a while back there was a topic on a special spacer that is placed on the perimeter and under the windsheild to space it out far enough to meet up with the window trim.

Does anyone know where these spacers can be bought or just how thick they are, I can make my own if need be.

 

I don't know the exact answer to either of those questions, but here goes. :lol: You do need the spacers to get the glass out enough that you don't end up with a gap between the glass and the trim. I couldn't find anyplace that had the original spacers, so I used some rubber and cut some blocks out to lay under the glass. I removed my windshield, then cleaned up the frame, then laid my new glass in and put the trim back on. Then I measured the gap between the glass and the trim and found some rubber a little bit thinner than that measurement (had to allow a little room for the sealant to fit in there). It's not an exact measurement, there is a little bit of play in the trim installation. I think the rubber I used was an eighth or three sixteenths inch thick. And you DO NEED the spacers. Don't let anybody convince you otherwise like I did. I believed the people who said i don't need them, and didn't use them. Then after the trim wouldn't fit I broke the new windshield getting it out so i could redo it. The information i learned above was a two windshield install job that I learned all this from. Oh yeah, make sure you have the little tabs on the bottom of the glass that keep it from sliding down, and you probably want to go to your local chevy dealer and order up a package or two of the little clips that hold the trim on. They get pretty rusty over the years and you can't change them without having the glass out. If you need any help with locating rubber or anything drop me an email and I'll try to help out. I think i have enough that I could send you some. It doesn't take much, just 5 or six little one inch by half inch squares.

-Justin

 

Some shops use windshield foam dam tape. This is a square shaped foam tape that you apply to the inboard edge of the pinch weld. This serves several purposes. It keeps the windshield at the correct height and you won't make a mess with the urethane sealer that you will see from the inside. I believe the assembly manual states that the sealer should be 1/4''. I will be installing my windshield in the near future and I believe this is the method I will use. Good Luck, Craig :yesnod:

 

I bought a roll of strip adhesive at Autozone to reattach the plastic water seals on my doors and a couple of the spacers were in the box.

 

I was the one who started that thread! What a can of worms! I looked (and called) all over the country for these ellusive spacers. The conclusion I came to was that you can use "standard" rubber windshield spacers - obtainable from any glass installer. There are two on the bottom outsides that my research indicated were "special", which I found no substitute for - nor did I find that they were essential. When I finally put the 'Shield in, I used a total of 4 spacers, a roll of 3/8 butyl tape, and Single Step (i.e. no primer required) Urethane.

Get a friend to help you! You need 2 sets of hands!

Before I gooped it all together, I taped the spacers in place (2 at the top about 12" in from the edge, and two at the bottom about 3" from the outside) and "dry fit" the windshield. Once I got the W/S centered side to side and situated exactly where I wanted it, I put 4 pieces of masking tape on across the W/S and the frame and slit each piece with a knife (this would guarantee I would put it in exactly the same place as the "dry Fit"). I then put ALL the moldings on to be sure there would be no gaps between them and the W/S. It was perfect so I took the W/S and spacers off, laid down the butyl "tape", put the spacers back where I had them on the "dry fit" (moved the butyl tape a bit to make room for the spacers). Then I laid down a nice fat (and even) bead of Urethane, and gently dropped the W/S in place. I then put the molding back on WITHOUT any Urethane and put a couple of screws in to hold the W/S at the proper height while the Urethane cured.

A few people said I was nuts for being so determined to use the spacers, but the general - and my own - conclusion was, to do it right, use the spacers. I was also told that the butyl tape was overkill - but I used it anyway!

All in all, I was very glad I decided to do it myself because I am so ****! It came out real nice, and I KNOW it's in there good!

Good luck!

Paul

 

Thanks for the help.

 

I have those spacers out now, I just have to find them in my parts bins. I can look tomorrow if I get over to the garage.
Gary