out unbroken.
I used a thin guitar string to saw through the butyl.
Wrapped the string around some small pieces of wood, used some big ass gloves and worked my way around.
Window easily pushed out after that.
Clean up was the hardest part.
Good luck.

[bbrock]

I've also done it with a guitar string. The key seems to be making sure you cut around the entire perimeter of the butyl, don't apply too much pressure to one spot, and stay away from the corners when pushing out from the inside.

[shelby/914]

Good Luck. I think we got about 1 of 5, but if you are parting out the car might as well try. Then be careful with it. Don't set it where someone can then break it as soon as it's out of the car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

Danny

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

we have often seen the butyl tape so dry that the original windshield is loose in the windshield frame, makes removing very easy!

[wes]

Did it once with no success! I used the T handel piano-wire tool and a long utility razor blade type knife (probably not enough patience) and just at the very end she turned to many unuseable parts. If there is a next time I’ll just (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) !

[Larmo63]

Call Ruffino, he can do it.....

714 292-5811

[larryM]

time vs money

- i have b'ot 2 new 914 windshields in the last 60 days for $185 each

i've tried in the past to save old glass from cars i was junking & broke 2

agree on the old butyl - i had 2 that essentially just popped out ( most recent one cuz the installer used urethane over the old butyl & it didn't bond!)

another factor to consider carefully is that old glass is gonna have pitting etc - it won't be "like new"

one might[i] get lucky, but how much time are ya gonna invest in trying? and what's your hourly value?

[Beach914]

I've only attempted this one time and managed to get one out of a 76 chassis that I was parting out. I still have it in storage waiting to go in my 70.
If I recall it was a warm day, car sitting outside, and I used several narrow, flexible putty knives and very thin flexible strips of 1075 steel to wedge under the windshield as it lifted so it would not sit back in the butyl. It took an hour or so to do it.