Windshield rubber seals?

[fabianoliver]

Hi, the windshield of my 1994 XLT is leaking a lot, I even hear the wind at 50mph
Previous owners dindn’t repair that.
So I want to remove and glued again, It will be done by a pro.
The point is that maybe that broke the rubber seals..
Anyone can point me in a good replacement seal? I don’t know how they looks like……. Any link?
The windshield needs some plastic trim or just the rubber seal?

Thanks all for your help!

Fabian

 

[fabianoliver]

Hi, me again.
I was reading more in the web.
Seems that what i need is called "Windshield molding".
Not cheap
I've found genuine ford around 200$ shipped, Genuine Ford Reveal Molding YL2Z-7803144-AA | eBay
and another lot cheaper around 35$ Precision Replacement Parts P-WFS-1087/PWFS1087 Windshield Molding - 4 Sided Rigid | CarPartsDiscount.com

does the cheeper one do the trick?, any experiences ?

Thanks for your help!!!!!

 

[J_C]

If you're having a pro do it, just let them get the molding. They are bound to know suppliers with decent quality and price.

 

[~X~]

I believe the windshield is held & sealed with butyl. I'm not sure how the rubber stays in, hope someone will chime in on this, one of mine needs a windshield and I have a good spare in a parts car to swap in.

 

[ChildIdenticant]

Took out my (non original) windshield couple months ago for planned paint. Looked like there was originally hard rubber, but when last replaced by autolite , butyl was used.

 

[J_C]

The molding is probably just put around the glass before it's set into the adhesive applied to the pinchweld. Sometimes molding can be reused but it is unlikely at this age. Maybe more likely if just pulling and putting same glass back on because the adhesive needs redone.

Don't know if the original adhesive is butyl, silicone, or polyurethane but you might be able to tell by poking at it with your fingernail. Polyurethane is pretty hard, while silicone will make an indentation and bounce back. Butyl won't bounce back as much. Another test is cut a strip of the adhesive off. Polyurethane is hard to stretch but with far more force, breaks in two. Silicone stretches easily, long before breaking. Butyl will easily pull apart trying to stretch it.

Not sure what ChildIdenticant is stating, there was an adhesive holding the glass on and the rubber molding fits around it, then the adhesive holds the glass on, and the glass traps the molding, holds it in place.

 

[J_C]

Seems that what i need is called "Windshield molding".
Not cheap
I've found genuine ford around 200$ shipped, Genuine Ford Reveal Molding YL2Z-7803144-AA | eBay
and another lot cheaper around 35$ Precision Replacement Parts P-WFS-1087/PWFS1087 Windshield Molding - 4 Sided Rigid | CarPartsDiscount.com

I've not done the research on this, whether that second one you linked is good quality, don't even know if these are the right part #'s but I assume you determined that. I suspect it would be good "enough".

On the other hand, that Ford part # is a lot cheaper on amazon, here it is $106 + $9 S/H:
Amazon product ASIN B000NU6QSW
I highly doubt that most auto glass places are paying the premium for the Ford part. They wouldn't be able to charge what little they do to replace the whole windshield including the molding and glass.

 

[fabianoliver]

Hi all. thanks for your answers
i know the windscreen has been replaced some years ago ( 3?) but i don't know if the moldings are the original ones.
I live in Uruguay, we have lot of parts, but may be nor the exact moldings for explorers 1st gen.....so may be the best is to bring it from usa.
They have replacement windscreens on stock, if the one on the X brakes in the procedure.
Anyway tomorrow i'l test the adhesive as J suggests, and i'll bring the ford to the pros just to show to them, and to know "their feelings", and to confirm if they able to find the molding here, before to buy one from USA.

 

[fabianoliver]

OK, solved.
I went to the pro bussiness today.
I arrived at 8:00, full of peole.
some cars with a broken windor ( night thiefs), and us, another kind of client.
I explained the water problem, the guy pushed the windshield from the interior to the exteroir, and it has the upper right angle unglued.... it moves freely. What??
First they take the rubber off, without problem, then they unglued the rest of the windscreen using a thin steel wire..very smart and fast.
The rubber was removed without problem, so they uses the same.
40 U$S later, i was at home waiting the rain!, jajaj, let's see how it goes.
yesterday i checked the sunroof lines, to see if they wewre clogged, but no, they were fine.
Let's see how the X behaves in the rain.
Thanks all.

 

[CDW6212R]

That windshield had urethane sealer holding it in originally. The low end butyl crap will let go if it isn't installed perfectly or the body flex breaks the seal. I have had my old 93 have the windshield let go at the upper left corner, moveable by hand.

So I have dealt with R&Ring the glass and the seal, learning about the low quality sealants available. Old car methods are bad for windshields, don't skip the urethane sealant, that stuff is very strong and permanent. The molding was available the first time I had to R&R the glass, at the shop they used the proper urethane.

When I rebuilt my 99 using that 93 body, the windshield had to be removed to weld the front clip to the "A" pillars etc. We found rust in the window channel, the sealing area, plus at the top edge of the roof where the molding rests(traps dirt and rubs). The prior labor on the truck sanded that surface too thin, and over four years it rusted where they left it just primered.

So installing the glass is easy for the pro's when nothing is amiss. If the glass area has been worked on or suspect, like the thread posting member, the area should be worked like a body part getting etching primer and paint etc. Don't leave it bare metal or thin paint, or just primer. It needs to be full covered with secure paint and great adhesion products. Once it's properly surface prepared, then the expert glass installer can quickly wipe it with a prep solvent, apply the urethane sealer, and set the glass in place.

BTW, that rubber molding is attached to the glass, sealed onto it from the factory, they don't add it as a separate part. So finding a replacement should be very difficult. The entire windshield with the molding used to cost $220 installed, and last I check the glass assembly alone was $105. Now with our new normal economy, all glass is way higher(not like the official 9% inflation).

 

[fabianoliver]

Txs CDW
I was very attentive to the rust, and thanks god, all went ok. no rust.
The guy prior to unglued, checked if they has a new one, just in case, and told me that if we find rust, i should go to repair it, and then they glued the windshield.
I was lucky, and happy. Let's see how it evolves..