Leaking windscreen

[Tony Fearn]

Hello again.

I note what Keith A. has said, but today I had a problem with the Renault Scenic and took it into my usual, very friendly garage to get it sorted.

Andy, one of the partners was working on an American muscle car belonging to a local lad.

(Don't get excited Keith, it wasn't a Camero.)

He was sealing the windscreen surround (how spooky was that!) with some black stuff which turned out to be Sikaflex.

I asked him about the rubber in the windscreen surround, but he said it was ok to use Sikaflex as he was doing, and that he'd never had a problem.

I must stress here that I have no ulterior motive in suggesting the use of this sealant, only a personal observation.

Apparently this stuff is what coach builders use to fit the panels on buses etc.. No more pop rivets.

Tony.

[Keith Andrews]

Andy, one of the partners was working on an American muscle car belonging to a local lad. .......He was sealing the windscreen surround (how spooky was that!) with some black stuff which turned out to be Sikaflex.

That is a big no no on most US muscle cars...Dodge/Ford or Chev.
Beside that the windscreens are put in very diff to Jowetts, and use urethane sealant, spacer blocks etc
Filling up underneath the windscreen trim, results in destorying the trim to remove it, is only a very short term patch fix, as the problem lays under the urethane sealant between the glass and body....
I would be spiiting tacks big time...when the poor customer comes to a rebuild/repaint...or fix proberly the next winter, it is going to cost him a small fortune replacing the trim from the states....and shipping parts into europe.
And the chances are to pull the windscreens out they will break sealed like this.....a mission in the creation....

[Chris Cole]

Gentlemen. Many thanks for all the input on this subject. I used black bathroom silicone sealant on parts of the windscreen and this seems OK but have not run in heavy rain yet! I looked up the Silkaflex web site and copied the information. I will also look for data on Bodyline sealant too.

[Alan Stanley]

We are restoring a Javelin at the Club shed. Last week we had six guys and 4 supervisors trying to put the screen back with a new rubber. I have read all the prrevious posts and do NOT seek information on sealants. We require step by step instructions relating to fitting from inside, using lubricants, using string, bending , which part first, etc.

Need these by Tuesday pm UK time, ie for next Wnesday in NZ

[Forumadmin]

Alan, can you make a video of the event, even if you are not successful as it will make great viewing on JowettGallery!

I think this is where a search of all the clubs' mags might reveal something. That picture of Angela Simmonds pushing with all her might with both feet from inside the car reverberates in my mind!

[Keith Andrews]

The rubber is put around the glass
A string, of some breaking strength is put in the outter grove of the rubber that fits over the end on the car
The ends of the string hang out in the middle at the bottom...can be held in place with a bit of tape at the bottom
from the outside of the car the windscreen is placed in the hole with the lower channel over the lip, the strings hanging inside the car...
Someone holds pressure on from the outside
the 2 bottom cnrs of the rubber flipped over just part around the curve going up
The end of one string is pulled horozonally from under the rubber so the lip is held out
As you get around the cnr the string lifts the lip of the rubber over the window frame lip
Proceed to just part way around the top cnr
then start with the other string pulling around the bottom and up the side to the top cnr
go back to the 1st string , continue around the cnr and across the top
both ends are now either side of the last cnr
pull them both together
fliping the last rubber lip over the edge


When one has done this a few times...several installs, one can grab both ends at the same time and whizz around all in one go

[Leo Bolter]

Yes Keith, what you have written above is basically identical to one of the methods as described in the Jowett Javelin and Jupiter Maintenance Manual (for PC, PD and PD Javelins), but there's another method too!
Turn to pages 109-110 and you'll see that two types of windscreen (and rubber surround?) could possibly have been used in the cars. The only screens I have come across, and had in and out in NZ, are the toughened type. The toughened ones require the screen to be refitted from inside the car . . that's the way I have always done it. Two people (at least) are necessary and both need to be very proficient in the use of bad language! (or extremely restrained!) . . . it's a difficult and frustrating job . . . but obviously can be achieved.

The big worry is the inherent fragile-ness of these old windscreens . . glass gets more fragile the older it gets (especially so when it's been under strain).

I do realise that there may be some interested parties who may not own a Manual, so if you are needing the relevant information let me know and I'll scan it, then post it to the Gallery.
Perhaps this is s great example of the need for what is being proposed elsewhere in the forum?

[Keith Andrews]

I havnt a manual , so my description is coindidence

The rubbers that have inserts are far easier to fit, the rubber flicks over the lip easy...then a special tool that has a hole in it and a pointed end
the insert rubber goes thru the hole and the pointed end goes in the insert chaneel in the rubber..as one pushs along the insert is laid in the channel.

The insert in effect takes up the extra 'loosness' of the rubber making a tighter seem

If a rubber is of the type that is a length...not a joined circle, always put the join at the bottom otherwise it will leak.

As to fitting from inside or outside type rubbers...look at the cross section of the rubber...one edge is smaller than the other, the smaller edge is the lip that one pulls the string from.
Maybe string is the wrong term... cord...about 3mm in diameter.

Althu glass get fradgile, this should not be of any concern, the glass its self is not being stressed on fitting it is the rubber that is being 'worked' into place, the glass just follows it.

If the rubber is old or being reused, it pays to put a bead of windscreen sealer (not urathane) into the bottom of the channel the glass goes into before putting the glass on.
A further bead can be put into the body lip...then put the string in...
this does help lubication when pulling the string but does get messy....kero is good to clean up edges and hands after.
No not use grease, silcone, vasiline or any other type things to lub with...?If it leaks later any windscreen sealant you may force into the rubber will not seal very well at all.

[Bryan Walker]

From memory when I did mine (15yrs ago) it was from the inside of the car and there was some bending of the windscreen required to get it into place. (Also the comment from a windscreen installer a few years back was on how much he had to Bend it to get it into place (I didn't do it this time as it was under insurance after the car was T'ed one night).

The manual doesn't mention the requirement of removing the wooden dash to help fit it - but I found it a lot easier with it out of the way especially on the PC with the raised centre.

[chapman]

Was I lucky or what?
I had taken my windscreen out to paint the car so the dash was also out
I rang a mobile windscreen fitter from yellow pages he turned up and 3 of us fitted the windscreen in 20 mins
yes there is a lot of tugging and pushing and yes you literally have to bend the windscreen
I was fairly cocky because I had 2 spares but I didnt tell the fitter but he was a really confident chap and he gave me a tin of dumdum for any leaks
His fee was £80 but that included his travel I will try to find his name because he said tell your friends I dont mind these Javelins