Technical Tips and tricks from the pros? 32 5w glass installation procedures?

Made the long haul to Georgia to bring this absolutely stunning project home and wanting to make sure I don't screw up this glass install! Looking for some pro tips on installing glass. I have searched and came up with no real good information. Steps, tricks, dos and don'ts, lets hear em.

 

@LM14
Any help or advise here? Thanks.

Phil

 

Door glass: Use one long piece of fuzzy channel. Some brands require nipping the corners so you can bend them to a 90 degree angle. Some might let you bend it tight enough without cutting. I used masking tape to hold it into position temporarily. Let the bottom ends hang long, it won't hurt anything down there.

You will need to leave the backside door window channel loose when installing the glass into the door. When you have the glass into the general area inside the door cavity, slide the arms of the window mechanisms into the bottom track, and wiggle the winder into the proper position for the screws to hold it. Try to raise the window up to the top of the door. Then you can install the back track with small screws.

Roll the window up and down, and if it moves easily you are probably ready to glue your fuzzies. Roll the window down and scoot the fuzzy channel down as well. I use 3M black windshield urethane sealant to glue it into position. Lay a bead along the top of the channel, and the upper parts of the side channels. Roll the window up and let it stay there till the urethane is dry (wait a day). Then you can put some glue behind the hang-down portions of the fuzzy channel and roll the window down to hold those portions while they dry. Little dabs will do ya here.

The way the front door channel is set deep into the door sometimes lets the glass rattle a bit if you close the door with the window rolled down. To prevent crackage, I glued a single-sided fuzzy to the inside of the little web edge at the front of the door. Could probably put one on the window molding too up there, but I didn't on mine. Now the open window won't rattle against steel when slamming the door.

 

Glass doesn't bend, and don't use metal tools to pry on anything.

 

Here's what I did on the door glass.
Not a five window, but a sedan.
It's rather long- winded, but I don't know what you know or don't know. Maybe you can cherry pick something that might help.
After several attempts at various combinations and orders of install, here is what worked best FOR ME
Your results may vary.

I used all Drake repro front and rear fuzzy and bottom channels. The fuzzys fasten to the factory sheet metal channel (spot welded in the door) with a small tab at the top and another at the bottom. FWIW, the rivets on the bottom tab on the rear fuzzys had to be drilled out and the tab moved about 1/4" to line up the tab with the slot in the channel. The wider flexible fuzzy goes in front. Remove the wood block if it's installed at the window opening front.


MAKE SURE THE GLASS FITS IN AND RUNS SMOOTHLY THE CHANNELS. This may sound simplistic, but will send you screaming down the street if it doesn't. Mine didn't, even though cut to stock patterns. Your plan to use a template is a must!!. My tempered glass (supposedly cut to stock patterns) couldn't be edge sanded, and I had to have it done over!!

Lower the glass through the opening, and loosely center it inside the metal channels. Block up the bottom with a cut to fit 2x4 stood on end in the door cavity. By not installing the fuzzys first the glass has enough room to allow the rigid rear fuzzy to be installed without a fight.
Feed the rear fuzzy channel down through the opening, in to the metal channels, and over the glass edge. Use Windex for lube. Clip the top tab in place and press the fuzzy channel all the way into the metal one. Do the same for the wider front fuzzy. By hand, try the glass up and down. If it binds, make sure it is not cocked at an angle. The Drake rear fuzzy channels appear to have a thicker backing than stock and decrease the edge clearance of the glass. You can pick up a very small amount with a blunt flat nose drift and gentle hammer persuasion. If it won't go up and down by hand, it won't do it with the crank.

If you're good with the fit, remove the glass and both fuzzys. Install the slotted metal channel and rubber seal on the bottom edge of the glass. It's a tight fit, so I lubed it with Windex. Slippery but dries up. The rubber first needs to be trimmed back from the front and rear glass edge to fit, by the depth of the front and rear fuzzy channels. I think the front was 1" and the rear 1/2". Too long and it will drag on the fuzzy channel and too short it will leave an opening for water to enter with the glass up. This rubber also has a lip that seals against the window opening when the glass is up all the way. The metal channel then goes on, centered on the rubber, with the radiused edge of the slots facing in. This allows the rollers to go in. I used a rubber mallet and the Windex to drive the metal channel down over the rubber on the glass. Make sure that the edge facing down is on a piece of carpet to cushion it. The channel is tight but it will spring enough to go over the rubber. Start at one end and work your way down. Pay attention to the relationship of the channel to the glass. If you get it wrong, either front to back, or in and out, it is a pain to remove and do over with the Windex dried.

Before this next step, make sure you have the latch mechanism in place. You won't be able to install it with the glass and regulator in place. Also make sure the connector strap is straight. If not it will rub against the glass. Ask me how I know. One of Henry's worst ideas.

With the fuzzy channels pulled out AGAIN, lower the glass, with lower channel installed, back in the door. The rubber lip faces out as well as the lips on the roller slots. Center it between the empty metal channels and support it with the wood block. The top edge should be close to the window ledge opening. Start the rear fuzzy and push in place until it stops. Lower the glass a couple inches and feed some more fuzzy. By alternately moving the glass up and down you can feed the fuzzy all the way down. You will need to gently bend it inward at the top to keep it vertical where it goes between the glass and metal channel. It will straighten out ok as you push it down. Once you get it past the bottom of the glass, you can pull it down from the bottom. Hook the bottom tab in its slot, bend it over, then stretch the fuzzy upward and hook the top tab.

Move to the front fuzzy, and install it the same as the rear one. It is more flexible and will bend easier. Mine did not fit real tight and after getting them in I had to secure with some 3M at the bottom.

Next run the glass by hand up and down in the fuzzys. If it binds again try a little persuasion on the channels. If it's smooth, move the glass all the way up and hold it by a screwdriver stuck through one of the punched holes at the top of the inner door panel. It will be under the lower metal channel.

Adjust the lift regulator so the two arms are at half way. With the glass held up by the screwdriver, position the regulator and install a couple of screws loose. Crank the arms down and gently lower the glass down until the slots are close to the rollers. Crank up or down and when the rollers line up with the enlarged holes at the end of the slots, snap them in. Grease the slots with some white grease. Tighten the regulator screws after installing all six.

Try it out. If all is good install the small rubber anti-rattle bumpers at the opening's upper edge as well as the wooden block at the top front of the window frame.
Last, cut the upper rubber seal to length and 3M in to the upper channel. Raise the glass to hold it in place until the 3M sets.

You should be done except for the garnish molding.

Good luck. The second one will be easier than the first.

 

Forgot one thing. If you use repro outer door handles, the square shaft may go through the latch too far and the bottom glass channel will catch on it and stop the upward travel. Install one first and eyeball and mark through the glass opening how much needs to be trimmed off.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Excellent information @alchemy and @hotrodA and many thanks for that. I am currently checking the glass templates for fit prior to getting the glass cut and tempered. Not looking forward to doing this job with a couple of freshly painted doors.

 

Thanks for the input, this seemingly simple job is proving to be a real nightmare on a finish painted car!

 

UPDATE: After reading and researching, I just went about it my way.. Ended up removing the rear felt and channel.. Angling the glass in, pushing the window slightly past the bump stops and getting the regulator hooked up.Then slid the channel in and secured it, followed by the felt.