Windshield gasket

Been watching some instructional videos. How in hell do they not tear new gasket with hook tool?! Considering replacing mine with one helper. May just have glass shop do it though. I got a new windshield also from LMC. Mine looks to be de-laminating some so I figure now is the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K652zEpZM8A

haha, I was going to ask if you saw the video of it being done in a junk yard. Then I opened the link.

They are pulling on that thing with what looks like a metal hook so hard! I feel like if I try that mine is going to rip lol.

The trick is lots of the foaming glass cleaner. It lubes the rubber and makes it slide much easier. I watched the guys put the 2 piece windshield in my 49 Dodge truck the other day. Those don't have the lock strip. You put the glass in the rubber, put a 3/16" thick multi strand cord into the slot that fits onto the pinch weld with the cord crossing each other at the center. One guy is inside pushing the glass and the other guy is outside pulling the cords a little at a time. Lots of foaming glass cleaner, and it slid right into place. It only took them about 30 minutes to install the windshield, and most of that was putting the glass in the rubber. It was pretty cool to watch.

A year or two ago a buddy and me tried to install a glass using a string, we got 6" into it and the string broke. Lessons learned? The string isn't string but a small diameter rope, and we didn't have anywhere enough lube on the rubber/glass (and we were using water rather then the foaming glass cleaner). Gene

buddy of mine restores classic and musclecars. that's how he installs windshields in the old cars. pretty slick.

That tool has a small ball on the end, not a point.

Hook tool, cotter key puller or radiator hose removal tool. It has a sharp point, the hook tool with a ball at the end is used for cleaning temper glass piece out of the run channel when you break a door glass. The rubber gasket is pretty tough, I would be far more concerned with you wedging the tool in there and breaking the glass. You allwise should be pulling away from the glass. Look up equalizer fiber stick. It is what I use. I usually reserve the hook tool for when things get tight/hard, but you have to be more careful that you don't break the glass.
They should have used a non hardening sealant between the gasket and body to prevent leaks. Foaming glass cleaning makes a good line. You can also push the lip of the gasket out from inside the truck as someone else works the edge up around the glass in tight areas.
My first windshield was a late 60's dodge truck with the high sharp top corners. Didn't know what I was doing , using screw drivers. I put so many chips(shells) in the edge. To this day I am still amazed I didn't break it.

Good luck.

better to leave it to the pros...

I've seen some vids of people using the string or cord.

Trying to find someone who's familiar with these older types ain't going to be easy around my area. I'm going to make a few calls, and if I'm not confident they know what they're doing, I'm going to give it a shot with my brother.

Thanks.

A lot of big trucks still use a rubber gasket. Anybody that installs auto glass should know how to install the glass with a rubber gasket, but some are more skilled at it then others. If your talking with a glass company that doesn't like to deal with the rubber, go find a different shop, they are trying to tell you they don't know what they are doing. My new glass guy guarantees a no leak with rubber gasket, the last shop wouldn't do such a thing, and nearly every window with a rubber gasket he did leaked. Gene

Sounds good Gene. Thank you. Larry

I agree 100% leave it to a pro installer. getting them out is easy, just cut the gasket on the out side and remove it. I talk with a glass man at the gas pump one day and 50$ each after work and had all 3 done at different times during the rebuild on the trucks.

good to know you got glass from LMC, hope they cover mid 80s trucks as well. I have a set of new gaskets but no glass.

I don't know what LMC charges for a windshield but any of the auto glass places can get a windshield for those trucks. They are pretty cheap too. There aren't a lot of places up here to get stuff like this done so even the Safelite guy said there would be no problem doing my two trucks. They had windshields in stock. They are the same from 72-93.