I am going to install my windshield today and want to know the best stuff to seal the rubber gasket to the windshield frame and do I seal the glass to the rubber?
I just reinstalled mine after painting the car. I used the black windshield sealer in a squeeze tube, I got at NAPA, Works great. As far as sealing the glass to the rubber, what kind of car. Most full surround rubber does not have to be glued to the glass. Mine only has a rubber seal at the bottom of the glass, the rest is glued into a channel, so I glued the rubber to the bottom of the glass to ensure it stays put.
do i put it on both sides of the gasket I.E glass to rubber and rubber to metal frame? or just one side?
On my plymouth I glued my glass into the gasket (including the center strip) and taped it as tight as I could and let it set for a couple of days, then I used the string method to install it in the car. After it was in I pulled back the outer lip of the gasket and ran a small bead of sealer at the bottom of the gasket channel. Then I installed the inner garnish that held it tight against the body. Never had a leak.
Whats the car? As an autoglazier for 20 odd years i have had to use the products supplied by who i worked for. Arbomast is good but dries over time and will make a rubber go lumpy and cause high/low spots. Silicone will last but if you have to remove it the rubber and body will be a pain to clean big time. Many times needing a new rubber. Sikaflex or similar is actually used to bond a screen in and although i've seen it used to seal i wouldn't as it will have the same effect as silicone but 10 times worse.On a rubber glazed job its best used to join or back fill joints as it blends better than silicone and will go matt. Myself, on every one of my own cars i've only ever used one thing and thats normal grease. Yep cheapo grease!!! Messy to use but never, ever had an issue with it and never had a leak on any car. Fairly simple to use as well. Some glass may be strung in, some need the rubber on the body first, screen set into the rubber and trims added. Some use a bit of both and some is individual to the car, many ways to skin a cat. Either way you are looking to get some grease behind the rubber lip and between the glass and rubber. Just grab a cheap 1/4" brush and apply a good amount whilst setting the glass up. Tape up to where the rubber would finish on the outer bodywork and also apply some direct to the aperture and surrounding paint, a fair bit as well. Also tape up/cover/remove interior panels on the inside by the screen to stop getting grease marks on them. Fit the glass and wipe off any excess, job done! What this gives you is a wet seal. It's flexible, won't dry or go lumpy, not affected by heat or cold, won't affect paintwork and will help keep the aperture from rotting. It also helps keep the rubber in good shape. If you need to remove the glass in the future it may be a little messy but fairly easy to clean up with the bodywork and rubber just needing a wipe over. No need to scrape bodywork and damage paint and the rubber can be re-used. I'm a Master glazier by trade and this was shown to me many years ago. I worked for the biggest company in the world, here in the UK, Oz, in europe and as it wasn't a reconised product with control measures, datasheets etc etc i had to use their crap and got a telling off if i used it, even though it always worked. If your fitment allows it this is the way i'd go. No doudt some may disagree which is fine but hand on heart i've never had a single issue with fitting a glass this way. Also helps when using non original/new rubbers that make a screen tight to fit. If you rope it up with joins top, bottom and sides and pull the glass in bit by bit on each side you won't be battling to fit it and the grease will help it slip in. Also helps when fitting a screen into a rubber or a trim into a rubber whilst using a plastic fitting tool (chicken stick). A bit of grease on the rubber so it's not dry and you're less likely to nick the rubber and tear it. It it also good when glazing a frame and using glazing tape, a smear onto the frame and it will push together alot easier and easily cleaned when you trim off the glazing rubber once the frame is together. again does help keep rot out of the frame. End off the day who wants to use a dry rubber PM me if i can i help though not up on alot of US stuff. Happy to help though
Thanks, about 3 years worth of trial and error. Sounds like gasolinescream is the guy to listen to, wish I had his knowledge when I was doing mine.
In my Autoglass days I used Essex primerless urethane. PPG Autoglass suppliers and Businesses that use PPG should have some in stock. I never had a leaking problem using this product.
The Jalopy Journal
