Rear hatch glass...who has removed one successfully?

[AlexS13]

I have a spare hatch for my car that I want to get sand blasted and painted but I would like to remove the glass to this this and also replace the weather stripping around the glass.

Has anyone here successfully removed the glass and weathersripping/chrome molding?

Also, is it urathaned in place? or does it just rely on the rubber seal around the window?

any tips would be appraciated!

Alex

[conedodger]

First, take a box knife and cut just along the outside border of the chrome trim so that you cut off the outboard lip of the trim. This allows you to remove the trim without bending it up. Store it safely.

Next take the box knife and cut along the outboard edge of the glass all the way around the glass. Now, push from the inside and remove the glass. Now, pull out the old rubber weatherstripping.

Not sure what you mean by urathaned in place but it only requires the weatherstripping to hold it in place. Anything else is just overkill by whoever put it in last.

Edited October 17, 2010 by conedodger

[jmortensen]

Sometimes you need a bit of silicone to seal the corners of the window. If someone did silicone the window, I don't think that will make any difference in terms of how you take it out.

[LeonV]

I consulted Mr. Humble and took my time with it. I just used a thin scraper to cut out the chrome trim and then went around the whole window, front and back, until all the weatherstripping was loose. Then the window simply drops out. I took it out with the weatherstripping intact so I can store it without damage, per Humble's advice.

[conedodger]

I consulted Mr. Humble and took my time with it. I just used a thin scraper to cut out the chrome trim and then went around the whole window, front and back, until all the weatherstripping was loose. Then the window simply drops out. I took it out with the weatherstripping intact so I can store it without damage, per Humble's advice.

Mr. Humble wrote that book back when there was a prayer that weatherstripping would be reusable. I have seen them fall into as many as 8 peices without the window to hold them together. The new weatherstripping is not that expensive.

[LeonV]

Right, I didn't say that I did this to preserve the weatherstripping, but to protect the window glass. I'll be using new rubber when reinstalling.

[pwd]

You can use a heat-gun on the weatherstrip to help soften it up, but avoid leaving it in one place too long, as that might de-laminate the safety glass.

It's best to just hack it out with a sharp box knife, however.

[AlexS13]

thanks for the input guys!

Now when it comes to re installing the glass with the new weather stripping. how do i go about this procedure? I assume I would install the weatherstripping on the glass and then with some type of lubricant try and fit it onto the hatch?

[ajmcforester]

It's the same as for old truck windshield, their is a lot of different tricks. The rope method is the most popular method.

[pwd]

thanks for the input guys!

Now when it comes to re installing the glass with the new weather stripping. how do i go about this procedure? I assume I would install the weatherstripping on the glass and then with some type of lubricant try and fit it onto the hatch?

If I were you, I'd just call a competent auto glass installer and pay them $50 to do it. Tearing up perfectly good weatherstrip, scratching the paint, or worse yet, breaking the glass isn't a "learning curve" worth riding for that savings.