Removing back glass to reuse...

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GRWeldon

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I found a place that can get me a used rear glass...$760 plus $250 shipping. Not going to go that route just yet, if ever, seeing as I only have about $2K into the car and haven't really driven it yet!

I have 2 suitable parts cars. I've removed the trim from one and have actually been able to push a putty knife through the adhesive bead for a few inches along the side. On either side of that few inched the adhesive is hard as a rock.

I've thought about heating the putty knife before trying to push it through. Wondering in anybody has any other suggestions for methods to try. I know about the wire technique but I have broken glass before doing that. I only have two pieces of glass and I need them both.

What do y'all think?
 
MadMikeyL said:
I think call local auto glass places and see what they would charge to come out and remove it from the parts car. They have better tools and knives for it. Trying to do it yourself is almost guaranteed to break it.
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I have contacted a local place. The only problem is they won't guarantee that it won't break and they still want their money if it does break.
 
They are all going to say that, and they are right, they can’t guarantee that they won’t break it. But I can guarantee that you will break it if you try to get it out yourself. So do you want to pay them for a chance to be able to use that rear glass, or do you want to save your money and have 2 broken back windows?
 
The only way to get it out is to cut the urethane bead; I used tungsten wire from mcmaster-carr, industrially. It doesn't put pressure on the glass.but you need someone on the inside, or you have two holes to put rhe wire rhru, and cut between the holes. You can cut tour fingers off with tungsten wire, if you do it wrong. auto shops use thin steel cable to do it. If you put pressure on the glass at all, it will break.
 
Which car is it for? I just stepped through Safelite's web page and they quoted me $788 for a new rear glass installed in my '95 LX. I think you are right to not spend a lot of money on cosmetics until you are ready to put it on the road.
 
Back glass is much easier than the front. I've managed to safely remove two rear glasses and zero fronts. So .. in other words, I have at least $1500 worth of glass in my yard ? 🤔
 
That's one reason I left my rear window and tint alone in the back of the Cougar when I had it painted. The risk of 1) - Breaking the defrost removing the glass, 2) breaking the defrost trying to remove the tint, 3) Breaking the glass trying to remove it. Even trying to remove the rubber trim was not worth the risk, seems you got that part done though. After the car was painted, I had a shop replace the OEM front window and tint the side windows. There is some overspray on the rear window seal / trim. Nobody is perfect.
 
MadMikeyL said:
But I can guarantee that you will break it if you try to get it out yourself.
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I have actually successfully removed 2 back in the 70s on Olds Cutlasses. I've also broken one. My cousin, a GM dealer bodyman for decades doesn't have as good of a record as mine.

I think I'll be able to get it out intact but it won't be easy and it will wear me out physically. Thanks for your opinion. I'll post a picture either way.
 
Jim3inVirginia said:
Which car is it for? I just stepped through Safelite's web page and they quoted me $788 for a new rear glass installed in my '95 LX. I think you are right to not spend a lot of money on cosmetics until you are ready to put it on the road.
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Safelight wouldn't even quote it for me.
 
For the naysayers in the group...never say never!

The glass isn't yet installed in the white 95, it's just sitting there. There was a casualty though. When disconnecting the defroster wire on the driver's side, it just snapped away from the glass. I'm hoping to find a way to fix it. I live in the south and we rarely have snow or ice but it is really convenient to have a defogger if needed.
 

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Are you in Jersey?
 
Nice job! I would never attempt to remove glass. Did once a long time ago and it was broken in less than a minute.

IIRC you can get kits to repair the defroster terminal on the glass. It's a conductive glue that you put them back on with.
 
Wile E. Coyote said:
Are you in Jersey?
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Alabama

Kenz said:
IIRC you can get kits to repair the defroster terminal on the glass. It's a conductive glue that you put them back on with.
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Thanks man. I'll do some searches. As far as the difficulty of the job, it wasn't too bad but it was miserable. If anybody wants to know how I did it, I'll make a post describing it. No special tools required, just a propane torch...
 
I watched a mobile glass installer use one of those oscillating saws with a flat non-toothed spatula looking blade to cut the adhesive all around before lifting off. Of course the old one was already cracked and no care was employed. It went through quick and easy.
 
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