windshield install question

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justin hughes

justin hughes

Miss my car
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talked to a guy yesterday who has done auto restorations as a buisiness and is now retired from it. i asked him if he would be willing to come over and help me install my windshield. after looking at my valiant he said he would. i showed him my tubes of sealer and asked him if i should get more, he said i dont need it. hmm? everywhere i read said to use sealer, he said he would use a rope to seat the seal and he has done alot of them and never had one complaint about a leak. when i spoke to a man at a local glass shop a few months back he said i would need about 3 warm days in a row (mind you i do have a garage) he also said i would need sealant. no one else will come to the house and this guy is very confident in his skills. he seems very professional also. do i not need sealer or do i?
 
The factory used a sealant then and it is still used today where there isn't a gasket. Sealant is a insurance type extra effort to prevent a leak. Using it wouldn't cause a leak. Then again using sealant when pulling the glass in with a rope will make a freaking mess.

The one statement in the factory service manual that is most often ignored is check the fence and correct any bends.Make sure it is straight as possible.
Did this guy notice there isn't a fence along the bottom of your window bed. There's only a few small tangs so sealant would be mandatory there even if omitted everywhere else.
 
thanks , i will point the bottom out to him , he just did a quick look because he was actually there to tow my van to the shop.
 
Many older seals for windshields and back glass for that matter do not use a sealant when being installed. If it is a rubber seal that fits around the glass and is the type that can be installed with a rope there is no need for sealant. I've done a lot of them that way and never had a leak yet. There could be a case made for the condition of the "fence" or frame around the windshield opening. If there are dents or corrosion damage then you may want to consider using some sealer but like has been said it will make a friggin mess. My 2 cents
 
Went through this same senario with my 68 Barracuda, the glass people were adamant that the weatherstrip and glass required no sealant whatsoever. They installed it and the car had major window leaks, the glass had to be removed and reinstalled using butyl.
 
My service manual for my 68 Barracuda says to use sealer on the flange and glass groove on the windshield and back glass.
 
i did some auto glass back in the day. two things i remembered was that on gasket set glass, sealer was just insurance, not mandatory. the second was that if you use sealer, only use it on the top and sides. if used on the bottom it will trap water and, you guessed it, cause rust.
mostly, we only used it as insurance in the corners where the pinch welds were a little rough.
 
so many different opinions on here as well as around town, im guessing it just will boil down to common sense taking all these tips into consideration. thanks for all your input.
 
justin hughes said:
so many different opinions on here as well as around town, im guessing it just will boil down to common sense taking all these tips into consideration. thanks for all your input.
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I would have to say that it depends on the condition of the frame around the opening where the seal goes. I mean if it is in really good condition (no rust pitting, rust outs, dents, other damage) then the seal should not need sealer. I always make sure to repair any damage before I set a glass in using a rubber seal and rope. By the way, I'm sure the guy doing it knows this, but I always use dish soap as a lubricant on the rope so it slides off the seal easy and doesn't tear the seal especially in the corners. Then when you're done it washes off with water.
 
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