Am I going crazy? Windshield moulding issue

[doktormane]

Hi Guys,

I recently tried to put a new windshield in my 2003 TJ and I failed miserably. All was going well at first, I started by putting the exterior moulding on the glass and after cleaning and priming the windshield frame, I applied the urethane, and then, using two suction cups, my wife and I gently lowered the windshield in place and this is where it all goes wrong. The exterior moulding was too stiff and wouldn't allow the glass to seat properly. It prevented the windshield from making contact with the urethane on the frame. Because I bought a non-Mopar moulding I thought that this was the issue, as the original one was much softer than the one I bought. However, I have just received a parcel from the US ( I'm from the UK) and the original Mopar moulding is just as stiff as the Crown one I originally got. What??

 

[doktormane]

Does anybody have any experience with this?

 

[Tray Burge]

Yes, I just had Safelite come to my house and replace the whole shebang for $365.00. Sounds like you fucked up by being cheap and attempting something you had no idea in what you were doing. Just bite the bullet and call a mobile service and get it done correctly. Came out perfect.

 

[Chris]

@toximus might have some experience installing windshields. My gut tells me he's done it once or twice before.

 

[doktormane]

Yes, I just had Safelite come to my house and replace the whole shebang for $365.00. Sounds like you fucked up by being cheap and attempting something you had no idea in what you were doing. Just bite the bullet and call a mobile service and get it done correctly. Came out perfect.

I will pay a company to do it for me but they might run into the same problem as TJs are really uncommon here.

 

[Tray Burge]

I will pay a company to do it for me but they might run into the same problem as TJs are really uncommon here.

Yes, but it's on them to make it perfect now before they get paid. That's how I looked at it, they'll know what to do. Good luck from across the big pond..

 

[doktormane]

@toximus might have some experience installing windshields. My gut tells me he's done it once or twice before.

Thanks. This whole issue is making my brain itch. I just don't understand what I did wrong. In the videos I saw on Youtube, the windshield with the outside moulding on it just drops in place.

 

[Tray Burge]

Thanks. This whole issue is making my brain itch. I just don't understand what I did wrong. In the videos I saw on Youtube, the windshield with the outside moulding on it just drops in place.

I actually helped the guy at my house when he did mine and it did! He put the rubber trim on the outer edge of the windscreen (one of your words lol) then laid the sealant on the window frame and we lowered it down and it went right into place.
Hey, it just occurred to me, he went around the frame first and cut away all the old rubber sealant.

 

[Chris]

Thanks. This whole issue is making my brain itch. I just don't understand what I did wrong. In the videos I saw on Youtube, the windshield with the outside moulding on it just drops in place.

I mean you're braver than I am. Installing a windshield is one thing I wouldn't have attempted myself

 

[doktormane]

I did all of that. I cleaned the old sealant, I applied the primer, I put the rubber garnish on the edge of the glass. It is that damn rubber moulding that was keeping the windscreen from making contact with the sealant. Does it need to be softened?

I actually helped the guy at my house when he did mine and it did! He put the rubber trim on the outer edge of the windscreen (one of your words lol) then laid the sealant on the window frame and we lowered it down and it went right into place.
Hey, it just occurred to me, he went around the frame first and cut away all the old rubber sealant.

 

[doktormane]

I did all of that. I cleaned the old sealant, I applied the primer, I put the rubber garnish on the edge of the glass. It is that damn rubber moulding that was keeping the windscreen from making contact with the sealant. Does it need to be softened?

I actually helped the guy at my house when he did mine and it did! He put the rubber trim on the outer edge of the windscreen (one of your words lol) then laid the sealant on the window frame and we lowered it down and it went right into place.
Hey, it just occurred to me, he went around the frame first and cut away all the old rubber sealant.

I mean you're braver than I am. Installing a windshield is one thing I wouldn't have attempted myself

It looked so easy in the Youtube video!

 

[Andy-WhiteTJ]

It always looks easier on video. As a matter of fact, things always seems easier in my mind until I actually start working on it. That's why when I give an estimate to my wife of time it will take to do a project, she always doubles it. LOL.

 

[Chris]

It looked so easy in the Youtube video!

It always does

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

So many Jeep windshields are the easiest for anyone to install because they are so flat.

The main thing to do is try to set the windshield with the moulding in place BEFORE you lay the bead of urethane. If it fits nice it's ready to go. If it doesn't something needs done.

Regardless of what brand the moulding is, if it's too stiff to set the windshield correctly it needs to be warmed up. DON"T put it in a bucket of hot water. That will soften it up but water can cause other issues with how it seals.

The best way I used to do it when working outside in the middle of winter was to lay it on the dashbaord and run the defrosters on my way to the job.

If the wife doesn't want it on her dashboard another way but more work is cut a hole in a cardboard box. Put the moulding in the box and aim a heat gun though that hole (hair dryer will work but slower) and turn it on. Just make sure there's enough of a space between the heat gun and the moulding to not melt it down.

However you warm up the moulding it will also help to have the windshield in the house if you're not doing this in a heated garage. Semi warm glass won't cool the moulding down as fast. You don't want to waste too much time and lose heat so when you're ready to lay that bead of urethane cut the tip(s), set down all the urethane and go put the suction cups then the warm, soft moulding on the windshield. Go back to the Jeep and lay that bead. Go back to the windshield and be sure to double check the suction cups are still tight. If they are still tight go set that windshield. If not tight, lose as little time as possible re tightening them, take that windshield to the Jeep and set it in place.

FWIW, there are at least a dozen different kinds of moulding that could be used. I imagine that what you have would look like a lower case "h" where the bottom "legs" fit over the glass while the taller "side" covers the gap between the glass and the frame. I only mention this because I don't know what was on your Jeep if someone has done the last windshield.

The other thing I'll say is that you want the urethane bead to be pointed "up" and not round. The pointed area will be the first to touch the glass and it will spread wider as you push the glass into the frame. It makes a better seal and holds the glass much tighter

You get that "point" by cutting a V on the side of the tip. In this picture the cut Vs are the cut Vs. The optimum contact on the left is because the round hole was originally cut very close to a 90 degree angle to the whole urethane tube. I have no idea what they're trying to show us in the far right picture. That's not even a decent drawing of what they're calling it.

EDIT: Now that I just re read all that, I'll add that you may want to put all the urethane stuff on hold and test out the softened moulding to be sure it's going to fit. If it does fit, go back to however you were heating it and continue from there.

 

[toximus]

My windshield came from Safelite with the molding and mirror mount already attached.

 

[doktormane]

So many Jeep windshields are the easiest for anyone to install because they are so flat.

The main thing to do is try to set the windshield with the moulding in place BEFORE you lay the bead of urethane. If it fits nice it's ready to go. If it doesn't something needs done.

Regardless of what brand the moulding is, if it's too stiff to set the windshield correctly it needs to be warmed up. DON"T put it in a bucket of hot water. That will soften it up but water can cause other issues with how it seals.

The best way I used to do it when working outside in the middle of winter was to lay it on the dashbaord and run the defrosters on my way to the job.

If the wife doesn't want it on her dashboard another way but more work is cut a hole in a cardboard box. Put the moulding in the box and aim a heat gun though that hole (hair dryer will work but slower) and turn it on. Just make sure there's enough of a space between the heat gun and the moulding to not melt it down.

However you warm up the moulding it will also help to have the windshield in the house if you're not doing this in a heated garage. Semi warm glass won't cool the moulding down as fast. You don't want to waste too much time and lose heat so when you're ready to lay that bead of urethane cut the tip(s), set down all the urethane and go put the suction cups then the warm, soft moulding on the windshield. Go back to the Jeep and lay that bead. Go back to the windshield and be sure to double check the suction cups are still tight. If they are still tight go set that windshield. If not tight, lose as little time as possible re tightening them, take that windshield to the Jeep and set it in place.

FWIW, there are at least a dozen different kinds of moulding that could be used. I imagine that what you have would look like a lower case "h" where the bottom "legs" fit over the glass while the taller "side" covers the gap between the glass and the frame. I only mention this because I don't know what was on your Jeep if someone has done the last windshield.

The other thing I'll say is that you want the urethane bead to be pointed "up" and not round. The pointed area will be the first to touch the glass and it will spread wider as you push the glass into the frame. It makes a better seal and holds the glass much tighter
View attachment 231075

You get that "point" by cutting a V on the side of the tip. In this picture the cut Vs are the cut Vs. The optimum contact on the left is because the round hole was originally cut very close to a 90 degree angle to the whole urethane tube. I have no idea what they're trying to show us in the far right picture. That's not even a decent drawing of what they're calling it.
View attachment 231076


EDIT: Now that I just re read all that, I'll add that you may want to put all the urethane stuff on hold and test out the softened moulding to be sure it's going to fit. If it does fit, go back to however you were heating it and continue from there.

Wow, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to write this. It is exactly what I was looking for. I just needed to know how much I fucked up.

Yes, the moulding causing me headaches is the one that looks like a lower case h and the non-genuine one that I tried to use was so stiff that it wouldn't even go around the windshield as one continuous loop. Once I managed to get it on there, it's the lip that is meant to cover the gap between the edge of the glass and the windshield frame that was not allowing the glass to be pushed inwards enough for it to make contact with the sealant. Because I was doing this in a storage bay at work and it was getting late, I took off the moulding and set the glass without it because I needed to go home. Luckily, I keep the car in an underground car park close to where I live so it doesn't get rained on.

In any case, I will just pay a professional to do this for me next time. Lesson learned