Technical Replacing side rear window

Currently reading:
Technical Replacing side rear window

Joined
Dec 26, 2014
Messages
4,184
Points
1,135
Location
Orpington, Kent UK
I have a smashed side window. Has anyone ever DIY replaced o e of these. It’s a sport, so am currently looking for a second hand unit as it’s the dark tinted one but it’s like the whole thing, not just the glass that needs replacing. Presumably bonded like a Windscreen?
 
I've seen people use a "cheese wire" type cutter to remove the old window if it's bonded , clean it all up then have a professional put the new one in? Should save quite a bit as it's all prep that you're paying for?



I bought one of those kits and tried to use it to get a Sport spoiler off without success. Glass is already smashed but the surround is still there. I was thinking of getting the bonding and doing it myself.
 
Most folks say that fitting bonded glass is one of the few jobs on a car that really is best left to the professionals. If you do all the preparation yourself (that's the time consuming part), then a professional glass fitter might give you a good price for cash and will already have all the right primers, adhesives and sealants.

Buying the glass from a breaker is definitely the way forward; I'd expect an OEM one would cost silly money.

I've never tried it, though I've done a few of the old fashioned type. In your position, I'd probably have a go too; the rear quarterlight is just the right size to cut your teeth on. Watch as many videos as you can find, and buy a good quality adhesive/sealant. If you possibly can, get a pair of those handles with rubber suckers for handling the glass; I expect it would make the job much easier. If you were a bit nearer, I'd lend you mine.

Good luck, and do let us know how you get on.
 
Last edited:
Most folks say that fitting bonded glass is one of the few jobs on a car that really is best left to the professionals. If you do all the preparation yourself (that's the time consuming part), then a professional glass fitter might give you a good price for cash and will already have all the right primers, adhesives and sealants.

Buying the glass from a breaker is definitely the way forward; I'd expect an OEM one would cost silly money.

I've never tried it, though I've done a few of the old fashioned type. In your position, I'd probably have a go too; the rear quarterlight is just the right size to cut your teeth on. Watch as many videos as you can find, and buy a good quality adhesive/sealant. If you possibly can, get a pair of those handles with rubber suckers for handling the glass; I expect it would make the job much easier. If you were a bit nearer, I'd lend you mine.

Good luck, and do let us know how you get on.

Yep. Bonded glass is part of the rollover protection of a car, doing it badly can result in damage to the paint which then causes rust.

But I’ve tried to talk about doing the right thing enough and been ignored enough times to know it doesn’t really matter.
 
Yep. Bonded glass is part of the rollover protection of a car, doing it badly can result in damage to the paint which then causes rust.

But I’ve tried to talk about doing the right thing enough and been ignored enough times to know it doesn’t really matter.

Was there a need for your post on the matter then ?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Was there a need for your post on the matter then ?

Yes.

I'll wager there are more than a few folks who don't appreciate the importance of correctly specified and fitted bonded glass in preserving the structural integrity of a vehicle, especially the windscreen in a rollover crash. And I've seen serious corrosion on secondhand cars resulting from improperly fitted windscreens.

But I'm struggling to see a need for Officina red's post.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top