Windshield Moulding/Trim Seal Install

[knickfan5745]

While I was driving yesterday my windshield/roof seal started peeling up at one corner. When I got home it was pretty loose so I pulled the whole thing off and ordered a new one.

When installing the new one, is any adhesive needed? There is a goopy adhesive-like substance in the track where I pulled the old one. I'm wondering if the shop where I had paint work done recently did this.

And as long as I'm on the topic of these seals, is there anything I need to know about installing a new fender seal?


51311977275
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51718119766

[Doriftu]

From the factory, the seal wraps around the top of the windshield glass and is installed before the windshield is set in place. It's nearly impossible to get the new seal back in that factory position without removing the glass. If you're not replacing the whole windshield, you will need to secure the seal with a bead of windshield urethane. Be sure to properly clean out the " goopy" substance and use the correct primer

[knickfan5745]

Yea it turned out to be very difficult. There was so much crap left in the channel from the old one, I was scraping at it for over an hour and stupidly scraped down to metal in some parts. Ended up spraying the channel with some Rust-Oleum self-etching primer to potentially prevent rust.

To anybody finding this in the future, I'd recommend using a thin blade to carefully cut out the thick stuck pieces, and then use the ECS Tuning plastic tools to get the remaining junk out. I didn't have either of those and just went HAM with a large flat head.

Once the channel is clear, I'd get in there with some soap and water and a soft wire brush (maybe nylon? something that won't scratch) and get the last bits out.

Installing the seal into a clean channel is actually the easiest part. Start at the driver door side, and put the windshield side in first and then roll your fingers up to the hood of the car and it should snap in nicely.

[knickfan5745]

This is starting to come up a bit and not seat well, I'm thinking of removing it.

Is there any damage that can be done to the car if I drive without this seal? My glass guy isn't available for a few weeks.