How to:

[tune 0]

Heya guys

was just searching on the net some d.i.y windscreen replacement topics

but havnt had any luck

does anyone know if removing and replacing the front windscreen of a e30 is easy-ish?

I remember helping my uncle remove and replace the rear windscreen of an old toyota corona

theres a strip the goes around the window,

im guessing you just pull it out then push the window out from the inside?

and im also guessing its glued in somehow?

how would i go about removing one out of another bmw, then removing my damaged windscreen and fitting the new one,

WITHOUT damaging the new one while taking it out of another car

Any step by steps or tips would be appreciated

cheers

[hank_bukowski 0]

Are you insured? Take a ball peen hammer to it, call insurance company, say a massive rock hit it. Call smith & smith, crack open beer while they replace your windscreen.

[tune 0]

already thought of this but nah not insured as i hardly drive it anywhere, got a company car...

[Silver Fox 43]

Pull the locking strip out carefully, then peel the outside rubber back all around the screen to break the seal and built up rubbish under it. Get your hand inside top corner and gently push the screen out at the same time as reaching out and working the rubber back from the edge. It should come fairly easily, although I break the odd one sometimes, usually from a chip on the edge, or not having enough patience. I try to work right along the top first and then pulling the screen up to free the bottom. Fitting the new one is the reverse. Slip the bottom in first and then the sides and work your way around, I use the back of a rounded spoon handle to ease the rubber over the screen. A little soapy water helps. The fun bit is getting the locking strip back in. If you know someone with the right tool it's pretty straight forward, otherwise its the spoon again and about an hours slow work. One of the most important things is to not damage or chip the edge anywhere or you'll break it, and try not to stress it in any one place, or it may go. Sometimes they just break for the sake of it I think.

[hotwire 352]

Be VERY careful!! No they are not glued in. They are easy to remove but even easier broken.

Remove the beadlock & CAREFULLY ease the screen out from the inside, starting from one corner. Make sure the rubber is not stuck to the screen on the inside -if it is - run a blade of sorts around to release before pushing out.

Being laminated - they split very easily - dont apply pressue to one point but spread the load.

If you dont need the second rubber - best way is to sacrifice the one you are removing the good screen from, & save risking breaking the screen.

I tend to get the windscreen guys to refit the front screens because of their tendency to break

[Silver Fox 43]

You chicken Grant.

[hotwire 352]

You chicken Grant.

Maybe but Ive broken more than one in my (sometimes but not always haste) getting them out

[tune 0]

sweet as cheers for that

im gonna have a go at taking my one out tomorrow

(sucks because the law is crack cannot be in drivers line of sight and cant be more than 100mm long, and its down the bottom right corner and is 110mm long, bloody vtnz lol ohwell)

If i cant take my one out without funking it up ill give it a go myself on the doner vehicle aswell

as for refitting

i assume its just

- scrape of all sealant

- apply new sealant

or is there no sealant ?

[hbmonkeyman 0]

Heya guys

was just searching on the net some d.i.y windscreen replacement topics

but havnt had any luck

does anyone know if removing and replacing the front windscreen of a e30 is easy-ish?

I remember helping my uncle remove and replace the rear windscreen of an old toyota corona

theres a strip the goes around the window,

im guessing you just pull it out then push the window out from the inside?

and im also guessing its glued in somehow?

how would i go about removing one out of another bmw, then removing my damaged windscreen and fitting the new one,

WITHOUT damaging the new one while taking it out of another car

Any step by steps or tips would be appreciated

cheers

Hiya Tune

Your guess was pretty much on the money, These cars have a "feed the glass in" system, where the rubber stays on the body and glass is installed.

Tools. Medium size flat head screw driver, preferrably blunt. Glaziers us a plastic type fitting

tool

Glass cleaner

Claytonrite or filler tool.... large. (a local glazing company may lend you one.)

Safety gloves and glasses

Masking tape...for your paint work as i have seen a few pin stripes made with the screw

driver

1. Check new screen for any damage ..e.g. chips,cracks or and delamination (white discolouration around the edges) as these will fail a warrant.

2. Carefully remove the strip in the centre of the rubber without cracking it. Best bet is to choose between the original strip or the one from the donor car to refit later

3. With a blunt screw driver carefully slide it between the glass and rubber, to release the pressure from the rubber to the glass. Spray soapy water in the gap made and run the screw driver around the glass again without putting any pressure against the glass but lifting the rubber away from the glass. Try not to catch the edge of the glass as the chips or shells are a weak spot

4.(The most critical part of the removal procedure) It pays to have two people sitting inside the car, with both hands putting even pressure on the top part of the screen. Hands should be about shoulder width apart with fingers and palms

spreading the weight evenly. The screen should move as soon as the pressure is applied, if not,

run the screw driver around the glass and rubber edge again, but on the inside this time.

Warning!....the glass is usually very tight against the rubber so be very careful.

5. As soon as the glass starts to release, push it out far enough so most of it is out of the rubber along the top and sides. Lift out of donor car

Installation

1. Spray rubber with glass cleaner/soapy water or silicone spray.

2. Slot the lower part of the screen into the rubber until even on both sides.

Keep the top half of the glass away from the rubber until you have fed the lower half of the glass in

3. With the screw driver, pull the rubber from under the glass and over. It should be easy, if not

gently lift the top of the glass away from the rubber and slowly lower as you feed the glass into

the rubber. Starting at the bottom corners, up both sides, then along the top

Remember if its not easy, stop and check why.

4. With the glass fed into place, spray the rubber with glass cleaner where the filler strip goes.

Starting at the bottom centre, slide about 20mm into the rubber.

With the screw driver, slide along the strip about 20mm on one side then the other until finished

Oh yes ....TAKE YOUR TIME

The usual time for any competent glazier to install an E30 w/screen is about 10mins

Cheers

[OLLIE 26]

I must take a photo of my winsdscreen fitting tool, made from a coat hanger.

when removing basically do what dave said, use no tools because you may chip the edge and it will crack, make sure you do it while the rubber is warm and soft, not cold and hard.

[tune 0]

damn that musta taken you ages to write

cheers for that

MINT

doesnt sound so hard after all, lets just hope i dont break the replacement window before its out of the car lol

thanks guys