How to mount the windscreen glass into the frame?

[jedwards]

Gentlemen,
I have spend three frustrating days trying to get the two windscreen panes into the frame neatly. I thought I had it beat, when I found the 17mm x 10mm U shaped seal at Clarke Rubber. It fitted into the frame nicely, and was a good fit for the 6mm glass. However, the seal proved to be just too thick and no matter which way I tried, I could not get it settled into the frame with the glass in place. I tried fitting the seal onto three edges of the glass (with super glued mitred corners) and tried to slide that into the frame. No good. In spite of vast amounts of dish washing liquid, the glass was just too tight and would not slide down without taking the seal with it. So I tried putting there seal into the frame and then tried sliding the glass downwards, but again, it just grabbed and took the seal with it. I had better luck fitting the seal to the glass and then lowing the frame down, but it was marginal at best.

So can anyone shed some light on a method that actually works. Is there a seal that does fit? If so, where might I find such a seal?
Or am I using the wrong technique? Is there another approach that works?

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

regards
Jeff in Perth

[LR1953]

Gentlemen,
I have spend three frustrating days trying to get the two windscreen panes into the frame neatly. I thought I had it beat, when I found the 17mm x 10mm U shaped seal at Clarke Rubber. It fitted into the frame nicely, and was a good fit for the 6mm glass. However, the seal proved to be just too thick and no matter which way I tried, I could not get it settled into the frame with the glass in place. I tried fitting the seal onto three edges of the glass (with super glued mitred corners) and tried to slide that into the frame. No good. In spite of vast amounts of dish washing liquid, the glass was just too tight and would not slide down without taking the seal with it. So I tried putting there seal into the frame and then tried sliding the glass downwards, but again, it just grabbed and took the seal with it. I had better luck fitting the seal to the glass and then lowing the frame down, but it was marginal at best.

So can anyone shed some light on a method that actually works. Is there a seal that does fit? If so, where might I find such a seal?
Or am I using the wrong technique? Is there another approach that works?

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

regards
Jeff in Perth

Hello Jeff
Sounds like the seal you're using is a bit thicker than the original.
1 Assuming you're using laminated glass, could you get a millimetre or two shaved off a side and top of each piece?
2 Or just bed the glasses into silicone (roof and gutter sealant grade)?
3 An aftermarket workshop manual I have here implies the factory-supplied self-adhesive sealing strip is applied to the faces of the glass but not the edges.

Trusting there might be an idea here that helps.
Cheers, Rob S

[jedwards]

Thanks Rob,
They are all good options. I'm unsure how the factory adhesive sealer would go on the face of the glass (not the edges) as I still have to slide the glass down the frame, so would have thought that the adhesive would grab the frame.
I can see how it would work if places on the outer glass face of the outward facing surface, that would hold is with a narrow gap to the frame. Then I could then fill the inner gap with sealant, which could be cut smooth after it set.

As you said, those ideas also suggests that I might be able to cut off one side of the U Chanel that is too thick and lay the glass with the remaining side of the Chanel creating the outer surface. I could them fill the inside with sealant.

Your ideas have me thinking of several possible ways of doing this now.
Many thanks
Jeff

[B.S.F.]

This is what I've been using without any problems on the 80" and 109, 9x16mm. Unfortunately Clark Rubber no longer stocks this item. On our very first trip in the S1 109 we broke a windscreen and
spent a long time removing the gunk from the rubber and frame, before having the windscreen replaced in Roma. We've broken another 4 screens since but never used sealant again. Because a 54-58
screen is just a rectangle, unlike the 80" that has cut outs for the wiper, it is easier to come by. We also used to carry a spare screen between 2 pieces of ply wood on long trips.
.W.

[jedwards]

Any change you could let me know the dimensions of your seal?

The one from Clark Rubber (that does not work) was 17mm tall, and 10mm wide at the base with the side walls each being 2mm thick.
So I ran into trouble with 6mm glass, as the frame is not perfectly flat from the bottom up, so 2 sides at 2mm each plus 6 mm glass games to 10mm, so there was simply not enough space to the glass and seal into the cavity.

Those numbers from your seal would help me find a much better fitting seal.

Many thanks in advance

Jeff

[gromit]

Four Wheel Drives used to sell a butyl mastic strip to bed the glass in but they are long gone. I did manage to source some from a sealant supplier but the last screen I put in was a Series III and I used a butyl sealant in a tube but, this is important, you need some pieces of rubber between the edge of the glass and the windscreen frame otherwise a crack can propagate from where the glass touches steel.
The seal is only between the windscreen frame & the glass, the aluminium strips that hold it in place on the inside push straight against the glass which is why you might run into trouble with U-channel seals.

Clark Rubber only source they don't manufacture so shop around. The problem is that most of the extruders will only sell full rolls. OK if you can find a few others to share the cost.
I use a local company for rubber, they have a retail outlet which will supply short lengths.
They have some U-channel seals if you're trying to use this rather than butyl mastic.
Rubber U Channel Online | Rubber Channels | The Rubber People (https://therubberpeople.com.au/collections/u-channel)

I recently sourced door seal material from The Rubber People, they didn't carry it but the Manager recognised the profile and ordered a roll in for me.


Colin

[B.S.F.]

Right, this afternoon I tried to put an 80" windscreen partly into a frame and like you, I failed. I've put it in upside down using talcum powder to see how far down it would go. I've decided that to continue was too risky and if ever I would have to do an 80" I'd try to get hold of this stuff, ( From an old "Peter Jackson's Old Auto Rubber Co.") product catalogue, which was probably used originally. It's about 27 years since I did my 80", so maybe I used the rubber in the picture only on the 109. Sorry for stuffing you about.
.W.

[jerryd]

I used a Butyl Glazing Tape similar to this, very easy and clean to use and doesn't leak.

Marine Butyl Tape - White - 10m x 20mm Roll | Boat Warehouse Australia (https://www.theboatwarehouse.com.au/specials/butyl-tape-white-10m-x-20mm-roll/)

[gromit]

Plenty of places stock butyl tape.

Here's one :-

Tapes Online | Black Butyl Tape | Double Sided (https://tapesonline.com.au/products/double-sided-black-butyl-tape?variant=31525502058583&currency=AUD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy_ripPHI9gIVgzUrCh22LwQjEAYYAiAB EgI6WPD_BwE)


Colin

[B.S.F.]

On an 80" you have to assemble the frame around glass and and be able to slide one of the pieces into position. The last thing you want is rubber or tape that is sticky. For that reason Jackson's recommend using kerosene.
.W.

[jedwards]

Thanks Gents,
I have a roll of the Black butyl tape that Colin mentioned, but cannot work out how to use it, as it is terribly sticky and will grab onto anything it come in contact with.
I'll certainly try the Kerosene, as I have plenty of that around. its oily and a good solvent as well.

Thanks for the tip on placing a section of rubber between there glass edge and the frame.

My current thinking leans towards cutting off one side of the U Chanel I have, to create an L shaped rubber section. Then applying this to the edge and one Side of the glass, and possibly (but not necessarily) using the butyl tape to hold the L rubber seal in place. Using the 1.5mm space that should now be created, sliding the glass and one sided seal into the frame. Finally, using windscreen sealer (caulking) to fill the inner side gap between the glass and frame to ensure that the glass can never move.

Any thoughts, comments or advisories on that approach?

regards
Jeff