Re-assembling a walkthrough windshield pane... it's too tight!

[crabbie]

Hi all,

My runabout has a flat walkthrough windshield with three forward panes and triangular panes on each side.

The starboard front pane was cracked, so I removed the top piece of the aluminum frame and managed to slide the trapezoidal glass out (in two pieces), took it to a shop, had a new piece cut... and now I cannot get it back together!

At first the trapezoid shape prevented re-insertion, since of course the bottom of the glass is wider than the top, so I removed the side piece of the window frame. That gave me room to insert the glass into one side and the bottom, and I thought then I could just reattach the side and the top.

Well, maybe not! With the rubber gasket on the glass, I can cannot for the life of me get the glass and gasket into even one side of the frame, let alone two. I've tried putting the gasket into the aluminum frame, then sliding the glass into the gasket, but invariably the gasket moves. If I put the glass into the gasket first, then the gasket and glass get stuck and won't slide in the frame.

There must be a trick to this... posts like this make it sound so easy. Maybe some sort of lubricant? The boat's probably 30 years old, so maybe new gaskets?



Thanks!

rodney

 

[GLG fishing]

Re: Re-assembling a walkthrough windshield pane... it's too tight!

Try lot's of dish soap and a little water as a lub.

GLG

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Re-assembling a walkthrough windshield pane... it's too tight!

They can be frustrating at first look..Here try this clean them...wipe them bone dry..Take the surrond gasket and fit it on the window...Now take some tape and run it the length of the gasket securing the gasket to the window..Make sure you do a good tape job all the way around...Them take the dish soap and slide the window and gasket into the frame ..remove tape and your done

 

[crabbie]

Re: Re-assembling a walkthrough windshield pane... it's too tight!

Tape!! *smacks forehead* I forgot the old "if it moves and it shouldn't" rule

Also, it occurred to me late last night that maybe the new glass is thicker than the old by just enough? Will pull out the calipers tonight.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: Re-assembling a walkthrough windshield pane... it's too tight!

This dish soap idea worked great for me when I replaced my windows, especially when I mistakenly replaced the 3/16" glass with 1/4".