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Replacing windshield seals

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bugedd

bugedd

Jedi Knight
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So I am sitting here on my living room floor with my nicely polished windshield frame, rubber seal inserted the frame, and my windshield. Can someone tell me how the heck I am supposed to do this without breaking the glass? Do I attempt to slip the glass in the seal, or do I put the rubber on the glass, then into the frame, or ??
I really don't want glass on my rug :smile:
 
bugedd-

I posted the following on 8/11/11. It can be done- I'm living proof...

I managed to install the glass. I'm sure they had a trick in the factory- I'm certain they didn't do what I did, but it worked.

It's a two person job, unless you have a windshield-shaped vise.

The new gasket seems to long- longer than the glass. That's normal.

Fit the gasket into the frame first, then install the glass. Victoria BM sells a $2 plastic tool that will save your sanity. I used dishwashing detergent to lubricate the groove for the glass.

I slipped the top and 1/4 of the left and right sides into the gasket, then I stretched the frame a little and inserted the bottom center. I then worked my way towards the lower corners in even increments, side and bottom towards the corner.

The trick for me was pushing the interior lip of the gasket past the glass from the outside of the window frame. I could not get the lip over the glass by pulling on the tool from the inside. The gasket will take an amazing amount of abuse.

I had researched using the "string" method, etc. Can't see how you do it when the string has to be wrapped in the inside of the circle formed by the gasket. I tried, but could not keep it in position.

The glass was easy compared to the windshield to body seal, but that's another story...
 
I read you post, the string method made no sense to me. I'm going to see if I can sucker the local glass place to doing it for cheap, if not, I'll be back at it.
What did you run into with the body seal? That seems pretty straight forward...
 
It is difficult to pull the body seal the length of the slot in the frame.

The new seal I purchased was different than the old- a shorter, more round profile in front of the frame. The old seal laid flat on the body. I recall it was easier to pull the old seal, but that was long, long ago.

The new seal seems to fit in the rounded space left at the bottom of the pillars, so it may be correct.

I think if you can stretch the seal as you pull it becomes thinner and will move. It was a miserable job. You will need help, but don't do it with your wife.

I do recall some discussion that a different source may provide a better-fitting product, but I can't recall the details.
 
Martin MacGregor, at MacGregor Coach Trimming, (905) 627-4006 https://www.macgregorukcarparts.com/. His prices on the site are not up to date. Mine was $30.95 + $14.05 shipping. The one I had gotten from VB was impossible to fit. The MacGregor one went on easily. Quite a bit more money, but well worth the aggravation it saved. :cheers:
 
I ended up taking it to the local auto glass company. They had it done in and hour for $30.
 
I hate the seal from the windshield to body. Its making me real angry right now
 
It is a lot easier if you have a helper but it still isn't easy.
 
I compared the part that fits into the windscreen, the "T" shaped area, and its much thicker than the one that came off. I still have the old one, so I put it together with that, even though its not in great shape. I showed the difference to my local Moss dealer, and he put a call into Moss to see what the deal is. I may have to check out that British company to get the correct item.
 
So I took the seal back to my Moss dealer, and he had them send over pics of the one for the early Bugeyes and the later Bugeyes. Turns out they mislabeled some seals. Although I had the number for the later seal, there was one for a 58 in the bag. And they are quite a bit different. Looking forward to getting the correct seal so its done.
 
I find that about 20% of the stuff I order is incorrect in some way. Most of it is too small to return. Some of it can be fixed. All of it is annoying.
 
I went through 3 of the windshield to body seals (destroyed 2 of them trying to get them in the windshield frame slot). I am pretty sure that they are simply not the right size, although Moss told me they had no reported problems with them. They are "supposed" to slip right in, but not in my experience. This is the most aggravating job I've done yet.

I ended up trying to trim down the seal so that it would fit in the slot. Still have not gotten it done decently. Jim
 
Strange, mine worked fine. Get another person and stretch it a bit when feeding in in??
 
I had a installer come over and help me put the glass in the frame (after I had broken my windshield trying to do it myself). He made pretty quick work of the windshield, but he even gave up on the windshield to body seal; he said it just was not correct. As mentioned earlier, the "T" section of the trim is just way too thick. Jim
 
So much angst! :wall:
Mine went right in as per the post above.
 
Jimflorida said:
I went through 3 of the windshield to body seals (destroyed 2 of them trying to get them in the windshield frame slot). I am pretty sure that they are simply not the right size, although Moss told me they had no reported problems with them. They are "supposed" to slip right in, but not in my experience. This is the most aggravating job I've done yet.

I ended up trying to trim down the seal so that it would fit in the slot. Still have not gotten it done decently. Jim
Click to expand...

Hmmm, three body seals from Moss @ $10.45 + shipping = Mucho aggravation (a little Spanish lingo there) and still not fitting right. :cryin:

1 body seal from MacGregor @ 30.95 + shipping = perfect fit in 5 minutes (dusts off hands together) and on to the next task. :banana:

Seems like a no brainer to me. :wink:
 
The problem is that first timers don't know what will work and what won't. That's where this forum is such a help.
 
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