Folks, I have a couple of questions on the windshield installation on my 51 F-1.

1. Shop manual says I need rubber cement between the rubber and the glass. Is this "Rubber Cement" same thing as a typical "Elmer's rubber cement"?
2. The manual does not mention anything between the rubber and the frame. When I took the old broken glass and the seal out, there was some sort to sealant on it that I cleaned back to the metal. Do I need any?

I searched the forum but found some conflicting information. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

 

Here's an older thread with some information: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ripping-2.html

A friend of mine is in the auto glass business....he says to use butyl sealant between the cab/frame and the rubber seal. He gave me a box of the sealant that he recommends & it looks like black tape, but a little thicker.

I'm not sure how that's going to work along with the rope trick to pull the seal in place. The usual method is to put a piece of rope into the groove on the seal and use that to pull the window & seal into the frame....I've done it before on Volkswagens, but I used some soapy water on the rubber seal to help it slide into place. I think the rope might wipe out the butyl tape.

On the rubber cement....I guess that'd be OK, but I was thinking that a modern sealant like silicone might be easier to work with.

Dan

 

Silicone could affect the glass by attacking the plastic laminate between the two glass layers.

A helper and lots of soapy water in a spray bottle, along with the heavy twine, is really all you need. Also, if you can find the plastic or nylon prying tool the glass guys use it could come in handy:



If you don't use some kind of sealing material between the glass and the rubber you'll get leaks in the bottom corners of the windshield when it rains and bubbles after you wash your truck. The manual says to use rubber cement, the kind you mentioned, it will work fine. I didn't use the rubber cement when I installed the glass in my F-2 years ago and that's what I get. I just have never had the desire to tear it apart to fix it.

 

Personally, I think your glass guy is confused. You gave the correct procedure for installing glass with a rubber seal. The butyl rope you described is for gasketless windows. Like you, I don't see how you can use that with a gasket. It's just not designed for that application.

For sealing rubber gasket windows, there's a liquid butyl sealer designed for that purpose. I've never used a rubber cement, but I have used the correct butyl stuff (it comes in a caulking gun tube) on many occasions without issue. Unlike silicone, which is a big no-no here, it stays pliable so it seals better and can be removed easily in case of future breakage.

 

Thanks for the info everyone. Based on the information, I guess I will go pick up some butyl cement. I saw CRL Windshield sealant on the web. I will run by the local hardware store and see if they have something similar.

 

I used silicone and chalk line string and it worked fine. Pick up one of those suction cups at harbour freight to help positioning the glass, then use it to help pull as you run the string around.

 

So....butyl sealer between the glass and the rubber, but nothing between the rubber and the metal frame? I'm planning to put in my windshield and back window this weekend. I'll document it with a photo or two.


Dan

 

I used the butyl in both locations and now have no leaks

 

If you have the stainless trim, that needs to go on the rubber at the same time of installation. You can also remove the four taps on the cab if you are using the trim. I didn't know this when my glass went in, now i will have to take my glass out in the fall so I can put my trim in.

 

Like Jeff said, it may be best to do both places.

 

I remove those tabs even if I'm not using the stainless trim. The trim doesn't add anything to holding the window in and I've broken windshields because of those tabs. They also as another point for rust to start.

 

I just noticed on mine that the tabs were gone already.

I will installed the windshield over the weekend and keep you folks posted.

 

All of this mention of butyl sealer sparked something in the memory banks. A few years ago I was fighting a leaky windshield and rear window in one of the 66 Mustangs....they have essentially the same kind of seal.

There is a Mustang shop in Santa Clara...the guy who runs it advised that I should lay a 3/8 bead of butyl sealer around the outside fo the windshield frame....rope the seal in....make a big mess.....wear nitrile gloves, and wipe off the excess sealer right away. He said that the movement of the seal on the way past the frame will wipe away most of the sealant....hence the mess, but some will be there to help make a seal. The wet butyl sealer wipes right off if you do it right away.

I may run over there today & pick up a tube of the sealer that he uses....his shop is a half a block away from my office. I think that a little bit of the same stuff would be good for the glass to rubber seal as well....only I'd go with only a little bit....not a 3/8 bead.

Dan

 

My dad used to work at that shop about 20 years ago when it was on Stockton Ave behind the Arena. I remember visting him at work a few times and admiring all of the old Mustangs there.

After you install your windshield, I'll hire you to do mine in the 52 since I want to add the stainless to the windshield.

 

First, let's see if I can install one without breaking it!!

Checklist....1. Soap on a rope, 2. butyl sealant, 3. nitrile gloves, 4. A roll of blue shop towels