Windshield

[Manche90]

I have a friend with a 01 Cherokee the windshield is perfect he had a tree fall on the rear of the vehicle. He told me if I could get the windshield out I could have it. Is it possible to remove the windshield without cracking it? Mines still in good working order but I would like to have a spare for the mj mines still the factory glass. 

[AZJeff]

The windshield in an XJ (and MJ) is glued in with special urethane adhesive intended for automotive windshields.   The adhesive is thick and strong, and the bead that attaches the glass to the cab is normally 1/2" to 3/4" wide and about 1/4"-3/8" thick.   An auto glass shop will normally use a special utility knife with a handle about 16" long to cut the adhesive around the glass perimeter from the INSIDE of the cab.  Once that is done, the glass can be pulled out.  

 

If you intend to try to salvage this glass, you will need to use the method described above.  (The long knife handle gives you better leverage to cut the adhesive.)  

 

By the way, if you intend to ever install this salvaged glass, you will need to clean virtually ALL of the old adhesive from the glass once is removed so that new adhesive can be applied to the windshield when you install it into it's new home.

 

One last thing--the trim around the windshield on a 2001XJ (that covers the gap between the glass edge and the body) will be a one piece rubber "ring" that slips over the edge of the glass prior to installation.   The trim on an MJ as built at the factory would have been a series of metal pieces that attach to clips on the body to cover thet same gap.    

 

I prefer the later XJ style of trim, because it's easier to install, and eliminates any potential for rust to form between the metal trim pieces and the painted body.   The good news is that the later rubber-ring trim from the XJ will work just fine on the MJ, as long as you remove the small plastic clips that were used to retain the metal trim when you install the rubber-ring.

[Manche90]

Thanks for the advice I like the later trim better myself. I’ll have to keep that in mind and look for the tool. I was going to buy a new windshield but I am not going to argue with free if I can remove it intact. 

[Pete M]

they rarely come out intact.   

[AZJeff]

16 minutes ago, Pete M said:

they rarely come out intact.   

To some degree, that is true.  Professionals (those who do windshields for a living) can get them out unbroken probably 90% of the time.

 

Amateurs like myself wouldn't probably have NEAR that chance of success.   For that reason, I never mess with windshields.   I let the pros do it.   Then again, I have full comprehensive insurance that covers my glass in my vehicles, so the cost to me is zero when I need a new windshield.

 

(Side note:   here in AZ, windshields have a surprising replacement rate.  It it isn't flying rocks being kicked up by other vehicles, it's the pitting from wind-blown sand that trashes the visibility.   I average a replacement glass on all of my Jeeps about once every 5 years.  My JK Wrangler is the  worst, where the nearly vertical surface insures that a rock hit will be a crack...on that vehicle, I average a new windshield every 3 years due to rock cracks)

[pizzaman09]

1 hour ago, AZJeff said:

To some degree, that is true.  Professionals (those who do windshields for a living) can get them out unbroken probably 90% of the time.

 

Amateurs like myself wouldn't probably have NEAR that chance of success.   For that reason, I never mess with windshields.   I let the pros do it.   Then again, I have full comprehensive insurance that covers my glass in my vehicles, so the cost to me is zero when I need a new windshield.

 

(Side note:   here in AZ, windshields have a surprising replacement rate.  It it isn't flying rocks being kicked up by other vehicles, it's the pitting from wind-blown sand that trashes the visibility.   I average a replacement glass on all of my Jeeps about once every 5 years.  My JK Wrangler is the  worst, where the nearly vertical surface insures that a rock hit will be a crack...on that vehicle, I average a new windshield every 3 years due to rock cracks)

My two friends with Wranglers, JK and JL are constantly getting rock chips or cracks and having to have their windshields replaced.  This is in PA, primary cause are the salad and cinder trucks for snow.  My friend with a Bronco actually purchased windshield insurance.

 

I had Safelite replace the glass in Comanche, they broke the glass in the process.  Also scratched the heck out of the two pieces next to the scuttle panel.  I don't recommend Safelite.  However I did end up with a nice new windshield when done all conveniently done at my workplace's parking lot.

 

 

[Eagle]

On 2/10/2023 at 2:39 PM, pizzaman09 said:

I had Safelite replace the glass in Comanche, they broke the glass in the process.  Also scratched the heck out of the two pieces next to the scuttle panel.  I don't recommend Safelite.  However I did end up with a nice new windshield when done all conveniently done at my workplace's parking lot.

 

 

What's a scuttle panel?

[pizzaman09]

On 2/10/2023 at 1:12 PM, AZJeff said:

5 hours ago, Eagle said:

 

What's a scuttle panel?

Basically the panel in front of the windshield that the wiper spindles are in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AZJeff]

4 hours ago, pizzaman09 said:

 

 

 

The proper term for that is the "cowl" of the vehicle.

[pizzaman09]

5 hours ago, AZJeff said:

The proper term for that is the "cowl" of the vehicle.

A quick search has yield that a cowl and scuttle are the same thing.  The Brits apparently call it a scuttle panel.

[gogmorgo]

If your glass guy is using something other than a cutting string tool to remove a piece of glass they plan to save, find a new glass guy. 
 

On 2/9/2023 at 4:11 PM, AZJeff said:

The windshield in an XJ (and MJ) is glued in with special urethane adhesive intended for automotive windshields.   The adhesive is thick and strong, and the bead that attaches the glass to the cab is normally 1/2" to 3/4" wide and about 1/4"-3/8" thick.   An auto glass shop will normally use a special utility knife with a handle about 16" long to cut the adhesive around the glass perimeter from the INSIDE of the cab.  Once that is done, the glass can be pulled out.  

 

If you intend to try to salvage this glass, you will need to use the method described above.  (The long knife handle gives you better leverage to cut the adhesive.) 

Something like this:

No mess to clean up, very little pressure on the glass, near zero chance of breaking it. In many cases you don’t even need to pull interior trim off. 

[Manche90]

I went and purchased the tool to cut it out from the inside it came out in one piece. Thought I was going to damage it but I didn’t force anything and took my time thankfully it came out intact I was terrified of breaking it. I won’t let safelite touch my windshields ever again in the past I had a 95 Cherokee. The guy broke out my window to remove it then didn’t have the right windshield. Couldn’t get them to come back out to replace it for weeks when they did they had the wrong windshield again. Didn’t clean the glass up either I had to do that. I ended up having to pay A1 auto glass to come out and do it instead. They also damaged the roof and the cowl as well. Idk if I just got a new guy or if that particular location didn’t know what they where doing but I won’t go to them ever again. I’ve installed a few windshields since then after a friend showed me how. Never removed a intact one until now. All the others had been shattered so we knocked them out and cleaned off all the adhesive. 

[AZJeff]

On 2/12/2023 at 10:21 AM, gogmorgo said:

If your glass guy is using something other than a cutting string tool to remove a piece of glass they plan to save, find a new glass guy. 
 

Something like this:

No mess to clean up, very little pressure on the glass, near zero chance of breaking it. In many cases you don’t even need to pull interior trim off. 

I have NEVER seen any one use one of those down here in PHX, and in the 25 years I have lived here, I have had probably 10 windshields put in the various cars I have owned.   The last 3-4 windshields that various shops have installed all involved using a very long handled "Stanley Knife" (aka utility knife).

[Eagle]

Fast forward to 18:15

 

 

[AZJeff]

6 hours ago, Eagle said:

Fast forward to 18:15

 

 

That's my buddy Robbie Layton.  (Actually, I don't know him from Adam, but he is friends with Matt's Off-Road Recovery, and my son knows him.)   Robbie is a REALLY GOOD body shop owner/operator.  I wish I could afford to have him redo the paint on my MJ, but my wife feels that we need a house to live more than perfect paint on my Comanche.

[Manche90]

That is actually really cool I watch both of them. I wish I could meet them. I thought about taking my truck to let him paint it but I live 1000 miles away. If I ever could save that kind of money up I would. 

[Armyvet25]

I guess it cost very little even if you fail with a free windshield, I had a local guy replace mine, tinted windshield new rear view mirror and even sanded a few surface rust spots where it lay and treat them, total install, $250 out the door. Not worth my time to try a used one, I know I did when I was a lot younger...A LOT younger lol, was successful about 1 out of 3 times.