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Windshield frame to body

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Bill Redd

Bill Redd

Jedi Hopeful
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Are there any tricks I should be aware of in fastening the windshield frame to the body? What type of adhesive/sealant do you folks recommend?

Thanks! It's taken quite awhile for me to get to this point, and I've still got a long way to go. Oh well, one day at a time... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
 
Bill, If you are talking about the rubber gasket that runs along the bottom of the frame and squishes betwen the bodoy and the frame, Then I would have to say none. If you put the gasket on properly then tighten down the windshield, the pressure that is created is enough that it should not leak. Just make sure that all of the edges of tha gasket are lying flat and you should be fine.
 
I'll be removing mine in the next few days...should be traces of something underneath when I lift it...I'll keep you posted when I do.
 
Bill,
When I installed mine, I used no sealer, BUT....it seems to me that I read somewhere, in one of the many miriad tech books that we all look at, that "an appropriate sealer should be used". Man, I hate to cast doubt, but perhaps you should research this a bit furthur. You definately don't want to use an adhesive sealer, all the paint will come off if you ever have to redo. How do you like that for a confusing answer???
I do remember torquing the daylight out of mine for the rubber to snug up tight to the cowl, and do occasionally lift the rubber to check underneath (OCD), and keep my rubber alive with copious amounts of Maguier's Protectant.

Bill
 
My TR4 workshop manual says to use a sealant. If I remember correctly, when I did mine I used an adhesive sealant between the gasket and the windshield frame and 3M Strip-Calk between the gasket and the scuttle. The manual also show where to place the sealants.
 
Hi Bill,

I'm afraid I have to disagree with the other responses.

Yes, you should most definitely use a sealer under the rubber strip, according to the TR4/4A workshop manual (same windshield/frame on all TRs 4-6) and from my own experiences. If not, you will definitely eventually see rust develop under there. Moisture can wick it's way back under the dash cover and eventually rot out the entire upper dash surface.

Even if your car is "sunshine only", sealing these places is important to keep out water when washing it, or should you ever get caught out in a rain shower. Think about it... No matter how good a seal you get with rubber only, even a tiny bit of moisture left along these seams will be forced further into the joint when driving, just by air pressure. Once under there, it's trapped and goes to work.

Use a non-hardening, thick sealer, usually available in tubes like caulking compounds or possibly in a long "rope" coil (the latter might be too thick for this job, though). It doesn't need to be paintable (like it does elsewhere on the car where it's covered with the final paint). The leading edge of the rubber gasket is what's most important, along with either end. Look closely and on most cars today, you will find a black rubbery sealer used at the ends of any rubber sealing strips.

Also seal the underside of the w'shield frame to that base gasket very well so that water can't get under the rubber there, either.

The trim piece on top of the windshield frame gets sealer under it, too. The type I used there in 1979 or so was the hardening type, and I can tell you that was a mistake!

And, seal well around the windshield gasket itself, where it fits into the frame. Again, I made a mistake not paying enough attention to this and can assure you from experience that water will get inside, be trapped and rust will start eventually even if the windshield frame is very well painted. This is particularly true of the lower, outer corners and bottom edge of the windshield, where moisture can pool.

You can get these sealers at a good auto body supply shop. Talk with them and get their advice as to what brand to use. The workshop manuals aren't much help with respect to brand, since they list common names that were in use in England 40 years ago, not the modern stuff we have to work with.

One other suggestion regarding mounting the windshield, put a some sort of anti-sieze (copper-based would probably work well) on the "pins" that go into the windshield mounting brackets on either side. This will make disassembly a *whole lot* easier years down the road, should it ever be needed. I don't think these parts were originally painted before assembly, so they tend to sieze up making windshield frame removal a real pain in the arse. The chrome screws that hold the windshield in place can benefit from a little anti-sieze or low-strength Locktite to protect the threads, too.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
I'm sure glad I'm restoring a TR3. One thing I won't have to worry about is the intracacies of trying to seal the windshield... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm sure glad I'm restoring a TR3. One thing I won't have to worry about is the intracacies of trying to seal the windshield...

[/ QUOTE ]

You got that right. No chance of ever getting that gap sealed. The windscreen is there to keep the rain from hitting you directly in the face. In a '3 the conditions inside the car are pretty much like the weather outside: warm when it's hot out, chilly when it's cold out and of course wet when it's raining.
 
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