W123 Windshield Job - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dieseldan44 · #1 05-23-2007, 05:12 PM

..an FYI for all considering glass work on a W123.

Today I had a great glass guy come out to R and R my front and rear windshield for $250. I already had the gaskets and adhesive - all I needed was the labor. I decided not to attempt the job myself after considering the cost of messing up a gasket (~$90 each from MB) or the glass (~$300 for aftermarket each, a limb from MB).

As a reference, this is the first job I have paid someone else to do on the car, and Im sure glad I did. There are lot of little tricks needed to get that glass in right, and I could see lots of places where you could go wrong if not familiar with the rope technique. Id imagine after you've done it once or twice it's not bad - but I only need it done once :-)

The glass was previously put in wrong by the PO, and thats why it leaked. The gasket wasn't seated correctly, and the trim wasn't in right either. Someone had struggled and flailed. There was even broken glass wedged behind the old seal!

So beware, if you do not know what you are doing on the glass, in my opinion it's worth it to have it done. And I love doing everything myself, even if it means more time and money.

Just my $.02. Anyone in the Boston area looking for theirs to be done PM me and Ill give you the guys #, he is excellent and came highly reccomended to me from a perfectionist body shop.

-dd

rs899 · #2 05-23-2007, 05:59 PM

I respectfully disagree. This is a relatively easy job with great rewards ( what happens if/you find rust in the window channel?). Yes, it gets easier the more you do it - and I have done about 5 now and am in the middle of doing a W116 windshield ( wrong gasket

). I have 9 cars and they all have rubber gaskets so farming this out time and time again is not cost effective for me.

I would rather do this and leave rebuilding my front end to someone younger and more supple, given the choice.

It certainly helps to mitigate your risk and have a plan B if you are going to do this.

Knowing months ago that I would be doing this, I found a decent windshield and rear window at a upullit for about $25 total (on sale). The glass I have is good anyway, so I have a backup. And right now there are 2 W116s in the same yard with good glass and trim, and one of these even has my color interior.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it( watch me screw up this weekend).

Rick

tobybul · #3 05-23-2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

I respectfully disagree. This is a relatively easy job with great rewards ( what happens if/you find rust in the window channel?). Yes, it gets easier the more you do it - and I have done about 5 now and am in the middle of doing a W116 windshield ( wrong gasket

). I have 9 cars and they all have rubber gaskets so farming this out time and time again is not cost effective for me.

I would rather do this and leave rebuilding my front end to someone younger and more supple, given the choice.

Rick

Rick, how about doing a pictorial of this process for us wanna be's

rs899 · #4 05-23-2007, 07:53 PM

Hmm, I might but last time it took me, my wife AND my 6 yr old daughter at the same time to get the gasket seated (she was holding the string). I don't think the guinea pigs we have have opposable thumbs.

That is a downside- you need at least 2 people available for , figure ,an hour for the first one. I think we did the last one in about 30 minutes. That's just gasket install time.

The prep time can be a lot more. This W116 has ossified gaskets (as did the 77 W123 we did about a year ago). Once you cut the old gasket and glass out, a lot of what remains is hard as a rock. I had to really work hard with a putty knife to get it out and eventually resorted to scrubbing it out with enamel reducer on an old towel- what a messy chore. It really seems to be best to pull these things when they aren't quite so old.

I may be able to take some prep pictures, but really, the trick is getting the glass/trim/gasket combo set exactly in the proper place on the frame. If you are off center, too high or too low, the gasket will bind and you risk cracking the glass. And probably there is a great deal of risk when you stretch the gasket over the glass. It fits very snugly and any extra pulling will result in glass failure. The back windows seem really thin but (knocks wood) I've done 2 so far without failure.

Rick

Rashakor · #5 05-23-2007, 08:03 PM

I actually disagree as well.
The technique is not as hard and at 30 dollars a pop (windshield at u-pull) it is cheaper to buy 3 or 4 windshields to do it yourself than to pay somebody to do it (and have them crack it as well!!!).

IMHO, there are a few points to pay attention.
-Buy a OE gasket. not OEM not aftermarket. only OE. it fit perfectly on the glass, on the frame and... and.... and on the trim. you are a brute if you mess up a gasket!!!
- pry the trim with all the love and care you can. and then some more. and before mounting the trim+glass+seal assembly insure yourself that the trim is perfectly straight. Glass will not go in properly without the trim perfectly aligned.
- use soap as lubricant and OE sealant
- i would POR15 the frame while the glass is out. and get a new foam liner (wind and road noise reduction main factor!!!!)

rs899 · #6 05-23-2007, 08:26 PM

I don't want to sound disagreeable...but I respectfully disagree with some of what Rashakor said.

You do not ever, ever, ever, pry the trim. Cardinal sin. It will not fit right after that. Always cut the glass and trim out together , and then cut the trim off of the glass when you have it off the car. ( Unless the gasket is so bad that the trim just falls out)

And, I think the OEM gasket thing is urban legend. Being cheap ( and with 16 gaskets to do) I have never used an OEM gasket. Maybe they are easier, maybe they fit slightly better but I have yet to have a major problem with an aftermarket one. If anyone has used both on the same type of car I would like to hear from them. I think the preference for OEM gaskets comes from the professional installers. Why do they care if the gasket costs YOU more money as long as it saves THEM ten minutes so they can turn the next job faster?

The rest is spot on.. Of couse he mentioned the other pet peeve I have- no installer will guarantee that he won't crack your glass....

Rick

SD Blue · #7 05-23-2007, 10:34 PM

Not to hijack, but have any of you done a 126? Is the windshield and gasket the same or is it urethane sealed?

dieseldan44 · #8 05-24-2007, 09:15 AM

Im glad to see disagreement - that gives a future reader some info to go on to make a decision.

FWIW - If I had a fleet that needed this done, I would invest in the learning curve and do it myself as well. At this time for me, I didn;t want this to turn into a science project resulting in trips to the yard to pull additional windshields.

Also - If I had evidence that there was rust underneath I would have at least pulled the windshield myself and fixed that. But, not the case for me....

300TD · #9 06-06-2007, 11:34 AM

I want to have someone do mine but the glass folks (diamond and safelite) both say the glass is unavailable! Any help in New Jersy would be appreciated!

Thanks

dieseldan44 · #10 06-06-2007, 11:37 AM

My guy said the glass is definitely available.

If you have glass guys that dont know how to get that glass, then they are probably not familiar with the install. Caution!! You want someone who can do it in their sleep so it doesnt leak.

Find a new glass guy. Call a local MB repair shop or body shop and ask who they use. Thats how to find the MB ace in your area.

dd

300TD · #11 06-06-2007, 11:58 AM

I should learn and come here first!!!!! Thank you for the advice and that will be my plan for the afternoon!

dieseldan44 · #12 06-06-2007, 12:10 PM

Also, make sure you buy OE Mercedes seals and the correct Mercedes adhesive (its actually a non-hardening dum-dum type goop) for the glass tech.

I know others here will say otherwise, but I am a firm believer in getting this right the first time. Especially if you only have to do it once, which is hopefully my case.

The glass that was removed from my car was so horribly done by a glass guy it was painful to see. Shards of glass still stuck under the seal. Seal kinked in many spots. It leaked from day one of replacement. Wrong sealer and adhesive.

Be very sure this wont happen to you.

BTW, it cost me $250 in labor to have both the front and rear windshields R and R'ed.

Benzcrusher · #13 06-06-2007, 01:16 PM

I hate this job.
If I ever do it again I will try a OE MB gasket. The aftermarket APA gaskets have a bit of variability in them. The last one I did, front whidshield in the blue wonder, smells like a paper mill, or like fire ant killer. The gasket odor is starting to go away now that the hot weather is cooking it...
BTW in 2005 I bought 2 123 windshields from Safelite. at the time the MB one was $300 and Safelite was $106 over the counter...

rs899 · #14 06-06-2007, 02:42 PM

I think I have used mostly Meyle gaskets with basically good luck- until I tried to do the windshield on the W116. I had bought one from Azizona AH 2 years ago and didn't get around to using it until 3 weeks ago. Then I found out that it didn't fit - by about 4" too big. Well, my fault for not checking it out earlier ( and since the bag was open I should have been suspicious). I ordered another one (meyle) - again way too big. Now they are replacing both with an APA - I'll let you know how it fits and smells.

Rick

Shorebilly · #15 06-06-2007, 07:18 PM

I just had my rear windscreen done at DelMarVa Auto Glass in Salisbury, MD.....this is something that I needed to get done, and I wanted to get my windows tinted. My rear windscreen has been leaking for some time, and I decided to get the windows tinted while I was at the beach and NASCAR Races.....I think that they do a whole lot more window tinting there than they do here in Central West Virginia. So I phoned Pohanka Mercedes-Benz in Salisbury, MD and asked them to recommend a Glass place.....and they told me to use DelMarVa Auto Glass. I made an appointment some time back, and arranged to bring my own gasket...I also took a spray can of Rust Converter, Primer, and MB 904 (from Paintscratch.com). I asked them to just use the stuff, as my intent was to preserve whatever was there.....I was prepared for the worst...although I have yet to find any serious rust on this car....they used their own rust preservative and primer...but used my MB Color matched paint. These folks went out of their way for me, and even took a digital photo of my nearly perfect rear window frame...there was one small rust spot, now preserved.....

The only problem is that they would not install the glass with my gasket, they didn't like the way it fit or was constructed....but they did phone me, and ask if they could get an OE gasket from MB.....so we went with the OE gasket.....these folks did a fine job, and the window tint is a perfect job as well.....no complaints from me.....

I intend to have these folks do my windshield in September, the next NASCAR race in Dover.....my WV inspection expires September 30.....and the windshield has seen better days....so I am having it replaced even though it will pass inspection, as is.....and will get my new inspection sticker on the new windshield......the quoted price was $310.00 for a new windshield and MB gasket....installed....!!!

SB