[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 21-Feb-01 AT 02:45 AM (EST)[/font][p]Just lookin' for any tips. My '88 F150 has a major window leak on P/S, near inboard end of sun visor. I was told the only way to be sure to get it was to remove the chrome and and lay a bead of silicone in around the glass.

I've got the chrome off, broke most of the rusted clips (of course) hoed out the mud, toothbrushed it, blew it out, and I will do some "rust slowdown" in this area, as I have to paint the cab roof anyway. (All the gray Ford paint fell off the roof long ago. I'm goin' for the two-tone look here--Rustoleum Foam-Brushed Appliance White over Abused Landscaper Truck Gray/flaking/fell off,
nevercouldastayedonanyway'causeit'sFordgray.)

My questions:

1) Is 100% G.E. Silicone (tube says "for aluminum, doors, etc...) the stuff I want?

2) Other than removing dirt and wiping out as best I can w/ lacquer thinner prior to siliconing, is there anything else I should watch out for or do?

3) I plan to replace the rusted clips prior to the siliconing. While this will make laying a smooth, unbroken bead much more difficult, the alternative, hacking the newly hardened silicone out of the way to install the clips, seems like work, and could cause leaks, IMO. Am I missing something here?

Thanks guys and gals.

BigSix

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 21-Feb-01 AT 02:51 AM (EST)[/font][p]I had the same problem, only on the driver's side (dripped right on my knee while driving) and in the center. I didn't even go as thourough as you have. I just put in some silicone sealant inbetween the trim and the roof. hasn't leaked in 6 months. I'm sure whatever you do will be good cuz it's more than I did.

Oh, and I used DAP dynaflex.

1989 F-150 : 5.0, shorty headers, Flowmaster cat-back, K&N filtercharger intake, March pulleys, "Multi-brand" performance ignition, soon to be Mass-Air...doesn't know she's not a Mustang

 

Hotrodmex:

Wow--that was fast--I just posted--thanks!

I appreciate hearing the good news--it's encouraging. I just wasn't sure if I'd get all done and then have a revelation, like when someone told me what I missed, ya know?

Hopefully this'll do it.

Thanks again.

BigSix

 

Hey wow, I just discovered a leak in the same spot last week. Top of passenger side windshield, right by the visor. I noticed it when I went around a corner and the gal next to me said "what the hell is drippin on my leg?" It was funny. How hard is it to remove that chrome strip on the outside?

 

Hi, Its not hard to remove there is a tool that you can get in parts stores for about $6.00 but I wouldn't use silicone. Go with 3M window weld urethane made just for this purpose.run the bead then install clips with needle nose pliers and snap chrome back on. John

 

John:

Thanks for the advice. I guess I could lay a smooth bead, then stick the clips in as I go, while it's soft--thanks. Is the G.E. silicone really not recommended, i.e., what is the benefit of the 3M product, or the problem w/ the silicone? Just curious.

Cgl: Like John said, although it's not particularly hard, it was difficult until I figured out how the clips work. I have the tool mentioned, however, most of the clips on my '88 were rusted and didn't make it. I will visit a bodyshop or *gulp* the dealer, to get more.

CHROME WINSHIELD STRIP REMOVAL: Because none of my 3 manuals (incl. the FoMoCo. one) tell how to remove the clips, I will. Please note that the following pertains to my 1988 F150--I can't say if other years work differently as I don't know.

To prevent scratches, one might want to practice on a truck in the junkyard, and I'm not kidding. Now that I know how the clips work, I might be able to do it again w/o scratching the truck, but if someone hadn't practiced it before, I doubt one could do it w/o scratches, or at least I couldn't. (On my '88 I don't care about scratches, as I'm touching up some surface rust there anyway and it's a work truck w/ a lot of light/cosmetic damage. But probably your truck is nice so I don't want you to scratch it.)

The bottom chrome piece's "clips" don't come off of the bottom chrome strip, unlike all the rest, which are merely wire retainers that clip onto anchor posts around the sides and top of windshield. When you remove the upper and side chrome pieces, they come away cleanly, leaving the wire clips stuck on the clip anchors around the windshield. The bottom chrome piece, on the other hand, comes away with little plastic "pylons," (described below) still snapped into the bottom edges of the bottom chrome strip.

I started on the bottom end of one of the A-pillars, at the corner, where it's easier to get the chrome up. Put tool under corner of upper chrome, and try to see the clip--it's 2-3 inches up the A-pillar. The tool has a point about 1/3 inch long, and it makes a 90 degree bend. The trick is to get the point of the tool under the chrome, while the point is laying flat, parallel to the glass, then rotate the point up away from the glass, "popping" the chrome off the wire clip. Then you'll see how the clip slips off the anchor post.

As noted, the bottom chrome piece's clips are different, and each clip actually consists of two pieces. The upper portion of this clip (which comes away with the chrome when removed) look like a miniature version of the little plastic "pylons" that held up your H.O. scale race track as a kid, shaped like the letter "Y", but only about 1/2- 3/4 inch long. These "pylons" are permanently snapped into the inside of BOTH edges of the bottom chrome. Again, these pylons stay attached to the bottom chrome, unlike the wire clips on all the rest of the chrome. The second part of the puzzle is a metal clip of a different type, about 1 1/2" long, which apparently slides onto two anchor pins per clip. (ALL--any trick to replacing these big clips, as mine are rusted? There seems to be little clearance to work with between them and the bottom of the glass.) These big clips stay on the cowl after the chrome comes off.

To remove the bottom chrome piece, however, you have to separate the plastic pylons from the metal clips that stay on the cowl. Notice that there are little flexible plastic tabs about 1/8" long, just visible at approx. 8" intervals when peering into the gap between the chrome and glass. Stick the tool in here, keeping the flat side of point parallel with the glass. The goal here is to get the blade (still held parallel to the glass) up as tight as possible against the back (upper, i.e., toward the sky) side of this plastic pylon. Now push the tool, with point still parallel to glass, hard toward front of truck, while bearing down firmly. In this manner, you will thrust the tool between the pylon and the big cowl clips. Then pull the handle of the tool toward the sky, and snap the plastic pylon up off the metal tab on the cowl. Note: at no time you you really push w/ the point of the tool, unlike when removing the upper chrome pieces, as here the point has lain parallel to the glass the whole time.

Whenever you get to w/in a few inches of the end of a strip, (except on the bottom, which is one continuous piece) try to slide the piece out from the end of the next piece. They slip together like aluminum eaves trough sections.

Sorry, as it sounds worse than it is, but John is obviously experienced at this and, no offense John, if a person has no clue how these things come apart, as I didn't (plus fact that two different types of clip are used) it could be hard figure out, IMO, especially w/o scratching. The clips are flexing, but not letting go, and you can't see, so you don't know which direction each piece wants to go, etc.... At least that's how I felt.

Cgl (or anyone): I'm just curious--will you let me know if this makes sense a) when you read it, and b) after you see (or have seen) the actual parts? I'd just like to know how bad my "technical writing" skills are—what, keep my day job? lol.

Thanks in advance,

Peter

 

I have gone to a windshield replacement shop for good advise on sealants (they don't like to see returns). They also carry a huge assortment of trim clips....Gary

 

Hi, the silicone sealant has a tendency to pull away from one of the surfaces because glas and metal expand and contract at different rates where as the urethane doesn't get the skin like silicone it stays more flexible through out and doesn't pull like the silicone. John

 

I haven't had a chance to go out and see what work will be involved. It's pretty much been raining or snowing everyday here since I noticed it. So even If i park in the garage, there's still water everywhere. So i'll wait for a clear day. But from what you wrote, I should be able to get it done a lot quicker. It made sense, I just needed to read it again to clarify a few things.
As for the silicone, I meant that I planned on using a chemical called LexCel. It remains flexable, doesn't shrink, and will stick to everything (trust me on that one, it took two days to get it off my hands)

 

Cgl: Thanks, 'bro, lemme know.

John: Thanks for the good advice--I never thought about actually going to an autoglass place. I did and although they didn't have 3M, they had Esses U-418 "Quick Cure" Primerless to Auto Glass Urethane Adhesive. It was $10.00, they gave me the clips, and like you said, it makes sense they use good stuff, as the last thing they want is a "comeback."

Thanks again.

Peter

 

While I don't have a leak, I think I need to deal with this chrome trim anyway. Last fall a lot of little leaflets from my honeylocust tree went between the trim and the window. I can just see the leak in 5 years. Somehow I need to clean it out, dry it out and put a bead of sealer between the trim and the window, just across the bottom piece. Anyway, this thread reminded me of all this and has some good advice. Thanks.

 

I'll just pat myself on the back(just kidding). The windshield replacement places are great for a lot of trim parts and questions..Gary


John????????: Thanks for the good
>advice--I never thought about actually
>going to an autoglass place.
> I did and although
>they didn't have 3M, they
>had Esses U-418 "Quick Cure"
>Primerless to Auto Glass Urethane
>Adhesive. It was $10.00,
>they gave me the clips,
>and like you said, it
>makes sense they use good
>stuff, as the last thing
>they want is a "comeback."
>
>
>Thanks again.
>
>Peter

 

TallPaul:

You're welcome. However, two things. I found at least one drainhole, on each side of the cowling, under the bottom strip of chrome. At least, they definitely appear to be drain holes, @ 3/16" dia. And when I got the sealant, I asked the guy, (a "for sure" windowshield installer for dealers around here) about whether I should seal along the bottom, even though I don't think there are any leaks there, he said "No, I wouldn't, ya got these here, etc..." and pointed at the drains.

The second thing is, I've blown tons of impacted crap out from under such chrome strips, on GM cars anyway, using a gas-powered pressure washer. Especially now that I see how one can flex these strips up from their clips, w/o removing them, I think I would try the pressure washing thing, from the bottom edge up, to blow those leaves out. And depending on the veh. age, you may find old "compost" in there already, as it really does get like real "dirt" in their, so rust is a concern, like you said. I think I'd make some thin wedges out of soft wood, or maybe just one, so as not to distort the chrome so much, and "jack up the strip" and blow it out. You may find the water gets in there fine w/o a wedge. Just an idea....

 

Excellent idea Big Six! That would be much easier than taking off the trim and I wouldn't have to seal it as I could blow it out every trip to the quarter wash (when I was a kid they really were 25 cents!). You know we all have to go to the quarter wash anyway to get the crud out of the fender wells and bottom edge of the body panels because regular car washes just don't do it even when you pay for underbody wash.