Rust Refurb - Windscreen Woes

[timmo]

So I'm 'resting' the GTX in the lovely dry garage away from all the horrid cold weather this winter. Good timing!

But, whilst there I thought it time to give the old girl a well earned (and rapidly expanding) refurb; which amongst other things originally involved replacing some of the seals (which cost a bloody fortune!), and ridding her of the few patches of rust.

Anyhow, there is a small bit of 'brown' beginning to poke through just under the front windscreen seal near the bonnet. Its not started bubbling yet, but whilst I'm doing everything I thought this would be a particularly prudent bit of preventative maintenance! I dread to think how much work a fully rusted piece of metal around the windscreen is.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the best way to deal with this? Obviously I'm looking at the usual sanding/treating/painting, but this will probably mean taking the windscreen out... Sounds like even more of a mission.

Has anyone tackled this before? ...and do they know how hard is it to take the screen out - and more importantly reseal it again??

Cheers!

[Nate]

personally, i hate any piece of glass that kinda size, so i got someone to take mine out for me. you will find rust underneath it. what to do depends what it looks like...

[DT1]

Because of the shape of the windscreen there is more of a chance of the screen cracking than normal so I got a new seal for mine as I decided it was cheaper than a new screen and cut the old one off.

Having said that I noticed there were some seals up for grabs in the parts for sale so it wouldn't be such an expensive option if you can grab one.

[mclean83]

Im just doing the same on mine at the moment. I had a rust patch just in the bottom o/s corner of the screen around / under the seal. I was dreading taking out the screen but it turned out to be a breeze! This is how I did it:

The screen seal sits over the metal lip of the body. Working from the inside (i started in the n/s top corner and along the top) carfully tuck the rubber seal under this lip using a blunt object (I used an old screwdriver although plastic would be safer). It does take patience and it helps if you can have an assistant to gently push on the screen with a flat hand from the inside as you work round. Eventually when you have worked around the top and the sides the screen will just lift out. I doubt if mine has ever been out before and it took about 20 mins or so in total.

I then took the rusted area back to bare metal, treated it with some Kurust, smoothed it over with a skim of filler, several coats of Zinc primer, and then the metallic top coat. I just need to flat it all back, laquer it, and put the screen back in. So far I am delighted with the results but I just hope the screen goes back in as easy as it came out.

I am planning on trying to put it back in using the string method. I'll update this post to let you know how I get on and can take some pics if you like? It will hopefully be this Saturday or Sunday weather depending.

I hope this helps and for what its worth you can get a new screen for what it would cost to have a pro take it out and put it back in so you may as well have a go.

Best Of Luck

Will

[timmo]

Excellent! Thanks guys, especially mclean83!

Good to hear, I'll hopefully be getting onto trying this at the weekend.

Was thinking of trying to polish out all the little scratches and tiny chips in the screen whilst I'm about it. They make for some rather hazy driving conditions at night when approaching another car at the moment

Hope it goes well, let me know the results! :)

[Rusty dan]

Took mine out with my foot, the glass already had a crack and my friendly glass fitter friend disposed of said glass for me.
I have a replacement screen to go in but not sure who I am going to get to do it as it looks a little tricke down the bottom with the metal spikes on the inside edge.

Thankfully the old girl had ZERO rust to worry about which was great.

I think I will probably get a window fitter to do it .....£50-60 about right?

[mclean83]

Got mine back in today, was'nt too bad actually. I fitted the seal along the bottom edge over the spikey bits first and then pushed the screen into the seal fitted the rest of the seal round the screen. I then put a legnth of string around the seal and pulled it round from the inside whilst my mate pushed on it from the outside. Worked at treat

[fonzooorooo]

I had a leak around the screen on my old mk3 polo. bought a new VAG seal... Then wimped out and took it to a windscreen firm.
They cut the old seal off, got the screen out fine, fitted new seal to the car (with sealant-a-plenty) then 2 guys spent the best part of an hour wrestling it all back in!

Phrases like "we've never had that much trouble..." "It's a bit tight!" "f#***#*#..." were uttered.

Rather them than me.
£60 or so it cost.

[Rusty dan]

Got mine back in today, was'nt too bad actually. I fitted the seal along the bottom edge over the spikey bits first and then pushed the screen into the seal fitted the rest of the seal round the screen. I then put a legnth of string around the seal and pulled it round from the inside whilst my mate pushed on it from the outside. Worked at treat

sorted, I may just do that lol