The Benefits of Mobile Windshield Repair

How To Replace A Cracked Windshield

15 February 2016 by Andrew Jackson

Driving around on wintry roads can bring a lot of hazards, including ice chucks getting kicked up by vehicles driving in front of you and smashing against your windshield. A thick chunk of ice traveling at high speeds can crack your windshield and make it hard for you to see what else is on the road. You should fix the windshield as quickly as possible to make sure you are driving safely around town. Here is how you can replace a cracked windshield.

Take Out Broken Windshield

The first thing you have to do is remove the wiper blade arms and the bottom molding on the windshield. Pry up the cover at the base of the wipers with a flathead screwdriver to expose the bolt holding the wiper arm to the wiper motor stem. Remove the nut on the bolt and remove the wiper blade arms. The bottom molding will be held in place with screws. Take out the screws and remove the molding.

You now have to remove the rubber weather strip molding from around the sides and top of the windshield – this will be all in one piece. Take the flathead screw driver and pry up the molding at a bottom corner and pull up hard. The windshield will come right out once the rubber molding is gone.

Clean Windshield Frame

Many times little pieces of the rubber molding will break off and stick to the metal in the windshield frame opening. Take a putty knife and scrape the pieces of rubber off of the frame. Clean the frame with a glass cleaner to remove any oils and dirt on the frame that could interfere with adhesiveness of the glue you are going to use when putting in the replacement windshield. Glass cleaner is good to use since it won't leave any residue on the metal.

Prepare Replacement Windshield

Take new rubber weather strip molding and put in on the replacement windshield. There is a groove on the molding that slides over the edges of the windshield. The molding only goes on the sides and top of the windshield.

Install Windshield

Get a tube of glue specially made for windshield repairs and put an even coating of it all around the lip on the frame. The replacement windshield will come with a couple of little rubber wedges that you place at the bottom of the windshield frame opening. Set the windshield onto the rubber wedges and carefully lean the windshield into the frame. Press down on the windshield so it rests firmly against the glue on the lip in the frame.

Screw the bottom molding back onto the vehicle and replace the wiper blades arm. Allow the car to sit for a couple of hours while the glue dries before you drive the vehicle. If you need more help, contact a local glass service, like X-Treme Auto Glass.

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