Rear Glass Trim - Install after window?

[RallyRebel]

Okay, diligent searching only told me I should install the trim before putting the window back in but I was unable to locate anything about installing trim after the fact. Sorry, but I had the worst time trying to get the trim to fit into the seal properly even after raiding one of my parts cars for its trim just to make sure the original set wasn't too bent. Has anyone "re-adjusted" the trim to fit? Any tips? Am I screwed? There's got to be provision for popping the trim in post window install!

[ImBroke]

This is what I got talking to my glass guy. The trim can be done afterwards, but it's MUCH harder. He did some minor bending on mine to get it to fit again. If it's bent a lot, it will take a long time, cursing, and throwing things to bend it back right.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by RallyRebel

There's got to be provision for popping the trim in post window install!

The general answer is no...........you cannot install the trim after the window glass is installed into the vehicle. You'll mangle the trim and the seal in the attempt.

[RallyRebel]

Thanks guys, I'll let y'all know how the mangling goes.

[rs899]

I suppose you could always grind the retaining lugs off the back and epoxy it in place...

[RallyRebel]

Well, it turns out that it's quite easy! Here's what I did: Start with the two top trim pieces and hold them against the seal where they'd be fitting into the groove and chck to make sure they lie flat against the seal. GENTLY bend and adjust (I just used my thigh for a fulcrum when doing this by hand) until they lie flat against the seal. Then use some dish soap smeared along the groove, just enough for the piece you're working on, and mist some clean water over that with a spray bottle. Again, start with one of the two top pieces and begin by working it into the groove from one of the bottom corners. The groove is a bit wider there and it will help with alignment, then just keep wiggling and pushing as you go along toward the top corner then top center. The top corners were the most difficult and I used a rubber mallet to tap along that section and any others that didn't fully seat. Misting some water from the spray bottle helps keep things moving along. Once you get one side done move on to the other making certain the trim clip for the top center is in place on one of the pieces so you can slide it over when you've got both in. Now that you've got that done you're ready for the lower piece which will be easy to center now that the other two sides are in, again make sure the two trim clips are on either end to slide over the joints. I started at one side and had to use the rubber mallet quite a bit as by now the groove had gotten tighter with the other two pieces in, but you can also put some of the dish soap and mist water on the mallet head then it can be used to slide along the trim while pushing to make it easier to press into the groove. When I got to the opposite side the trim had worked its way over leaving about an 1/8" overlap, so I took a small piece of scrap 2X4 and using the mallet tapped it back toward the other side until I had equal gaps on both sides. A little more wiggling then you can align the pieces to slide the trim clips into place. Viola! You're done! Total time start to finish took about 30 minutes.

I'll be doing all my seals this way as it turned out much easier than putting the trim in prior to installing the seal.

[DIESELVOLVO]

As you have found it really makes no difference and can be done either way. No substitute for the good ol' college try. I have done it successfully either way. With a brand new gasket you really need to get the window/gasket assembly in first, get the gasket all situated and then install the trim. With a little silicone spray and patience it works flawlessly. Incidentally I just reinstalled a windshield on my 79 240 because the original gasket was roasted from the AZ sun. I bought a good Meyle gasket from my local imports parts guy and when I got the gasket on the new windshield I thought "No way is this going to fly" the top corners had no natural bend in them and so pretty much refused to stay on the glass. It seemed like there were 2-3 extra inches of gasket and I was pretty much ready to scrap it and go to the dealership but I decided to give it a shot. End result...Absolute perfection. So it can be done. what I found was that the perceived extra material comes in handy on those top corners because right before you pop the top of the windshield in, if you stretch the gasket from the center of the glass to either end that gives you the extra material you need make sure the lip completely covers the areas where the pillar meets the roofline. I am sure many of us have seen the poor installation jobs or old shrunken gaskets where there ends up being a hole here where the water can essentially run right into the car because the lip of the gasket just doesen't make it all the way out to the curve or just barely touches it.

[Rick76]

When the car gets in the direct sun, you will probably see fracture marks in the anodized coating of the aluminum everywhere that it was hit with the rubber mallet.