Windshield rust repair or buy a new one?

I have the same issue, I cleaned it up, painted it 2 years ago. It looks awful when you flip the windshield but i doubt I'll spend any money on it as long as it remains structurally sound.

I'm thinking it is the location, right by the defroster vent which causes the problem by adding heat, a catalyst, to a damp, hidden area.

2 years later mine looks rusty again.

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Possibly a "dumb" question but apart from interior trim differences are all TJ window frames the same? Will early years fit later years and vice versa? I "think" they are but I've been wrong before. I'd hate to pick up a used one and find out that a bolt hole or whatever is off by a bit.
 
Possibly a "dumb" question but apart from interior trim differences are all TJ window frames the same? Will early years fit later years and vice versa? I "think" they are but I've been wrong before. I'd hate to pick up a used one and find out that a bolt hole or whatever is off by a bit.

The early and late trim pieces are different enough that I would recommend staying with was there originally.

The late trim requires slots along the header to clip into. There may also be other reasons why it won't work.

The early trim can be made to fit a late windshield frame after drilling several new holes, but the fatter roll bar padding interferes with the visor. I did this on mine for silly reasons. It isn't something a reasonable person should do.
 
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jjvw - Thanks for the reply. (y) I could probably live with either trim design. Just trying to make sure they bolt in the same.
 
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I tried shopping for a new frame, but the guys who used to make one in aluminium quit several years ago.

Sorry about the copy, I never intended to offend anyone.
Personally, I rate function over perfection.

I'm not offended at all. I'm glad you did copy it here.

Who was making the aluminum version? I've only seen them for the CJ.
 
jjvw - Thanks for the reply. (y) I could probably live with either trim design. Just trying to make sure they bolt in the same.

My '04 Rubicon is using a '97 windshield frame. It bolts up fine except as previously noted the interior trim pieces from the '04 don't work with the '07 frame. I have the smittybilt sport cage and can't use the trim pieces anyway. So for me no problem. the only part that I had to adapt was the wiring for the mirror and I just used a couple of zip ties and tied it off to convenient places (normally it would have been hidden behind / clipped into the slots of the '04 windshield frame). I did have to get the '97 visors and hardware as the '04 visors required the interior trim pieces.
 
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Possibly a "dumb" question but apart from interior trim differences are all TJ window frames the same? Will early years fit later years and vice versa? I "think" they are but I've been wrong before. I'd hate to pick up a used one and find out that a bolt hole or whatever is off by a bit.
I put an early model frame on a late model, without an issue. I used the late model trim and added the slots where necessary. Worked perfectly... Took me about 2 hours to add the necessary holes and slots.
 
$585 for a clean red OEM frame on eBay. $79 for the repair kit + time + paint.

To come around nearly full circle on this repair, the cost to replace the glass is $379.77. So my total cost to date on the windshield is $460. I hope my repair holds up to make it worth it. I've been looking for a red windshield with good glass ever since the one I mentioned on eBay and none have turned up.
 
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So the price point is close for sure. $125 in difference.

Yup. Had I known, I would have happily bought a clean frame for only $125 more and minimal work. Live and learn.

If you have the skill, tools, and glues to replace the glass, I'm sure you could do it cheaper, but I don't and I don't want to try and DIY it and have the glass fall out when I hit the first bump.
 
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Yup. Had I known, I would have happily bought a clean frame for only $125 more and minimal work. Live and learn.

If you have the skill, tools, and glues to replace the glass, I'm sure you could do it cheaper, but I don't and I don't want to try and DIY it and have the glass fall out when I hit the first bump.

I hear ya. And time equals money as well.

Would have been awesome if you could have found a red windshield frame too.
 
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I believe Most insurance will replace a windshield for very little money if you have comprehensive coverage which is cheap. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Therefore, couldn’t windshield glass be replaced/paid for by the insurance company?
 
My windshield frame is really bad and I have a replacement that’s a little bit better than toximus’s which I got for free. I wasn’t going to bother repairing it but after reading this thread, I may.
 
I believe Most insurance will replace a windshield for very little money if you have comprehensive coverage which is cheap. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Therefore, couldn’t windshield glass be replaced/paid for by the insurance company?

That's what I thought too, but it turns out that I'd have to pay my deductible.
 
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I can get a new windshield installed for $160.00 in Canada. My deductible is $500.00. I just accept $160.00 as a maintenance expense.... every 2?, 3? years.

I'd love to find a new frame... maybe rust free aluminium. But I do like toximus solution.
 
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To come around nearly full circle on this repair, the cost to replace the glass is $379.77.

Maybe the cost of living in my area is pretty low which makes customers really lucky, or businesses not so lucky, but I owned a glass company for a few years and the only time I saw a price like that was if Safelite tried to charge it and the customer passed then found us or if State Farm was offering that much.

IIRC, and I may be off a little bit but I think I charged about $225 on the TJs, and I only used the best Pilkington or PPG windshields and the best urethane I could get my hands on.

As for insurance in general, What they charge their customers and what they pay to get something fixed never seemed to have any rhyme or reason. Sometimes windshields didn't use a deductible, sometimes they did, and sometimes it depended on what type of insurance the customer bought more than what insurance company it came from. Stone chip repairs were even more mixed up.