Auto Glass Installation Tips

Auto glass not only serves the purpose of providing a perfect view for the driver, it also helps keeping the roof intact in car crashes. It also supports the air bags in unfortunate accidents. If the windshield is absent or not properly installed, passengers may be ejected in accidents, or weather may damage the car interior. Auto glass sometimes gets broken or cracked so bad that it needs to be replaced. Following proper installation procedures will make sure the job gets done right the first time.

Select the Glass and Adhesives

When buying new auto glass, make sure you let the people at the store know your car's make and model.
You're also going to need adhesives. Consult the store helpers for the best type of adhesive for you. Adhesives may vary from place to place and vehicle to vehicle. Because the adhesive has to be strong enough to keep things intact with the weather of your area, be sure you have the right material. Adhesives also hold the extremely important job to keep you safe by keeping the auto glass in place during accidents.

Remove the Old Auto Glass

Start unscrewing the old windshield systematically. If the whole thing is still in one piece, make sure you detach it from all the ends before you attempt to separate it. If it is shattered in several pieces, wear hand covers or gloves before you separate out the tiny little pieces. After pulling out your old auto glass, clean out all of the dirt and oil on the area around which the old adhesive used to be.

Install the New Auto Glass

Follow the directions on the packaging or manual for the adhesive you selected. Some adhesives need to be dried before they can be joined with glass, while others need to be joined as soon as possible so they may bond well with the car body and auto glass.
Following the directions, apply the adhesive and insert the new auto glass into the place. Most of the adhesives take at least a day to dry completely and bond the two materials. Make sure you give it enough time for the materials to cure properly.
Many times, faulty windshields stem from wet adhesive between the two surfaces, which produces a weak point. This can be avoided by applying a rubber gasket around the edge of the auto glass. Install the rubber gasket after the adhesive has dried. The rubber will provide an additional boundary to prevent moisture from having direct access to the adhesive of the edge of the glass.