How To Replace Your Car Windshield

If your windshield has gota crack, it is summoning danger. Before it spreads and causes a bigger accident, it is necessary to replace it. As the windshield plays almost the role of your eyes when you drive, it can’t be neglected under any circumstances.

 

It is always recommendable to get it done from a collision shop, but if you are confident enough to try out yourself, here are the guidelines to follow:

Removing the Old Windshield

To replace your windshield, the first thing you need to do is removing the existing one. Here’s how you can do this:

• Remove all the traces of plastic moldings from the windshield. Remove if there are clips holding the molding as they arequite expensive, and rare to find.
• Observe and find out the best angle that can separate the windshield from the pinch-weld. It is recommended to do this with the help of a cold knife or razor.
• Cut off the strong and flexible polymer-based adhesive urethane in the same process.
• now you are ready to remove the windshield from its slot and gently push the glass away from the pinch-weld.

Preparing the Pinch-weld

After you have removed your old windshield, you need to prepare the ground for the new one, which is called the pinch-weld. Here’s how to prepare for a clean Pinch-weld

• Clean the pinch-weld thoroughly to remove any dust particles or other kind of deposits and reduce the adhesive deposits of the urethane and the windshield.
• Trim down the urethane to a measurement of 3/16” or about 3 mm.
• Tape off the entire area pinch-weld protecting the inner part of the vehicle using a tape and sheets of plastic or paper to prevent the primer from spreading on anything other than the bare metal.
• Apply theprimer covering the entire bare metal by spraying thin and even coats of primer thrice.

Install the New Windshield

Once the Pinch-weld is ready, now here are the required steps to install a new windshield to the car:

• Apply the primer to the frit band too which is the black band you see around the perimeter of the windshield.
• Now Apply the urethane with the help of an electric caulking gun. Make sure to use a clean and old urethane.
• To install the windshield properly, align the top, bottom and the sides carefully. Start with setting the windshield from the top of the pinch-weld. Watch out thatyou don’t accidentally touch the frit band to keep it away from skin contamination.
• Once done,allow some time for the urethane to set. Do not plan to drive before the urethane has completely set as that could behighly dangerous.

Changing the Windshield Gasket

The final stage of replacing the windshield is changing the windshield gasket. Follow these steps to replace it perfectly, especially if you are not visiting a collision repair shop.

• Place one end of this new gasket into the groove.
• Check on the perimeter of the windshield and make fit snugly into the groove from all sides.
• Replace the trim on along the perimeter of the windshield.

The Bottom Line

These are the basic steps to replace the windshield of your car. Make sure to have a helping hand to execute this work as it requires lot of precision jobs that is quite time-consuming.