I had a recent post/thread on windshield fit and thought it better to comment on this in a different thread. Below is a thread I had much earlier before doing any work.
It shows some great pics of original factory sealing posted by a responder.
After having done the job I get new meaning on reading this...but here is my point: in all I've read no one makes the clear case to seal other than "if you don't it will leak". Some say seal or it will leak and some say they don't seal and dont' have issues. Here is my take:
1. Many mention corosion/rotting of the pinch weld after removing their glass. The pinch weld is steel and will rust/rot if kept wet.....so I think you have to prevent water from getting in there. It is not enough to not have a leak. When I took my glass out I had a virtually perfect pinch weld. I want to keep it that way.
2.. I installed my glass with no sealant....nice clean job...see the pic. But after looking at the result what I saw was a ledge at the top created by the gasket/seal where water could lay. It could drain but not completely and certainly not that which wicked under the gasket lip. And on the bottom (no pic) the body creates a ledge to hold water and I'm not sure it would drain out completely.....so it might stay in there and create rust/rot. So I sealed.
3. I sealed between the glass and gasket (potentially not required but didn't want to take a chance). This causes the seal to not lay flat in places and I hope the trims pushes this down. You need to do this first because if you lift the lip of the gasket later it will disturb (compress) the seal between the gasket and body.
4. Then I completely sealed between the gasket and body(see pic). I had leaks in water test and found that in some areas I left a sub-surface void or hole around a clip. If I did this again I'd partially fill the gap paying special attention to the clips and I'd tamp the material with a popsicle stick or similar.....might do it in three or more layers......and I might still have rework after water test.
5. I used CRL7708 which says it will not set up. I did not have problems adding material after days and water tests. And I'm counting on it not becoming too rigid as I plan to wait a short while before I put my trim on.
So I'll never know if I was successful but my intent is that no water get under the sealer and against the pinch weld.
It shows some great pics of original factory sealing posted by a responder.
After having done the job I get new meaning on reading this...but here is my point: in all I've read no one makes the clear case to seal other than "if you don't it will leak". Some say seal or it will leak and some say they don't seal and dont' have issues. Here is my take:
1. Many mention corosion/rotting of the pinch weld after removing their glass. The pinch weld is steel and will rust/rot if kept wet.....so I think you have to prevent water from getting in there. It is not enough to not have a leak. When I took my glass out I had a virtually perfect pinch weld. I want to keep it that way.
2.. I installed my glass with no sealant....nice clean job...see the pic. But after looking at the result what I saw was a ledge at the top created by the gasket/seal where water could lay. It could drain but not completely and certainly not that which wicked under the gasket lip. And on the bottom (no pic) the body creates a ledge to hold water and I'm not sure it would drain out completely.....so it might stay in there and create rust/rot. So I sealed.
3. I sealed between the glass and gasket (potentially not required but didn't want to take a chance). This causes the seal to not lay flat in places and I hope the trims pushes this down. You need to do this first because if you lift the lip of the gasket later it will disturb (compress) the seal between the gasket and body.
4. Then I completely sealed between the gasket and body(see pic). I had leaks in water test and found that in some areas I left a sub-surface void or hole around a clip. If I did this again I'd partially fill the gap paying special attention to the clips and I'd tamp the material with a popsicle stick or similar.....might do it in three or more layers......and I might still have rework after water test.
5. I used CRL7708 which says it will not set up. I did not have problems adding material after days and water tests. And I'm counting on it not becoming too rigid as I plan to wait a short while before I put my trim on.
So I'll never know if I was successful but my intent is that no water get under the sealer and against the pinch weld.