We’re trying to take the windshield out of a '93 Geo Prizm and put it into a '92. We have used a “piano wire” tool to cut around the (already cracked) '92 Geo’s windshield but there’s an area at the bottom where the piano wire tool doesn’t work.
How do we go about removing the rest of the adhesive? Money’s really tight and we can’t afford to take it to a pro.
Can you afford a service manual? A decent one, such as Haynes, might have the information you need.
A factory manual is always best, but not always necessary.
A library might have the manual you need.
You might also ask whoever removed the windshield from the '93.
I had a windshield replaced a few months ago and was surprised how little it cost. Are you sure you can’t find someone to do this for you at a decent price?
Money might be tight but sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet and pay to have done. In my area there is a glass company that R&I’S glass for $60.00. If the donor glass is still in the car it would be twice the price since they must do it 2 times.
You need a tool like this http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=69032&group_ID=1785&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog to cut the adhesive from the bottom of the windshield, from inside the vehicle.
Tester
Thank you all. REALLY can’t afford a pro.
If you have to remove the good windshield without damaging it, I say good luck doing it on your own unless you have done this before with some success. This is going to take a windshield knife like the one tester posted a link to and a heated garage and heat gun. This is an alternative to the preferred method of softening the adhesive, which is to leave the car out in direct sunlight on a hot summer day. You will need to take your time and be very patient or you WILL break the good windshield in the process of removing it. If the good windshield is already out of the donor vehicle, removing the damaged one is not much of a concern since you don’t have to worry about damaging it. I am still with others here on leaving this job up to the pros, though. If this job is done wrong, you will forever have wet carpets, electrical problems, excessive wind noise, and a host of other problems. Once you’ve bought the tools, adhesive, windshield trim and seals, and possibly broken a used windshield or four trying to remove them, you may end up paying more to do this yourself than it would cost to have a pro do it. A brand new windshield for a car like this usually costs $200-300, parts and labor, and includes a warranty.
I’m with those that suggest leaving this to the pros. Your car’s windshield is a critical component of the body’s structure, a critical path through which the stresses of driving and of an accident are controlled. An improperly bonded windshield can leave your vehicle’s body integrity seriously compromised and unable to survive an accident…seriously dangerous.
Watch this without sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLkUNFTMcIM The tech cuts the seals from the windshield on the top and sides with the two tools I use. One with a short blade and one a long blade. But at the bottom, he uses the long reach knife to cut the seal while using his head to force the windshield out.
Tester
Thanks to all again. We’re going to have the scrapper remove & return the good windshield in lieu of payment and my son will just break out the old windshield & replace it with the good one. Anything else we should know? I’m a carpenter and know bupkis about cars but my son is a little more comfortable with things mechanical.
It’s the cleaning process and the bonding in of the new winshield that’ll determine whether or not the body will emerge with proper integrity. You might want to stop by the book store or do a google search and look for infornation on replacing bonded windshields. This needs to be done right.
Well, you’ve all convinced us that it’s not a job we can do without a pro. We’ll hire a pro & get it done right.
Thank you all again.