removing windscreen safely

BX Tech talk
Tinkley
1K Away
Posts: 1502
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:27 am
Location: N Hants England
x 8

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by Tinkley »

The 'Cheese Wire' seems to be the current tool used by most fitters. BTW you need to change the wire about every 30 or 40 screens as it goes 'ping' from the twisting. I would guess you could use a guitar string for it, if trying to source a short length of fine wire.
However an alternative I have seen used, was a blade bent in a J shape and this was fed around the screen seal after the surround trim was removed. I am sure the first replacement I had on my 14 was
done this way. The upright bit needs a good handle and may even have been used two handed with a pull rope low down and the other higher up. Pretty sure that was how the guy did it. 24 hours to set in those days, about 1991.
B-Hive
BXpert
Posts: 403
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:55 pm

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by B-Hive »

Tinkley wrote:The 'Cheese Wire' seems to be the current tool used by most fitters. BTW you need to change the wire about every 30 or 40 screens as it goes 'ping' from the twisting. I would guess you could use a guitar string for it, if trying to source a short length of fine wire.
However an alternative I have seen used, was a blade bent in a J shape and this was fed around the screen seal after the surround trim was removed. I am sure the first replacement I had on my 14 was
done this way. The upright bit needs a good handle and may even have been used two handed with a pull rope low down and the other higher up. Pretty sure that was how the guy did it. 24 hours to set in those days, about 1991.
Not sure i'll be doing 40 windscreens, 2 will do me just fine...but good idea about the guitar string..I have plenty of musso friends that I can mooch an old guitar string from.. I'll Go-Pro the event If I go ahead with this and record how to do it or at least one way how not to do it...
Current
85 BX GT Mk1..
86 BX TRS Mk1
87 BX TRi


Gone
85 BX TRS mk1 auto... SOLD
90 BX TRi..parts....cubed
User avatar
cauchoiskev
BXpert
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:36 am
Location: France

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by cauchoiskev »

I'm amazed people have had so much trouble with this. I've done it twice, with a bike brake cable and a couple of lengths wood as handles.

I did it on my lonesome, which is long hard awkward work, but no problem as long as you pull perpendicularly to the screen to avoid damaging it. With a pal to help you, it should be a breeze.

I would say that the difficult part is sticking it back on correctly so that it doesn't leak.
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by Defender110 »

Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
Mothman

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by Mothman »

Watched a professional screen fitter remove the front glass from my scrap BX and he made it look easy using the 'cheese wire' method. Didnt look too difficult so thats what i will do should the need arise.

Andy
B-Hive
BXpert
Posts: 403
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:55 pm

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by B-Hive »

Mothman wrote:Watched a professional screen fitter remove the front glass from my scrap BX and he made it look easy using the 'cheese wire' method. Didnt look too difficult so thats what i will do should the need arise.

Andy
My car has now since been rear ended on the street.. so the windscreen job is back on..is "cheese" wire similar to guitar string wire?...
Did you happen to see how he/she made the first breach from outside to inside..? guessing it was a bit of a poke prod push and fiddle...

That tool in the previous post looks the bomb..wonder how it works?
Current
85 BX GT Mk1..
86 BX TRS Mk1
87 BX TRi


Gone
85 BX TRS mk1 auto... SOLD
90 BX TRi..parts....cubed
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by Defender110 »

B-Hive wrote:..is "cheese" wire similar to guitar string wire?...
No a cheese wire is generally much thinner and sharper than a guitar string sometimes having a serrated cutting edge.

B-Hive wrote: That tool in the previous post looks the bomb..wonder how it works?
Basically it is a blade with a handle on and a second handle on a leash that you use to pull the blade round; You insert the blade into the sealant holding the blade horizontal to the screen by holding the handle perpendicular to the screen, you then push the blade round the screen with one hand whilst pulling it with the second handle.
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by electrokid »

I've not had to do this myself but reading about the problems I'm sure I would take a slightly different approach :shock:

Cheese wire yes - but heated. Presuming the car from which it needs to be removed is something of a parts car / scrapper then I see no problem with the stink generated from melted / burnt adhesive.

I would grab some of the resistance wire I have on the shelf - but you may need to acquire some. That has recently become much easier than it used to be due to the development of E-cigarettes !

The following types of wire could be used... nichrome, kanthal, nikrothal, stainless steel, or just do an ebay search for resistance wire. You'll ideally need some kind of reasonably powerful DC power supply to connect to each end of the piece of wire and a pair of welding gloves or similar to hold the hot bits. Experiment to find the best wire length / voltage / current etc.

If the glue is a pure silicone rubber then there should be no safety concerns from the fumes since it burns to form a silicon ash and CO2 only. There are probably additives in the glue so probably wise not to breath the fumes anyway.
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by mat_fenwick »

Any excuse to play with electrickery! :lol:
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by electrokid »

:lol:

Oh - I need no excuses :D in fact my latest adventure involves temperature measurement :wink: and the circuit was pretty much finalised this week. It's a 2 wire device that can sit at the end of a long cable if required - it is fully compatible with 4-20mA metering and also sends pulses back to the sending / launch equipment - and the frequency represents the temperature (within 1 degree C) so 23Hz = 23°C and the range is 0-100°C

And the mundain bit = it's for the central heating system :shock:
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by Defender110 »

A hot wire might just rebond the sealant as it passes through?
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: removing windscreen safely

Post by electrokid »

That's true Kevan: if it is silicone based it should decompose but other chemistry may just melt and re-bond: I don't know what kinds of adhesive are available.
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
Post Reply