Window Channel Rust!!! Now what??

[drewusmaximus]

1995 525i 5 Speed


My windshield has a crack at the bottom left of the shield and it's leaking at the top corners of the windshield. The A pillars are wet every time it rains. So, I made an appointment today at 1:00pm to replace the windshield. The glass guy said it's leaking because of rust and he cannot put the new glass on until I get the rust repaired.
Damn it!! I really don't want this issue to get worse. I searched for any DIY but, can't find anything.
I would like to fix this ASAP but, not sure where to start. I have time on my hands right now to fix it but, I have to use the car daily to drop off and pick up my children from school.
Any advice or if someone can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks in advance!

[Layne]

So the old glass is already out? You better just have it towed to a body shop. You'll waste way more money on alternate transportation and trying to fix something you don't know how to fix.

[MIKYZZ4]

This is a suggestion that may save the cost of bodywork, but may also leak in the future,
Dependent on the level of damage the rust has caused to the structural integrity of the channel.
The correct mixture and application of J-B Weld should solve this issue. This should be left to someone,
who is familiar with prepping the area, and using it correctly.

[drewusmaximus]

The glass guy and I agreed not to replace the glass. The original shield is still on since I still have to drive the car daily. The glass guy said I can pull the shield and do the rust if I want and when the rust is repaired, give him a call and he'll come back to put on the new shield. Looks like I won't be able to drive the car while I repair the rust.

[Layne]

Looks like I won't be able to drive the car while I repair the rust.

I mean.... you could reverse everywhere.

[ross1]

The glass guy and I agreed not to replace the glass. The original shield is still on since I still have to drive the car daily. The glass guy said I can pull the shield and do the rust if I want and when the rust is repaired, give him a call and he'll come back to put on the new shield. Looks like I won't be able to drive the car while I repair the rust.
I am skeptical that you still have original glass. All the cowl rust I see is from incorrectly installed replacements. Curious to see your glass markings and the windshield trim.

[drewusmaximus]

I am skeptical that you still have original glass. All the cowl rust I see is from incorrectly installed replacements. Curious to see your glass markings and the windshield trim.
I'm sure it's not the original. I'm wondering if I can do the rust repair myself, then have the glass guy come back and install the shield. I can't find a DIY on channel rust repair.

[ross1]

I'm sure it's not the original. I'm wondering if I can do the rust repair myself, then have the glass guy come back and install the shield. I can't find a DIY on channel rust repair.

Unless you are going to weld in new metal and do the required body work then just dummy it up. Scrape out all the rust you can, apply POR15 or similar and fill the hole with?? JB Weld, fiberglass... prime and paint.
The windshield guy just needs a place to lay down his butyl or urethane.

[drewusmaximus]

Thanks. How hard is it to lay the glass myself? What do I need in order to do the job myself? Is there a DIY I can follow?
thanks in advance!

[ross1]

The glass installation isn't hard. Be sure whatever repair you make doesn't upset the "bed" for the glass, it needs to sit evenly, a lump from a repair will cause it not to seal or even break from a stress point.
The moldings are the tricky part. Factory glass uses clips pre attached to the glass in VERY specific locations to mate with notches in the trims.
Does yours still have OE moldings and clips? The clips are grey plastic about two inches long, a dozen or so of them on the perimeter of the glass.

Set it in urethane adhesive specially made for this. I have a tube of Dow U428plus left over from a recent job I did. I'm unlikely to need it(famous last words) before it will expire. Send me a PM if you'd like to have it.
EDIT: One tube is unlikely to be enough for a windshield, the reason you'll often see them sold two at a time. You are still welcome to it but will probably run short.

[zkd]

I had this problem and it took less than a day to do. this is how it's done.

- remove the old windshield
- get yourself a power grinder
- use it scrape all the rust
- get a good primer after you clean all the spots and paint a good thick coat then let it dry, takes about an hour or so to dry, then sand it (wet sanding) so it's smooth.
- get a paint for the color of you car, after the primer is dry and sanded, paint with a brush (not spray) a thick coat, let it dry. again about an hour.
- if the area is hidden then just put in the new windshield (use good sealant). if not then sand it and spray paint the shiny coat, from experience all rust areas are normally hidden.

and you should be good.

[drewusmaximus]

Thanks guys. I have an idea on how to do the repair but, I'm clueless on how to install the glass. I read a thin layer of the urethane should be left in so the neeburethane can adhere to the old which gives a good seal. But since I have to clean out the channels that won't apply to my situation. I'm looking for a diy on how to lay the urethane and the glass. Then the trim and where to purchase the trim

[m735is]

My son's Civic had this problem. I had a mobile installer come over and remove the windshield, he found a rust hole and wouldn't install the new one. I had one of my son's friends come over and weld in a chunk of metal ( part of an engine compartment bracket from my 99 525iT that was parting). The we just ground it to match the channel and painted it. The mobile guy came back and installed the windshield.

I tried installing a rear wind shield on my 88 735i. A giant stick fell from a dead tree over head, so the glass was already broke. I cut the rest out leaving a thin layer of old urethane. What a pain. What ever urethane I bought was WAY too thick to come out using a standard caulk gun. Even heating the tube. I eventually got enough on the channel and laid the glass in. Worked in the end. I'm pretty sure I had the trim on the glass first and just laid it in.

I had Safelite replace the front glass at my house. I had already purchased new clips for the trim, but after destroying the trim trying to get if off (both the guy and myself tried), he just used a universal rubber trim. It looked OK and sealed but the water would run up the rain channel and drip into the drivers window ( I smoke). So just an annoying thing.

So, if you can set it where the guy comes to your house on a Friday to remove it, you can work on it over the weekend and have him come back Sunday to reinstall. Then you're good to go for Monday morning.

[ross1]

What ever urethane I bought was WAY too thick to come out using a standard caulk gun. Even heating the tube. I eventually got enough on the channel and laid the glass in.
That stuff has a shelf life, it will eventually harden in the tube, sounds like yours was on the way.

[moroza]

I mean.... you could reverse everywhere.

http://cdn1.ima-usa.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/88decfed4fba5801a7dc8e03047eb978/o/n/on2832_1a.jpg