Glass replacement...

[texasrover]

Week before last we busted out the rear quarter glass of the rover. Nevermind how... you would not believe me if I told ya.

Anyways... is the replacement hard. Looks pretty simple after reading the shop manual but many things look easy on paper. Has any one replaced any glass in there rover?

Also, I was thinking, I have a location in Fort Worth that sells any shape or size of Lexan you would ever wont. My crazy idea was to replace the drive side with 1/4 inch (tappered to 1/8") Clear Lexan. 250 times stronger than glass... shatter proof... damn near bullet proof. No yellowing. Scratch resistant etc.

For a 24x36 cut of this stuff it is around $30.00. I can always put some tinting on it before I install it to match.

What do you think? Obviously cheaper... seems like a good idea. I would give up the rear defrost on the side glass behind the drivers side (like I use defrosters that much in Texas).

[texasrover]

Okay... can not tint Lexan... Must order pre tinted Lexan with the stratch resistant coating. Well one idea out the window... no easy tinting of the clear.

[Paul Grant]

I have the glass and it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than buying it new from a dealer. Let em know if you're interested. paulgrant@mac.com

[96owner]

i would say try it out i dont see what you have to lose. but so any way how you break it?????

[DevilDisco]

I thought that back windows housed an antennas for the radio?

[96owner]

then whats this do

[DevilDisco]

Forgot that was as D1 DII's don't have those kind of antenna's. I'll go sit on the bench now!

But the lexan sounds like a good idea.

[texasrover]

Originally Posted by DevilDisco

Forgot that was as D1 DII's don't have those kind of antenna's. I'll go sit on the bench now!

But the lexan sounds like a good idea.

WHoooo nelly...

My Disco does have the antenna in the window. I dont not listen to regular radio stations... I have XM radio! I dont have one of those outside things on my fender.

You may leave the bench now!

[texasrover]

Posted a pic... no antenna...

As for the window...

We set the rack we were building on the Rover to check fit... well it fit so we took a break and pulled out the golf clubs. Hit several balls away from the Rover into a 40 acre field.

Well, about 50 feet or so away there was a t-post. Damn golf ball hits the t-post just right to come straight back between us and hit the window which was about 20 feet behind us. It happened very fast. All I heard was the hissing of the ball as it passed me.

I laughed my ass off... I think I teared up a little from laughing. I dont know if it was because of the look on my friends face or the fact it was so highly unlikely to happen... I could not stop laughing.

[me.guevara]

The first window is tough, after that, it becomes much easier (so long as you don't mind the skin you'll lose off your knuckles).

I didn't replace the glass, but rather the gasket as both sides had developed a crack (I understand that this is common) and I had wasps starting to build a nest in there.

It's a job that'll require two people and a fair amount of sweating and cussing - make sure to have copious amounts of beer nearby to make it all more bearable.

The fundamental trick, once you have the gasket properly seated on the window, is the string - we used curtain pulls (relatively low friction, high test), but really any string will work so long as it won't snap on you halfway through the install. The string helps you bring the lip of the gasket through to the inside - without it, you'll end up wasting away your finger tips.

One of you stands on the outside, pressing the glass into the sill (gasket is already on the glass). When I say pressing, I mean like really standing on it. The other person, sits on the inside and "helps" the gasket seat itself properly.

I started the lower acute corner - at this point the window and gasket will be woefully out of center. Outside helper preses down (towards the corner that is seated), inside helper pulls string and ensures that the gasket is coming through properly.

The gasket has four "lips": outside one goes on the outside of the glass, the second one on the inside of the glass, the third one on the inside of the car sill and the inside lip goes on the plastic paneling.

Here are a couple pictures so you get an idea...

Good luck!

[texasrover]

MG, that is perfect! Thank you for the info and for the pics. This will be very helpful. I have chosen my location of the install. My Business Manager is willing to lend a hand for the outside pusher. He also has a kegerator in his garage. I think we are all set.

[me.guevara]

Glad I could help!

Cheers,