Need a hand on windshield removal

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Leaking Cab 1996 F-250

Can someone tell me how to remove the alluminum frame from around my front windshield with out screwing it up? I have started to notice that the rain can leak in at the top during heavy down pours. So I wanted to get in there and take a look. My window has a crack that runs up to the center area and it may be contributing to the issue. Sure hope I dont find a rust hole.

Forwarded to
a-rod
Posting Guru
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...placement.html
Rocky

 

There is a tool you need, it looks like a T but the end has hooks on it.
You get it behind the clip, and you twist it and it pops the clip loose.

You'll most likely break most of them having never done it. I think you can buy new clips.

 

TWIT (thats what I thought)
I was hoping that it would not have the rubber inserts type on it as I always break them off. I will search for this tool you mentioned as I think I will bend the alluminum up if I am not carefull. I figure that there my be a start point or a technique for it.

 

You just stick it under the trim and slide it till you hit a clip, then you twist the tool and the clip will pop and the trim comes up.

No rubber except for the 2 pieces that the window sits on, dont loose those if you are going to pull the window, which you'll most likely have to do to fix the brow.
Then you need a pull knife for that.

They usually leak right at the brow where the window seals, and you need a window company to fix that for you. You should be able to call them out to re-seat your window with urethane after you've repaired the area.

 

You couldn't pay me enough to ever do another windshield. Why don't you just have someone come out and replace the windshield and then it will all be nice and sealed up. You can tell them to put new trim clips on too. Everyone I have ever seen do it has them on the truck. My insurance company buys me windshields all the time and I only have liability on this truck. In most states with inspections they will. If you have a good insurance company.

 

gp to the wrenking yard and practice cause its a hard technic to get down its to hard to explain you have to do it and if you go to a wrenking yard all your foing is helping some one else bye getting it out try it on any kind of vehical

 

I think f250 diesels fingers were a bit off there.
haha.

Even if you have the window comany come out, there is a chance that they cannot repair the window lip.

usually its just the paint coming up from the lip, so they can grind it down with a scotch brite pad, and then apply a sealer to it which will stop the rust. ask them if you can cover your dash, cause if they drip it, it does NOT come off no matter what you do.

But thats your best bet. Or maybe you can get them to come out and remove the windshielld so you can work on it, and then come back and install the new one with new clips.

Just remember, the chrome trim never goes back the same, it also takes some time to settle in, so it looks funny for a while. Not sure how that works, but it just never goes back on the same.

 

I had my truck repaired at a body shop due to the rust around the window. It did not leak a drop during heavy downpours until after I had that done. I kept taking it back so they could see the leak. They never did get it fixed. When they did the roof they took off the overheads lights so one day I decided to check them and sure enough they were all loose. I tightened them up and had no more leaks. So if you have roof lights I would check them first.

 

If you have clearance light on the roof you might want to start there they have been know to leak. Just a wag.

 

I doubt most would even know if they had a leak anyways.

It leaks to the trim and follows it around down to the sidewall and out the door.

Clearance lights wont leak unless you take them off and dont put on new seals.

Well, they shoudln't leak if you have not touched them.
I need to replace all of mine, they look like crud.

 

Just get a couple LARGE tubes of kitchen and bath caulking and a spoon and go around all your windows and clearance lights and they'll never leak again ever,.... wont come off either though small side effect.

 

+1. Wife did BOTH OBS trucks this past fall. $229 apiece at Safelite. One on the insurance and one on her dime. Did 'em both right in the driveway, and they even pounded out some hail dings in the frame on the green truck.

 

Eastwood sells the windshield trim removal tool and the windshield removal tool. If you want to do it yourself and the windshield is already cracked, you really have nothing to lose and the expierence to gain. f-250diesel is right about the self serve junk yard also if you don't want to risk any damage to your truck. Start with the lower corner of either side mldg, poping one clip at a time and put a paint stick under the mldg as it pops out so it doesn't re-clip itself. There are 4 clips up each side, 8 clips across the top, and 8 different and harder to get clips on the bottom. Done a lot of these in my auto body days, check your cab lights and your roof side drip rails as the factory caulk cracks and the water weeps in and then drips. Just did my 97 windshield and drip rails. Don't use house hold caulk it wont hold up and sometimes is not compatable with factory or replacement windshield sealer. Had a customer use stuff that ate into the OE sealant and made it worse had to pull entire winshield, clean all the junk and reinstall it. What a gooey mess. Before you pull the windshield, pull the outside mldgs & inside trim, sprinkle baby powder around the windshield edge where sealed to frame, and sit inside w/ a blow gun and blow out around the inside windshield frame. Wher powder blows out is your leak. Go to an Auto Body supply house and get resealant or uerthane glass sealant. Do it right or do it twice.

 

Thanks for all of the support. The baby powered trick is a good one reps sent. I post back when I am done.

Rocky

 

Heres a pic of the tool , you can make one easy enough.



The tool slides under the trim, the sharp pointed ends will catch the metal clip holding the trim as you carefully slide the tool along flat against the glass with the handle leading in the direction you are moving. When you feel it catch the clip , straighten the handle perpendicular to the trim still flat on the glass,, You should be able to lift the trim by hand after a couple of clips have been released