Windshield replacement

[rcbildr]

I have to replace the windshield on my 85 Suburban, and I want to do it myself....can't really afford a shop right now. I searched and found the installation instructions for the 67-72 trucks. Installing the windshield in my 85 is pretty much the same, right? Any tips or things to watch out for? THanks for the help!

[trkklr77]

first you need to know if your seal is a 1 or 2 piece seal. does it have a crome/plastic insert[2piece] or a protruding rubber flap[1 piece]

run the seal around the window frame and set the windsheild in the bottom groove and lean it back against the seal.

now VERY gently with some thing SOFT/FLEXABLE/PLASTIC pry the the rubber out around the glass. just do a little bit, .25" at a time all the way around till it is fully seated in the seal.

starting at the bottom tap in the moulding[2p] or fold in the rubber flap all they way around.

gently smack the windsheild around with a open hand. it is to fully seat it.

[rcbildr]

It has the chrome/plastic trim, but I plan on buying a new gasket without the trim. I don't like the look of the trim around the windshield.

Do I have to worry about any sealant between the windshield frame and the gasket?

Thanks!!!!!

[Already Gone]

An autoglas company will probablt sell with the install a windshield for you Burb for 150.00.. To me that is cheap. If you screw up the install and crack the new windshield you have saved nothing.. I dont know how far you are from the Canadian border but I'm sure a "Speedy Auto Glass" franchise in Vancouver or even a town closer to the border could do it for 150/175 Canadian and your US money is worth almost 20% more than ours.

[rcbildr]

I looked in to having it replaced quite a while ago because the gasket leaks. Speedy wanted around $325 to do it, and I can't afford that. I found online that Safelite is having a special, but I'm not sure for how long...they wanted $225. Over the next couple days I will start calling around and see what can be done for the least amount of $$$. Thanks for all the help.

[trkklr77]

i paid 180 from safe light, but that was 2 year ago. no sealant at all, BUT if you have rust growing around the lip you need to primer-seal it.

[kevinr1970]

There was a guy out in our work parking lot doing a windshield replacement for an insurance claim.
I asked how much he would charge me to do the swap if I had my own windshield. He said about $100 (this was about 1-1/2 years ago) but he would not guarantee the glass, only the install. Seemed fair to me.

A few years ago I woke up to a broken door window on my 98 crew cab. I called my insurance company and they had a guy out to fix it before lunch. I swear he had it replaced in about 10 minutes. He showed up and I went and took him to where the truck was parked. Gave him the # to my desk and he called to say he was done before I even got back to my desk.
All I had to pay was like $50 for my deductable and wrote the check to the guy doing the replacement.

If you have insurance on the truck it might be worth looking into.

[edman87]

$325 seems way high, 150-200 for this windshield installed is more like it. Check around and get a better price, like said before, you save nothing if you crack the glass and it is very easy to ding the very edge and it will split the entire glass quickly. Maybe it is high in your area?

[N2TRUX]

Check your local pic-n-pull or what ever you have. They usually have someone on site that will put new or used windshields in for a lot less than the glass companies. I had one put in my 96 for 110.00

[rcbildr]

Thanks for all the help. For now I'm just going to do some pricing and put it on the list. I really need a new set of injectors for the 6.2...some are getting noisey. Nothing is "local" for me, the nearest glass shop is probably 15 miles from me and the nearest wrecking yards I know of are almost 30 miles. Thanks again for all the info but it looks like the windsheild is going to 3rd or 4th on the list for the Burb.

[kevinr1970]

I hear ya'!
An untold number of years ago a guy I know was partng an '88 K5 with either 60 or 80k original. It had all factory tinted glass.
I bought the windsheild for my '81 Jimmy, but getting it done was a little farther down the list.
I still own the windsheild, but the Jimmy has been gone for almost two years?