Removing M1009 Windshield???

[dc9137]

Well, I was trying to remove the windshield in my M1009 and cracked the darn thing. It's still not out!

I removed the center bead on the outside seal and kicked lightly from the inside toward the edge of the glass and crack...spider web. I was surprised it cracked as easy as it did. We'll say the glass was brittle...yah, that's it. Anyway...

What am I doing wrong? It's still tight as ever and now it's cracked. Should I try and pry out any other seals?

 

[NDT]

This is a job for a glass pro. Even they break glass from time to time.

 

[doghead]

The rubber can get stiff over time. I usually cut the old rubber with a knife, and replace it with a new seal. That allows for safe and easy removal of the glass.

 

[waayfast]

Ditto what DH says , BUT usually the rubber becomes stuck to the sheet metal of the cab. An important step is to take a plastic stick (any glass shop would probly give you some) and slide it along between the rubber and the sheet metal to insure it's unstuck. Then take the stick and make sure the glass is unstuck from the rubber also.Even if it is old and stiff, the glass will come out.
It helps to start pushing at the edge (top) and get it started that way, then the rest will follow. Starting to push right in the middle will garrantee cracking.
You may want to lay a thick blanket or some sort of padding on the hood--maybe even get an assistant to catch the windshield--- sometimes the glass will pop out and flop down on your hood---then you get to fix dents!

OH, and ANYTIME you are pushing on (or working with glass for that matter) you need to have eye protection as when the glass breaks it can cause chips to pop out and you REALLY don't want any in your eyes.
Hope this helps,
Jim

 

[dependable]

There is a windshield tool that looks between an ice pick and a cork screw that you could run under the rubber seal inside & out. But at this point, perhaps you should try an auto glass place. They will take old one out and probably re use gasket I used to do my own windshields and probably cracked one out of five. The prices have got down to around $200 for a new CUCV windshield, installed.

 

[GREENMV]

Years ago when I was In high school, I worked for Fosters Junk Yard Miami. We used to fish a thin wire (Piano Wire, Guitar string, Safety Wire Etc) between the Mastic / Gasket and Winshield then wrap a dowel / handle on each end. Then one person on the Inside and one person on the outside, move the wire along to separate the window from the Windshield Mastic / Gasket like a cheese slicer cuts through cheese. Still no guarentees. every now and then we would still break one. We sold a lot of used windshields and It worked great.

 

[CycleJay]

If it was not already broke.

Why were you trying to remove it?

 

[Recovry4x4]

My tool of choice is the Snap-On cotter pin remover. Looks like a heavy duty hook. Didn't see one in the catalog. Works great on these and hoses too.

 

[dc9137]

Thanks for all the input. I cut away the seal on the outside and when I did I could see where the glass contacts seal on the inside. I swear it was glued. It may have just bonded in the heat, but it was a mess. After using a putty knife to separate the glass from the inside seal I finally got it out...it was easier once I didn't need to worry about being so careful. That will be a $200 mistake. I'll definitely leave it to the glass guys when it's time to put a new one in.

The bad news is while I was up on top of the truck I got a little nervous. The roof line seemed a little rippled next to the windshield. I really hope it wasn't painted over rust. Someone definitely pieced the truck together. The doors and one sun visor are blue and who knows about the rest of the parts.

Thanks!

 

[dependable]

If you have the windshield out, you have a chance to clean and paint the 'pinch weld'. Any irregularities under where the gasket sits should be fixed. Some of these came pretty uneven from factory. It is often a place were rust starts in the roof. Suggest using a product like Chassis Saver or POR 15 for this type of thing, once it is straightened and prepped.

 

[forest522]

I feel your pain sir. My 84 m1009 had a horrible spot of rust behind the windshield gasket. Seemed that troops using the roof for a park bench created a few creases on the brow near the top of the windshield.

That said, when I went to strip down the vehicle, the windshield did come right out. It was just sitting in the behind the rubber rope-like seal. I came right out once that was rope-like seal was removed. Then came the rust.

It took lots of welding and grinding to fix this.

Then, once painted, I had the pro's install a new windshield. It took two of them 3 hours to get the new one in and they did indeed have to use a glue to assure a proper seal. The new gasket came from the "cab seal kit" from LMC. It was a good gasket set. The install shop, rhymes with satellite..., was great and said the last three Chevy's of the same year-ish all needed a little glue to assure a good seal.

So, there you go...hope this helps!

 

[dc9137]

Sounds like I may have the same problem Forest. I'm definitely getting a pro to reinstall the windshield when it's time. Most of the body looks pretty good, but I"m beginning to think just the roof may have been repainted over some rust. When I was taking the top bolts for the top out a couple of them were pretty rusted also...

 

[forest522]

Oh, the removable top bolts...I broke off two of those. Frustrating. Once drilled out and the threads cleaned I used some nice shiny new ones from a junkyard with some anti-seize.

We have great summer weather around here, so top will likely be off every summer. I bet those bolts hadnt been out for 27 years!!

Hang in there!

 

[JGBallew]

Years ago when I was In high school, I worked for Fosters Junk Yard Miami. We used to fish a thin wire (Piano Wire, Guitar string, Safety Wire Etc) between the Mastic / Gasket and Winshield then wrap a dowel / handle on each end. Then one person on the Inside and one person on the outside, move the wire along to separate the window from the Windshield Mastic / Gasket like a cheese slicer cuts through cheese. Still no guarentees. every now and then we would still break one. We sold a lot of used windshields and It worked great.

/\ This, except I used stainless steel aircraft safety wire.

Lots of aircraft windscreens are stuck in place with stuff that makes windshield sealant look like play-doh.

 

[lindyp38]

ill be replacing mine this week.......gasket is hard and leaks in one corner.....the actual windshield is cracked in one spot...but that's how I got it from gov auction.....so its time for me to update and make it safer......

 

[T. Highway]

I just replaced mine in the 1009 about two weeks ago. I did buy a new gasket, it was made in China and was oversized. I reused the old gasket with sealant around the outside on the body and the glass. No leaks and it was an easy 35 minute job. It will take a bit longer if your window is sealed in-place.
I did use two plastic sticks to help the gasket lip over the glass edges. I set the bottom of the window in place and started up each side about half way at a time, then set half of the top edge then moved to the other side and repeated. You should finish in the middle of the top and not in a corner. Remember not to stretch the rubber bead when you put it back in place.

Bert

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I was surprised it cracked as easy as it did. We'll say the glass was brittle...yah, that's it.

It's possible the glass was stressed already. If it wasn't put in correctly, or (worse!@) if the windshield frame is a bit tweaked, the glass could be sitting there under stress, and you just bumped it over the edge.

I once broke a customer's windshield while installing a business radio. I was using a piece of electrician's fish tape to run some cables under the carpet. Couldn't find my short piece, so I was using a longer one, and the loose end just barely tapped the windshield. Bang - spider crack.

I met the guy who came out to install the new windsheild (so I could pay him), and he told me the original was installed a bit crookedly, and was under stress, and that's why it broke so easily.