Anyone know how to take out a windshield

[TylerT/AZ28]

anyone know how to take out a windshield the nice undestructive way? i need some help taking one out then later on in the future taking another out and putting it in a different car. id pay you for the help =)

[TrickyTransAm]

Tyler,

There is a special cutting tool required to do this. It's like a hook with a T-pull handle on a cable usually. YOu hook the "knife" under the windshield seal, and pull the t-handle along the way to gently cut the seal and windshield out. You've got to be careful though - any odd pull will make the windshield crack. See below. One hand is used to stabilize the knife, the other is to pull the T-handle along the seal.

Just curious....if you have to replace the windshield, wouldn't it be easier just to have it done? Usually a windshield for your car would run arond $120-150 installed, and they take the old one out and guarantee against any leaks.
Usually glass replacement with used nowadays is mostly done for rare odd shaped glass such as something from the 30's - 60's that they dont mass produce anymore.

http://www.amazon.com/ATD-Windshield.../dp/B0040CX7JU

[TylerT/AZ28]

well the thing is around march i got a brand new windsheild for my 88, because as i was getting it ready to drive it to school and back someone took a baseball bat to it. so i got that installed and i bought 92 that was much more solid than my 85 but the glass on that isnt as nice as my 85's(92's has a small chip on the side that i saw recently) so i want to take the 92's out so i can paint the car and put the 85's in once its all stripeed out

[2002Z4CSS]

You can use piano wire to wire out a windshield especially if it is a used glass and you don't want to crack it. The windshield knife will probably break the glass.

[jetice]

We tried the windshield knife back in my highschool auto shop. It was nearly impossible for us to not break the glass, any deviation in the thickness of the adhesive will cause you to buck and break the glass.

[birdie2000]

A glass guy used a windshield knife or another cable of some sort on my 94 Formula when I had the 10pt cage installed. I wanted to be able to reinstall the windshield after the cage. He took a good 30-45 minutes being very careful on it. He was about 2" away from being done and the thing split right down the center. It's possible to do it and save it, but apparently very difficult.

[TylerT/AZ28]

i have no experience whatsoever, i was positive there had to be someone on this site that used to do auto glass that could help

[1BADAIR]

we keep spares around just in case. even the best break them once in awhile taking them out.

[TylerT/AZ28]

yeah i was just hopin someone had enough experience to help me out here. itd be hel hauling two cars back and forth to get windsheilds taken out and put back in

[98blackbeauty]

if you going to all this trouble because of a "chip" in the windsheild why not get chip repaired and leave windshield in.

[TylerT/AZ28]

im not going through all this trouble because of that, i want the whole car apart, all thats in it is the gas tank one bolt in the rear and the windshield. then im repaining it and everything.

[Slimegreencamaro1980]

I just took my windshield out of my 91 Firebird tonight with piano wire and it came out with no problems at all.

[TylerT/AZ28]

wanna help me do mine?

[firehwkzero]

Alot of those windshield places will come out to your house and cut the old one out and come back on a later date n install a new one. Arnies auto glass in K-zoo cut mine out in my 1992 Firebird....I had to do some welding....they came back a week later and installed a brand new one. Glass and everything was $160.00 bucks and it comes with a warranty.


I've taken a heat gun before and got the glass really toasty.........n used a hood cable or a bicycle brake cable with some gloves and cut it out pretty quick n easily. I had a buddy help me lift the winshield off the car. Kinda sucks if you don't get it to seal just right when it goes back in and you get pissed on at the car wash or in the rain.

[Slimegreencamaro1980]

I'm gonna have a glass company put it back in for me after my roll cage gets put in the car.I don't mind removing them but when it comes to reinstalling I'll leave that to the professionals