I'm thinking of going ahead and installing the glass in my cab. I'm curious about our host's replacement windshields, and backglass. I'm thinking the vintage glass of the early 1950's, was a bit thinner than modern safety glass. I'm wondering if any of you all have used the replacement glass, and did it pose any problems with install? I know installing the glass before overall cab painting means careful taping, but, also removes the hazard of a nasty slip and scratch. Thoughts? Comments? Steve.
I put the glass in after paint. I didn't have any problems dinging the paint on install. Here's my list of 'lessons learned'; Two people are required - one for inside and one for outside Use plenty of soapy water The Lisle tool for setting the locking strip is a must A couple of plastic lever bars that glass setters use are very useful (looks like a small tire iron made from a hard plastic that won't scratch glass or paint) A tool that looks like an awl but has a steel ball at the end is useful too for getting under the rubber without tearing it. Self Locking Rubber Gasket Locking Tool - Ball End The rope method sort-of works - most of the time though I just used a tool to get the rubber over the pinch weld. Getting the glass to seat takes many blows with the palm of your hand. There's a fine line between hitting it hard enough to seat the glass and breaking it. Precision Rubber has some videos up on youtube on installing glass in our trucks. (Precision had a booth at the last Goodguys and the rep there told me they made a lot of stuff for Steele Rubber Products. I consider Steele's products about the best you can buy) The guy helping me put the glass in had worked in a body shop that did big rigs, and he tells me that they commonly use this type of lock -strip rubber to set glass. You might look for a glass shop that does the big stuff for some help if you run amok.
FWIW - if you decide to paint the cab after you install the weatherstrip you can try this trick- Take a piece of wire that has a fairly significant cross section, say a #10 AWG, and stuff it under the weatherstrip to hold if up off the body. Tape off the weatherstrip and blow paint under it when you're shooting the truck. Once the paint is cured, remove the wire under the weatherstrip and it will look like you installed the glass after you painted. Taping isn't as fussy either and you can easily clean up any overspray that gets on the rubber.
Thanks for the tips, Phil. I need to order that Lisle tool you pictured. I have a cheaper version of it, that I've used in the past on my Kenworth's flat glass. The tip on pushing wire under the rubber is excellent, and I've never heard that before. I will probably use that method. I did "edge in", the pinch weld areas where the rubber strip seals in preparation for going ahead with the glass install. Thanks for the input! Steve.
