Replacing the windshield of the car with your own hands

You had a very unpleasant situation: after the rain or washing, water flowed into the passenger compartment through the windshield joint, or did cracks appear on the windshield!? Today we would like to tell you about how to re-paste and replace the windshield of the car.

In this article you will be able to find out:

• Reasons for glass re-glazing


• How to re-glue or replace windshield


• Questions on the re-glazing of the windshield

Despite the fact that many are afraid of gluing glass, thinking that it is very difficult - you should not be afraid of it. Owners have stereotypes that somehow glass is necessary, cut or even broken. Also, the owners do not want to raskurochivat your car, worry about how to grasp after gluing the glass, etc. In this article, we will try to dispel all your fears and myths about the plywood glazing and tell you how the replacement procedure works, and how to do it yourself.

Reasons for glass re-glazing

Windshield glazing due to leakage

The most common leakage in the windshield area is due to the presence of a non-glued area between the glass and the body. If your car is new and is under warranty, then the problem will be solved by the guarantors in the service center. When your car is not under warranty, and the water begins to leak from the seam between the windshield and the body, then in this case it is necessary to solve the problem yourself.

When a layer of glue is not in use, it is not always necessary to cut the glass and re-glue it, it is enough to find a hole and pour glue into it - it's easier and more logical than re-gluing the glass. In that case, if this did not help, then you will still have to re-glue it.

Windshield glazing due to

damage As for the windshield, which is damaged, of course, it needs to be changed, and the sooner you do it, the better. There are many ways to deal with cracks in the windshield, but no matter how hard you try, the cracks will increase, and the presence of cracks on the windshield is unsafe.

How to re-glue or replace the windshield

There is nothing complicated in the gluing procedure. Our team of editors of the journal Vse-Sekrety.ru will help you with this and tell you how to properly glue the windshield with your own hands.

What is needed to replace the windscreen:

• Glue sealant for gluing glass;


• Metal string and 2 handles;


• Degreaser, Primer Primer and Tampon;


• Puncture;


• Suckers for glass;


• Spanners;


• Screwdrivers;


• Chisel;


• Gloves;


• Painting Scotch.

The glazing of the windshield must be done in a dry, closed room, where the machine can stand for 24 hours. If you decide to replace the windshield with your own hands, then you will need an assistant, and preferably two. Another little nuance - before gluing the windshield, we recommend washing the car, at least in the field of the windshield. When you have prepared everything you need, get to work.

Having driven the car into a garage or a box, try to put it so that it stands smoothly - this is very important. Then begins the procedure for preparing for dismantling the glass. First, remove the rubber seal from the outside, which is put on the glass, then unscrew the wipers and plastic protection, which is under the glass, behind the wipers, and moldings. At this external work on the preparation for plywood has been completed - go to the salon. In the salon, the first thing to do is to close the elements in the front part so that garbage does not fall on them, and so as not to damage or stain them. In the salon it is necessary to remove the cards of the front pillars, in order to do this in most cars - you need to remove the rubber seal, then the cards are poked with a screwdriver in the places of the latches, and they are removed. The last open the visors from the sun, they are attached to the screws. Please note that all wires and sensors that exit the windshield must be disconnected and removed. Now the glass is ready for dismantling.

Remove the glass, in principle, very simple, it is unnecessary to break and cut, for this simply need to drive the string into a layer of glue, which glued the glass, and she cut the glue. In order to cut the glass you will need a metal string and handles, on which the first can be wound, so that it was convenient to cut the glass. For convenience, you can use a puncture, this is a special metal spoke with a thin, flat pointed end, with a hole in the middle. One end of the string is threaded into this hole, and it pierces through the glue inwards, thereby it is pushed into the interior.



In principle, there are 2 ways to start cutting glass. The first way is to pierce the adhesive layer and pierce the string. The second way is to cut off the corner part of the glue, that is, wind the string around the corner of the glass, and start cutting the glue. As soon as the string penetrated into the interior, stretch it one end and wind on the handle. Start cutting best from the top left corner - so it's more convenient.

Cutting of the glass occurs in this way: one person with the outer, the other on the inside pulls the string in one direction. The principle of cutting is simple: one person pulls on himself, the other holds the string in a strained state, after which - on the contrary, for clarity, look at the picture below.



Having reached the bottom, it is necessary to put a metal plate on the torpedo, where the string will pass, well, or something like that, so that the string does not damage the torpedo.

After you have cut off the windshield, you can gently with your hands, but it is better to remove the glass and transfer it using the suction cups. If the glass changes, then put it aside, if the glass is pasted, then put it downward, for example, on a thick large cardboard box, on top of which the fabric is draped. In the boxes, the glass will lie more densely, and the fabric( for example, an old quilt or an old down jacket) will provide a soft "pillow".



Now, armed with a sharp chisel, cut off part of the glue from the body. You need to do this carefully. At the same time, pay attention that it is necessary to cut off part of the glue, and not completely clean it from the body. If the glass is to be glued, then also carefully cut off the adhesive layer from it. Take a vacuum cleaner and vacuum it well for the windshield in the back. Before the next stage of the robot, the entire surface of the opening for the windshield must be degreased with an activator( alcohol-based agent).As for the rubber seal of the windshield, if it is already old and worn out, it is best to replace it, if a new one - clean it with a special tool for this.

The next stage of the work is preparation for installation. Before applying glue, it is necessary to process that part of the body with which the sealant will come into contact, the same applies to the glass. For processing, use primer primer, it will ensure a good adhesion of the adhesive to the surface. The jar with the primer should be thoroughly shaken, because the adhesive can settle in the form of a precipitate, and the solvent remains on top. After you removed the old glue - go to the finish line of the process.

To apply the glue on the glass, the tube needs to be heated, since the heated glue falls well on the substrate and has strong and high-quality adhesion properties. To do this, you can warm the tube with a hair dryer or lower it into a container with hot water - the main thing is not to overheat, otherwise the overlay will lose the desired shape. While glue will be warmed up put on a rubber sealant on glass. A very important point is to cut the dispensing tube. For most cars, a cut is made that is 20mm high and 5mm wide, but this is averages, you are guided by the previous layer, you may need to enlarge the cut. In this case, it is better to do more than less, but also do not fill the excess glue.



Quite a contentious issue among masters: what to apply glue: on the glass or on the body. In principle, most of them apply glue to the windshield, if you do not have suction cups for glass, or you are comfortable applying glue to the body - use this method. When applying glue it is very important to make the strip inseparable, that is without joints, the joint should be only in one place, when the beginning will come to an end. This joint should be at the bottom, in the center, and check it to ensure that the glue joint is of high quality at this location. When the glue is applied, take the glass and gently gradually place it in the opening, do it very carefully without any displacements. After stacking the glass, lightly press on it - for good adhesion, but not so much that it does not stick to the back of the body, and it was possible to cut it again, and also to avoid various defects.



When the glass is laid, on top of the body to the glass paste a few strips of paint tape to keep it in place. Then we put in place and fix the plastic protection, wipers and side window moldings, if any. Rack cards are best not yet to wear, do it after washing. Try not to slam the hood, doors and trunk, and also do not shake the car so as not to create vibrations and do not move the glass. In this position, the car is recommended to be left for a day. After a day, remove the adhesive tape and go to the sink to check the tightness of the gluing.





Some car owners from the inside additionally glue the seam, this will not be worse, but in principle, if you did everything correctly, the connection will be leakproof and there should not be any leaks, respectively: in addition, it is unnecessary to glue the outside. But in case of leakage, you can both glue the place of leaks, and for reliability, walk along the perimeter of the seam from the inside.

Windscreen Plywood Matters

What is the glue to use for windshield plywood?

For glazing the glass, a special polyurethane adhesive is required to glue the car's glasses, specifically for the car's windshield. Glue is best to buy in a good car dealer and do not save on buying. Before buying glue, read the description, instruction and check the expiration date. The editorial team of the site vse-sekrety.ru recommends the use of Liqui Moly - Liquifast 1400 glue.

Where to buy everything necessary for plywood

You need to buy everything in the autoshop. Glue, degreaser, primer primer and tampon can be found in the repair kit for gluing the windshield - all in one package. If you understand all this, then buy separately.

How long should the glue dry after gluing the glass?

To find out the answer to this question, you need to read the description on the package of glue on which you glued the windshield. Most manufacturers indicate that their glue dries on the order of three hours, but let's put it this way, a very relative indicator.

Based on practice, it is worth noting that in 3 hours the glue simply freezes, after a day it dries up and becomes more or less durable, but only after 72 hours it completely crystallizes. That's why after replacing the windshield, you need to wait at least 24 hours for it to dry out.

When can I move a car after gluing the glass?

Many owners after the replacement of glass in an hour already want to go by car. In general, in an hour you can only transfer the car to another place, for example, from a box or workshop where the glass was glued - in another box located in the neighborhood, but in general it is very undesirable to move the car. Any movement of the car will oscillate on the glass, so you understand that when moving the glass can move, and in this position to stick, not to mention that if on your way there will be a hill, a descent or you will enter the pit. Personally, we recommend, if possible, at least a day not to use the car after the glazing of the glass.

How to check the glued glass?

Of course, when you re-glued the glass, its connection must be checked for both strength and tightness. To do this, from the inside, push a little on the glass, then go to the sink. It is best to wash the car in a professional sink where high-pressure devices are used. Glass bottling from a bottle or hose will not be enough, you need to carefully check the seam for the presence of poorly glued sections, the best way to do this is to clean the high pressure. Spill the glass well, about two minutes. Check the seam for leakage best with the removed cards of the racks to immediately see where it will flow. In addition, swipe a paper napkin around the perimeter of the seam from the inside to make sure it is dry. If the glass has not flowed - we put cards of racks and other removed elements of internal furnish, and also subjects of electronics, gauges, etc.

What should I do if the glass has changed after the replacement / plywood?

If the glass was glued to the master at the SRT - they will solve the problem with leakage: they will look for where the water enters the salon and seal this place. Glass re-glazing in this case is not advisable, if it is not found that the marriage is allowed( for example: you can not install or eliminate leaks, or water will leak from several places).If you re-glued the windshield yourself, then all of the above should be done and decided by you.



This video removes how the replacement of glass in a Volkswagen car is made.