Installing New Windshield Glass. Locking Strip Type Gasket.

I’ve done this about 1/2 dozen times now and today was definitely the quickest one in just under an hour.

Start with a table you can get all the way around This table is low so I used my little wheeled shop chair to move around. Otherwise you’ll end up with a sore back. A towel covering the table and a couple more folded up so that the glass is very close to the edge of the frame - final position.



Some tape to hold the thicker gasket to the frame. Cut/slit the tape now at the part of the gasket that the glass slips into.



The hard part is next. Use some plastic tools to work the glass into the gasket grove all the way around. Starting with the glass as close as you can to the inner edge of the frame is important. Take your time. I’ve ruined gaskets and had to buy new ones here.

I’ve tried to string trick here a couple times but haven’t had any success. If you know it, try it and if it works post it below.

The medal tool will chip the glass but might come in handy.



I started in a corner, did the end, then the other corner on the same end. Next I worked down both top and bottom at the same time. The far end was tight to the frame so this is where I sprayed some soapy water around both sides of the glass and edges of the frame. I also wedged the gasket more onto the glass - less on the frame. This helped me to slide the glass back towards the first end the 1/16” I needed. At this point you can stand the frame up and work from both sides if necessary. The last corner is always the hardest so don’t ruin your gasket poking at it to aggressively.


This gasket has been used once already so it was about 1/2” short of making it around. I probably could have stretched it but that would make it harder to get the corners on.



The locking strip is a harder piece of rubber that spreads out the gasket and locks it all together.
Buy this tool! Or message me and I’ll lend it to you! The first windshield I did took well over an hour (maybe two or more ) to put on the locking strip. This time I put the locking strip on in under 5 minutes.


Unlike the first gasket I had several inches of locking strip left over. Don’t start the locking strip at the same point as the first gasket. I’m sure that would cause a weak point.



For the last (third) time - Starting with the glass propped up with towels so it is level with the edges of the frame makes this job much easier.

Got to wait for Cynthia to get home from work to put it all back on the Jeep.

 

The locking strip tool makes it easy once you learn how to use it, by pushing the point into the groove. I sprayed Windex as a lubricant and pushed the locking strip in with a tool just like that one and it went in very easy.

 

Sprayaway is your friend. Good glass cleaner evaporates and leaves no residue behind.