I'm planning on removing my windshield, the truck is a 86 f150 . I have never done this but I was thinking about using a guitar string. Would this work? Also to seal it back in was thing about 3m window weld

 

There is a tool made with a knife edge and a handle for pulling it to cut the glue.

You can give the string a try but I will say if you have never done this before might be best to have an expert R&R the glass.
1 Crack and it is junk so let them pull it and when ready to go back in call them to do that also.

BTW I have pulled glass before and when the time comes to install it in another project a pro will glue it in as it is a custom install.
Our trucks used butyl tape to seal hold the glass in not glue like modern cars and trucks do.
Dave - - - -

 

Thx I just got a quote from safelight glass and 175 is what they said. I think I'm going to just have them do it. My father is a retired body man an says we can do it an to save my money, but idk glass freaks me out.

 

My dad was also a body man and made me learn the trade so I have "played" with glass before.

A project I working on I am flush mounting front & rear glass that is the one a professional will glue in other wise it used butyl tape.
Dave - - - -

 

Approximately 2 years ago, I had my windshield replaced for $175.00. You might want to check prices where you live.

 

I just had mine removed yesterday for $35. A full removal with new windshield install is $135 so I'll just pay the guy the remaining $100 after the cab is restored however long down the road.

He even came to my house and not even during my 8-5 work hours! Great guy.

Not having done it before, I was a little hesitant also. After seeing it now, if they are actually charging you $175 for just removal, I'd do it myself in a heartbeat. Again, just removal that is, not installing one.

Oh, and personally I wouldn't even consider reusing the same glass - even if it was able to be removed without cracking.

 

+1; I think we paid a bit north of $200. DEF not worth the aggravation trying to do it yourself. They have the right tools for pulling the trim without effing it up. And if it leaks, it's on them. We've had Safelite do two trucks, and ABRA do one, and they've all been perfect. And looking through a new scratch-free (for a while) windshield is like getting new glasses.

 

FYI. Our windshields are held in with Urethane, NOT butyl

Butyl does NOT hold anything but it does seal. That is why windows that are bolted in get butyl and windows that are held in with sealant get Urethane

 

Be very carefully with safelight. They are know to scratch the widow frame and NOT prime the scratch. Then in no time you have rust. I just got done fixing rust on a friends SuperDuty that had a 5 year old safelight window job(and the truck doesnt even go out in the weather). I ended up grinding for hours and repainting the entire roof due to their poor workmanship

 

Actually, Safelite cleaned up some rust they found in one of our windshield frames for us, and then stood by and waited while my wife painted it. Or maybe they painted it for us; I don't remember, my wife was home and I wasn't. 'Course, the Safelite locations here started out as a local chain, that Safelite bought up, so they have a historical stake in doing well by their local clientele.

 

I would check on what a new windshield would cost. Even if the old windshield looks ok, after many years they get a slight roughness to them almost like they have been sandblasted. They look fine in the daylight but at night oncoming headlights turn into starbursts of light through the rough windshield. Very aggravating when driving at night.

 

The ones local to us will not even think of doing that. My glass guy has told me multiple stories of safelight cutting out a windshield, finding rust and tell the customer they cant install the new glass and LEAVING

My glass guy hd to go scrap at the rust, and prime it them install the new glass

Also my buddies truck was from TX so down there their policy cannot be far off

 

Brad if your truck has never had the front glass replaced you will see it use butyl tape not "glued in" like the new stuff is today.

Butyl does hold in the glass and seals it too all be it maybe not as good as the glue in type. I proved this to DMV when I had a car inspected and did not have the molding installed as I did not have the clips. They were going to fail me as they said the glass would "pop out" with out the molding. That is when I open the door and pounded from inside out on the glass and it did not move.


The new cars and trucks are glued in and used as part of the shell or frame or cage to protect the people that are inside in a crash. It also adds to keep the body from flexing but. But know this is designed into the car or truck at the beginning.
If you glue in the glass on older cars & trucks that flex the glass could break from the flexing because the glue does not give like butyl does and they were never designed to use the glass to keep flexing at bay.


The only time I can see the glass popping out in a crash is if the butyl is old and dried out as it will over time. That is why they also leak after some time.


As far as I know the factories started gluing in glass when they went to flush mount glass, last I looked our truck did not have flushed mounted glass.
My .02
Dave ----

 

I have been in the auto body and glass field for over 30 years.
Butyl is NOT used to hold windshields in place, nor was it ever.

Very easy way to prove your "theory" wrong. 97 was the last year of this body style and they are URETHANED in, just like they were in 1980

 

Really? My glass guy said mine was butyl (illegal now was also mentioned) and a quick google search also shows quite a few results.