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Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:59 am

This might be a really dumb question but hear me out.

I am replacing the windshield seals. I have POR15'ed the bottom lip of both windows because they were starting to rust and have pitted. There is NO rust through and no holes but the rust is pretty pitted. The por15 leveled it out pretty good but there are still some depressions/uneven spots.

Should I put a smear of silicone on the lip that would dry under hte seal to keep water out of here or is it a mute point? Im not a fan of silicone (seen too many hippy fixes with it, these windshields included) but thought I would check before I install the seals today. I normally would never add silicone but the unflat lip has me concerned.

And before someone says to replace the lip with new metal, that is not in the cards right now and not really needed just yet. The rust is not bad enough and I think I caught it just in time.

As always, thank you.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:57 am

There is a sealant for that but silicone is not it. Go to a glass shop or an autobody shop and get them to goop your frames with it, or sell you a tube. It won't fit in a standard caulking gun, though--different nozzle.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:07 am

^X2^
Butyl rubber IIRC, try to avoid the stuff that never hardens and weeps black sticky shit till the end of time though. Avoid the urethane unless you never ever want to remove it again.
And you put it on the rubber between the pinchweld groove and outer edge, not the frame. Putting it on the frame just pulls it all inside with the lip when you rope it in.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:07 am

Major Woody wrote: There is a sealant for that but silicone is not it. Go to a glass shop or an autobody shop and get them to goop your frames with it, or sell you a tube. It won't fit in a standard caulking gun, though--different nozzle.

i figured there had to be something better than silicone. I will pick some up when I pick up my glass today. Ive always installed them with no sealant but this situation had me thinking about it. Thank you.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:09 am

busdaddy wrote: And you put it on the rubber between the pinchweld groove and outer edge, not the frame. Putting it on the frame just pulls it all inside with the lip when you rope it in.

see, i would have f'd it up. Thanks for that tip.

Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:37 am

i thought roofing tar was the preferred sealant? :)

Fri Apr 20, 2012 4:07 pm

JOGR wrote: i thought roofing tar was the preferred sealant? :)

Of course.