I just purchased a 93 Toyota Pickup and it’s missing it’s rear window, while it’s front window has a huge crack in it (half the width of the window). All the auto glass shops charge $150-$200 for each. I have found someone who will do the repair work for $65 each if I supply the glass.
I have a U-pull it near by that will sell the windows for $30 each, but I need to take them out myself. I have never removed a car window, and I’m wondering if it will be worth it. Is new glass worth the extra $100?
If you can remove the windshield from the donor vehicle without damaging it well, you’re a better man than I. I have all the tools neccesary for the removal of windshields, and I have yet not chipped/cracked one trying to remove it. Try calling around to some local auto recyclers. Some sell brand new windshields. A new windshield for my Nissan pickup only costs $99.00.
Tester
No, it isn’t worth trying to remove it yourself. The chance of breaking the glass without proper glass tools is high. You break it you pay for it and the boneyard knows that. That’s precisely why most of them don’t remove them although there are a few who do with the proper equipment. (But you will pay about twice as much in that case.)
Secondly, make sure that a qualified installer replaces the windshield rather than a shade tree mechanic. The windshield does a lot more than simply shield you from wind. In most modern vehicles, it can be as much as 60% of the roof support. Lose that w/s from an air bag deployment or pop out; roll over and you could be staring out your eyes from the inside of your mouth or lower.
Get three replacement bids and be sure to let them know that you don’t have glass coverage. The price for the rear window sounds high considering that they don’t need to remove an existing backlite.
I’d recommend paying the glass place to put their new glass in. It’ll be chip and erosion free (better visability) and…BONUS…you can have them put a slider in back! When I put a slider in my '89 pickup I absolutely could not believe how much more pleasant it made the vehicle.
I agree 100% with Tester… You might TRY to remove the backlight from a salvage vehicle just for the “fun” of it. Maybe you can save a few bucks. I think that year Toyota used a simple rubber gasket, the easiest method to remove / install…
Step one: Remove any locking bead or trim strip that locks the glass in the rubber gasket. Then, from the inside, start pushing one corner out (with your feet if you can) while a helper, using a wood or plastic blade, lifts the rubber edge as the glass pushes out…Good Luck. If the glass is glued in, forget it…