Should I replace my own window?

[DsN]

Some a**hat busted out my front passenger window today so he could steal my wife's purse. Safelite wants $211 + tax to replace it. I'm wondering how hard it would be to replace on my own using a window from the local junkyard. 2000 Mercury Mountaineer w/ power windows. TIA for any advice.

 

[98WARanger]

DsN,
you could get a used one from the junkyard for $20 and install it in 30 minutes easily! Let me know if you need any help. It's mostly lining up the bolts to the arms and securing two bolts. Piece of cake!

 

[DsN]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try to find one at a local yard tomorrow and see what they want for it here. I might need some tips as I've never replaced a window before.

If they ever catch the guy busting into cars at the reservoir, I won't need any tips as to what to do with him.

 

[98WARanger]

lol, I bet you wont need tips as to what to do to him. It's one of those situations where he should hope the police find him first.

Anyway, I used to work at a glass shop and have done millions of these, just let me know what type of help you need. Also if you can't find one at a junkyard you can buy the glass from a glass shop and do it yourself, but usually it's just as cheap to have them do it if you go this route.

Good luck.

 

[DsN]

I called around and was amazed at some of the ripoff prices for a used window. One yard wanted $125 with a 3 day wait until it came in. I found 1 at a yard about 20 minutes from here for $47.70 after tax so I grabbed it. A friend of ours works at a shop and he said they would install it for $75 labor. I told him I am going to attempt it myself first but I'd call him if it all went to hell. If it's not too cold out I'm going to pull it up in the garage and get on it in 30 mins.

 

[98WARanger]

One yard wanted $125 with a 3 day wait until it came in.

You can get it new for that. What a rip-off! When I worked at a glass shop a piece of door glass like that would cost us about $25 new. Then the shop adds it's mark-up fees and install fees, etc. Good luck with the install. If I were you I would take the door apart before getting the window and take the brackets out to match them with the one you are buying from the junkyard. This way you will know everything you need is there.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Not sure how different my window is, but I replaced the entire window and track it was attached to in my 93 with a junkyard window. It was hard cause I did it myself... the hardest part was getting the window "gear arms" (the two arms that go into the track the window is attached to) but had I had another person, would've been maybe a 20 minute job (20 minutes just for whatever might come up, like dropping a bolt).

Just take your time, and don't force anything and you should be fine.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

that sux bout ur window

 

[DsN]

OK, so I have the door apart, the weather stripping removed, etc. As I have never done this though, I was hesitant about which rivets I should drill out. In the pic, the salvage yard drilled out "A" to remove the window from the wreck. To me, it looks like "B" would be the better choice.

 

[98WARanger]

Did you get a channel with the window? If so you should drill out A. If not you need to drill out B. Does that make any sense? The channel I am speaking of is the bright aluminum piece in the picture.

 

[DsN]

Did you get a channel with the window? If so you should drill out A. If not you need to drill out B. Does that make any sense? The channel I am speaking of is the bright aluminum piece in the picture.

Yep I did. That's a big rivet to drill out. :x The clouds overhead are making me nervous ...

 

[DsN]

The right side is not an issue but I can't see any way to access the rivet on the left side.

 

[DsN]

OK so I did it all, hit some snags but I got it done. On day 2, the epoxy cracked and due to frustration I gave in and took it to my friend. The guy who owns the shop ended up redoing the epoxy for free as he said the hard part of the job was done. Nice guy. So it's done and I got a learning experience.