Can you install a windshield by yourself? Is it worth it?

[StiffGizzard]

Got a new rubber for my 65 and from what I see everyone does it with a helping hand to smack the window in to place as you’re pulling the string to seat the seal.

I don’t want to botch it, so is there any point in even trying it solo?

[bwaz]

no

[KnightLife75]

Rope and Soap(for lube), gentle pressure. I have never banged one in. It's actually really easy. The last one I had my 5 year old daughter push from the outside. She was strong enough to keep some pressure on it and not break it. I have also used a plunger on the inside to pull it into the opening as I work the rope around. plastic scrapers or putty knives can help as well.

[Cusser]

USA windshields are safety glass, the other windows are tempered glass. Easier to crack safety glass than tempered glass (which breaks into small pieces).

I recommend a windshield installer because of this; I've only replaced rear tempered glass windows, and know that I would not personally even try a front windshield, even with help.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[TDCTDI]

Well placed open hand slaps against the glass help seat the whole glass into the frame instead of pushing in smaller areas towards the edge that can break the glass. I have installed hundreds of these things by myself. By slapping the glass at angles, but still with your hand flat on the glass, you can also shift glass which is not centered correctly.

Watch some of the videos of the factory installers, one zips the window in & another smacks the center of the glass with a padded 2x4.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[bluebus86]

The Bug is small enough that the rope can be pulled from inside while you can reach outside to push the glass, but having a helper is much better, it should only take five minutes, get a friend to help.

Bug On!

PS once old glass is removed, make sure rust in the glass area is repaired. this may mean a day or more delay for new paint to cure. do not install over untreated rust. beware of razor blade cuts for rubber removal that can go deep and cut thru the paint, exposing the metal, this too should be repaired.
_________________
Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information

Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022

[NakMuayD]

it was actually cheaper to get someone from craigslist to swing by real quick and pop it in than having to buy TWO windshields

...just to be clear, the second windshield was to replace the brand new one I broke



just sayin
_________________
1966 Sunroof T1
1981 El Camino
2015 JKU

gone but not forgotten: '70, '71, '73, and '74 Bugs | '81 Ironhead | '13 Monster 796 | '93 El Dog

[glutamodo]

I've changed both of by two beetles' windshields solo. However, that was only because they both have ragtop sunroofs, so you have really good access to both sides at once.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.

[panicman]

I broke 2 windshields being a dick and trying to solo it. Get a buddy.
_________________
Plate of shrimp

[herbie1200]

I did it two times by myself, no help.

I have a '63 where the windshield is perfectly plain.

To remove I used a lot of small screw to push out the 'lip' of the seal.

To remount I helped myself with a lot of grease around the seal housing and a lot of time and kindness.

[Helfen]

Very easy to do. You get a block of Styrofoam 12" X 24" and 10" thick. You get a cloth type tie down strap. You get a piece of 1/8" string that will fit all the way around the rubber and leaves 12" after it goes around and crosses past 12" hanging out. You use soap to coat the string. You clean the window channel, you spray the channel with silicone spray, you silicone spray the rubber groove that the string is in around the window. You tape the Styrofoam block to the outside of the windshield glass, you set the glass near or into the bottom channel pinch weld and tape the top of the glass to the roof to just hold the glass in place, you open both doors and take the strap and put it around the the block, glass and around the "A" pillars and pull the strap from the inside of the car. You will notice from the inside of the car when you do this that the rubber where it touches the pinch well will bulge slightly when you pull the strap. You don't have to pull tight-just enough to bulge the rubber. Then start with the two strings and start pulling the rubber over the pinch weld and with this method the window just sucks in. This a 5-10 minute job and you don't need any outside help and NO banging on the glass.

[Helfen]

BTW, the silicone spray in the window frame does two jobs. One, it helps make the rubber supple and suck in easier. Two spraying the glass frame leaves a silicone film that will stay there until you replace the glass the next time. That film will repel water and keep your window frame from rusting, the rusting occurs when the rubber ages and cracks letting water sit in the channel, but the silicone will prevent it from rusting.
FYI when you buy a new car spray all the inside bottoms of the doors, fenders, and don't stop until you see silicone dripping from the all drain holes....do this and you will not get rust perforation in the bottom of the channels.

[TDCTDI]

I went to a show once so I could get a windshield gasket, I decided to replace it while at the show just in case I needed a windshield too. It's amazing how many people stopped to watch as I started cutting the old gasket out & how many that thought that I was crazy for doing it there.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[hitest]

Make sure your helper maintains even pressure with both hands in the upper and lower corners (respectively) as you pull the string around each side. If said helper gets lazy and leans in the middle with just one hand- snap! I know this well.
_________________

[bigdog1962]

The commercial for Safelite auto shows one guy showing up to change the windshield while the family is watching their children play soccer ( or some sort of similar scenario).

Call them to do it and enjoy your day.



(And this is total sarcasm).
_________________
Oprn wrote: I'm getting to the age that any self propelled woman (no wheel chair or walker) looks HOT!! Oooo! look at that Babe! She made it from the dining room all the way to the TV room without help!! Hubba, hubba!!

[runamoc]

[TDCTDI]

[Airedale]

Yes, can be done and is easy enough to do. Reason I don"t is if I do it and break windshield I have to buy another. If an installer does it and breaks it he goes to parts room fetches another windshield and installs it. The broken one is his problem and not mine.

[Airedale]

Yes, can be done and is easy enough to do. Reason I don"t is if I do it and break windshield I have to buy another. If an installer does it and breaks it he goes to parts room fetches another windshield and installs it. The broken one is his problem and not mine.

[glutamodo]

Since when does any glass shop stock a spare Beetle glass in the back room?

Hell, I remember way back in the early 90s, I got a windshield installed by a one the big windshield shops in Fort Collins, and they had to apologize as they realized after they put it in, that the only reason they had one in stock was that it had been special ordered by someone else and they ended up putting it in my car - the apology was that it was a slightly tinted glass, which I had not specified, but they only had that one on hand due to that special order.
_________________
Andy T.


IMAGE NOTE: It has been noted that Chrome based browsers may have issues in displaying my vast image library, which use non-secure links and are on an FTP server. Images should still be viewable if the link is clicked though.
I do not know how to fix this. All I can say is it all works fine for me with what I use, Firefox.