replace windshield myself?
 

Thanks to a fellow diesel, albeit with 15 more wheels than me, I've got a nice big crack in my front window. It will need to be replaced before too long.

Anybody out there tackled such a job or is it best left to "the pros"?

If its not bigger than a quarter or isnt cracked more than 6" mose insurance companies will pay to have it fixed at a glass shop for free. Otherwise its pretty easy but takes some time. You will be saving about $100-$140 by doing it yourself. Taking the old one out isnt too hard. You can either cut the rubber around it with a utility knife or push it out after prying the rubber "lip" of the seal a bit. If the rubber is original its probably rather dry and hard so it will be easier to cut it out being careful not the bend the chrome trim. Order a new seal and winshield and put the seal around the windshield, then put the chrome trim in(kinda press it in, before placing it in the car. To get it in the car find a nice piece of fairly thin string(the free poly stuff they have at home depot for tying down a load works great) and work it into the groove around the windshield making sure it overlaps a bit. Put the winshield on the car and start to pull the string. The string will pull the rubber lip in and there you go. The corners are sometimes hard(take your time and pull) but its pretty straight forward. Hope that helps.

just had winshield replaced on my 81 Sd it was glued in !......
William Rogers...

74 240 D
81 SD
86 Euro 500 SE
81 2wd 454 Blazer hot rod

Yes, the W126 was the first to have this, which your car is. The W201(190E's) and W124(300E's) chassis followed but all older mercedes cars have the traditional rubber gaskets as described above. The glue seams easier to me in theory but its more of an art, where as with the rubber if you mess up no big deal as the glue isnt drying etc. I havent had to do the windshields on the newer cars but it will be interesting one day.

Good description of installing a window with a "traditional" seal.

All I would add is don't use an sealant. Silicone spray is fine as a lubricant. Sealant will set up before the window and seal seat properly, and it will leak. Both the front windshield in my brother's 75 300D and the one we "rescued" from the junkyard had been "glued" in, and it was obvious when removed that they had been leaking, too!

Peter

The rear windshield seal on my '81 240D is cracked all around and it leaks :( I called the best auto glass shop in my area and they said it would cost $160.00 to replace the seal. However, there's a chance the windshield could break during the procedure and that would end up costing me around $500.00 to replace :eek:

How hard is it really to do yourself? Do I have to use some sort of glue?

While we're on this thread, has anyone done the rear window on a 126?? My car has the dreaded bottom left and right fogging.

Speaking generically:
1. There is always a chance of breaking old glass when taking out your Windshield.. be gentle.
2. Carefully cut what rubber you can away from the glass. Small sharp knives like Exacto or utility knives are great. Then take some fine piano or guitar string and put it through a small hole next to the glass and wrap the ends around two pieces of wood for handles to hold on to. Carefully pull it along the edge to cut the rubber close to the glass.
3. Most people say that if the windshield was not leaking around the rubber that it is best to leave the rubber which remains on the car when you cut with the wire and just glue the windshield to the rubber already there.
4. On cars where the windshilds were designed to be glued in it is very important to do it correctly because the windshield actually becomes part of the structural rigidity of the car, meaning that in the case of a roll over you really want the windshield glued in correctly.
5. Where glass is glued in it almost always involves the use of a Primer. This must be placed on really clean glass and not touched or contaminated in any way before the glue is applied .
6. I consider wind or backglass a three person job. I did it by myself on a glued in windshield on a small car but only because I did not have help available. I have two of those big suction cup holders. Worth their weight in gold. Of course I went asking questions of everyone I could and ran across the most helpful factory rep imaginable. He was the regional 3M tech advisor for auto paint shops.... how lucky was that ?
He sent me the 3M " Automotive Aftermarket 1998-1999 Products and Systems Catalog", Weatherly Index # 736, 3M Automotive Glass Products Catalog,and 3M automotive Aftermarket Division Auto Glass FAQ, and 3m Automotive Aftermarket Division Auto Glass Intructions for Use : Automotive Windshield Replacement Procedures.

That last one is incredibly specific including exact parts numbers of all the products needed to do it correctly. Remember , I am speaking generically and only about those systems designed to be glued in. However, sometimes original stuff is not available, or is so expensive that another way of doing the job is nice to have as an option. Good Luck,,, and take pics for the faq pages if anyone does it themselves.. or if the pro installers will allow pics to be taken... Greg

I think the W126 has a lace-in (gasket) type rear window.

The MB manual for the W124 specificially states that all old adhesive (I don't think it is rubber) should be removed and the correct amount of new adhesive applied to the windshield after priming before installation. Note that it is necessary to correctly position and mark the windshield or rear glass before gluing in -- they are not self locating.

Peter

Yes the W126 has a traditional rear window seal.

What year was that MB manual written ? What if a lubricant was developed which everyone agreed was the best ever for diesels... would we be locked into using Delo 400 because a 20 year old factory manual specifically specified it ? At what point might technological advances be appropriate to incorporate into our vehicles ? In this case new and better urethanes ? Just thinking outloud... :D Greg

You migh want to check around for an aftermarket glass company, I was quoted $150 installed (Including the price for the new glass!)

Well I had safelite do my windshield, it ran me something around 300 bucks... I am still fighting having bad wiping with the rain with this new windshield. I need to run the wiper more and have it scratch a grain into it.

I just had my front windshield gasket replaced. The cost for a new gasket was $88.00 at the PartsShop linked to in this forum. The cost for installation was $125.00 at Banner Glass in Bethesda, Maryland. They did an excellent job and THAT leak is now taken care of. The man who runs the shop said it's a 3-person job and I believe him.

Dan

85 300D

A three person job !?! That sounds familiar... # 6 above ? :cool: