Have 84 E150 with cracking windshield, might replace it myself? How are they held in? gasket or urethane, or both? I figure I can likely find one from a junker that's still in decent shape for $50 or so, but unsure how it's retained.
I've installed only 1 before, it was regular rubber gasket ('58 chevy), so that was fairly easy, but I'm unsure of the process on this van. Anyone done one or watched theirs being installed know? THANKS!!

 

1975/91 E100/350 use the same clear/tinted/sun band windshields, there's no gasket. Auto glass shops sell the sealant used to glue the glass to the body.

 

Hi, I had a shop send out their mobile installer and replace the windshield in my '79 E-150 one year ago. The guy was real nice and it was windy so I helped the him do the install on my driveway.

Basically the glass is setting on top of a thick, narrow band of adhesive caulk-like material. First, he cut the old adhesive from under the glass and removed the windshield and scraped the old adhesive out. Then we vacuumed the debris and he used a tiny bottle of fast drying primer with a brush where the adhesive would go.

Then he set up some portable stairs on both sides of the van. He squeezed a thick ribbon of adhesive caulk around the base of the window opening and had me help him lift the windshield in place, set it on top of the adhesive and gently press in in place. It had to dry for at least 5 hours before I could drive it on the street.

It was a reasonable $200 and took 2 hrs. to install.

 

Great info, thanks for sharing, the $200 mentioned was only to remove and reseal your windshield right? that didn't include new glass did it? Thanks folks

 

No, that included a beautiful new windshield with a standard tinted band across the top. He reinstalled the rear view mirror and windshield moldings too.

The old windshield was clouded up along the edges where moisture had gotten between the glass layers over time, plus I damaged it when I took out the 1980's leaky sunroof and welded the steel panel back in place before I had the van repainted (some hot welding slag hit the glass and melted streaks down it).

Someone here told me to avoid Safelite but I don't remember why. I went with a company called Speedy Glass.

There's a "pull your own parts" wrecking yard near where I live. Once in a while I see someone pull a windshield there. $50 ain't bad if you have what it takes to do a job like that yourself. It was a lot of work though.

 

I forgot to mention that if you have a shop do it be sure to call around for prices. Some places wanted $60 more than I paid. Speedy Glass had a good rating on Yelp (yelp.com) and were more reasonable.

If you have comprehensive insurance sometimes they might pay something towards a new windshield depending on the company.

 

Safelite is not OEM and the is a huge drop of in quality
You want OEM if you are keeping the vehicle

 

I didn't know it was so reasonable, at $200 approximate, I'll hire it done. I figured was more like 350. Thanks again folks,