Windscreen removal

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:51 pm

The left-hand side A pillar of my oldest Van has rusted to such a degree that I can't push the welding much longer (MOT due Jun 5). In order to be able to weld it, the windscreen must be removed first. Which is just as well, since it really is badly worn and in need of replacement anyway,

I thought the most sensible course of action would be to remove the screen at home, do the welding & rust protection of the A pillars and then take the Van to a windscreen shop and ask them to continue from there.

I've never removed a windscreen, so all tips & advice on how to proceed is more than welcome! Also, do you have any idea how important the windscreen is for the body rigidity? Is it possible to (carefully) drive the car to the shop after taking it off, or is there a risk of damaging the body?

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:29 pm

The chap who removed mine appeared to do it by removing the outer seal, then using a knife to cut the glass from the body.

The windscreen tends to be very necessary for body rigidity, but I've no experience to suggest driving without the windscreen is good or bad.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:51 pm

I think for the BX the windscreen is particularly structural especially as it's bonded in but I think you'd get down the windscreen replacement centre without the car collapsing. I'm assuming it's not that far away? Is there any mobile screen service available?

I have tried to remove a screen with a piece of wire secured to two pieces of wood which half worked but I split the screen. In your case that wouldn't matter as you're replacing it. I wanted to re-use it.

This BX stock car had been run without a screen but then it had a bloody great roll bar! But you're not going racing?

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:09 pm

I was thinking something along the lines of a thin bicycle brake cable.

The windscreen shop I'm thinking about lies about 20 km from home, along nice smooth paved roads. I suppose a careful drive at a quiet time of the day would not cause much more stress to the body than putting the car on a trailer and then doing the same route. (Legally it's highly questionable, of course, but I trust the law enforcement field personnel to possess some common sense to see the big picture, if it would come to that..)

In principle, it would of course be possible to put the new windscreen in place by myself, but this is probably the only work on a BX that I feel tempted to leave for the professionals with the proper chemicals and methods. And they did a really good job on my petrol Van last December, after I had gotten a fist-sized rock in the middle of the windscreen while doing 100 km/h.

Mothman · Post by **Mothman** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:39 pm

Why dont you try and remove the screen when you get to the place that will replace your screen? No worries about the structural rigidity of your motor then?
Ime sure they wont mind you spending a while cleaning the screen surround outside their premises.

Andy

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:46 pm

Grenman wrote:Why dont you try and remove the screen when you get to the place that will replace your screen?

Because there's quite a lot of welding to do around the A pillar, and I need my trusted welding machine, 3 phase power for it, a number of tools for cutting the new metal and finishing the surface after welding, and a day or two of time in between removing the old screen and putting in the new one.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:14 pm

rmattila wrote:welding machine

That is seriously hard-core, body work & welding in the snow!