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-   -   Quarter glass remove/install (http://chevelleforum.net/showthread.php?t=309)

Hank70SS 01-07-2010 04:20 PM

Quarter glass remove/install
 
4 Attachment(s)
I replaced the quarter glass in my car last year. I did a lot of searching before I started but couldn’t find any write-ups so I thought I post what I learned.

Removing quarter glass.

Remove the rear seat and interior panels. Remove the plastic vent from the door jam. You can actually get your hand in there and also see what's going on. Remove the U shaped rubber seal at the top of the jam. The seal is not in the way but the screws can extend far enough to catch the rubber edge of window trim while trying to slide the window around.

Remove the stop at the top of the interior body panel, the one that limits the upward travel of the window, near the rear of window.

Take a good look at the guide rail (pic #1) that runs top to bottom. This holds it all together. It's held in place by a bracket at the bottom and the one at the top above the regulator.

Remove the bottom bracket that holds the rail in place. You need to remove both parts, the part bolted to the interior panel and the one bolted to the guide rail. There's just not enough room in there unless you do. This bracket is used to adjust the top of the window in/out so it slides into the upper seal properly. You'll need to adjust it when you put it back in. The bolt that holds it to the body panel is shown in pic #2.

The top of the guide rail is bolted to an angle bracket. The two bolts that hold it to the bracket can be accessed from the inside just above the regulator, pic #3.. Hold on to the window when you remove these bolts so it doesn't drop to the bottom on its own. The lift arm will hold it some. Now remove the angle bracket, two bolts that come down from the top. Maybe you can leave it but it seemed to be in the way when I tried, not much room in there.

Hold the window with one hand and crank it up by the handle, you need to tilt the window towards the front while doing this. The lift arm roller will slide out the end of the track.

Now comes the tricky part. You need to lift both the window and the guide rail tilting the window towards the front of the car. Only lift the rail enough to clear the wheel well. Eventually you can maneuver the glass up and let the rail slide down. The nylon guide attached to the window will slide out the top of the rail. Let the rail drop to the bottom, tilt the window towards the front of car and out. It will slide up and out past the drip rail. Bring the window in to the interior of the car while taking it out. It will hit the drip rail if you try to take it towards the exterior of the car.

To remove the chrome trim edge from the glass first remove the rubber seal. It’s easier to remove while the trim is on the window because you have something to hold on to. The rubber is held up by a small lip inside the metal trim near the top. Pull the top of rubber down as far as you can, it may only move 1/8” to ¼”. Now pull the rubber down from the middle and bottom until it starts to slide out of the bottom. Repeat, sliding the top part down followed by the bottom. Once the top is clear of the lip, you’ll know it, you can pull on the bottom and slide it the rest of the way out.

I used a piece of very hard piece of plastic, several inches wide, to tap on the metal trim. Light taps all the way along the length of the trim. Once the trim piece starts to move it will pop off easily, just keep tapping on it along the entire length.

Installing quarter glass:

I hear there are sources for the ‘glass tape’ that holds the chrome trim to the edge of the window. It’s not an adhesive tape, just a strip of rubber. I couldn’t locate any so I used urethane, the kind used for setting windshields. Napa carries it, about $20 for a caulk gun tube. Beware, unless you have an electric or air powered caulk gun this stuff is like trying to squeeze a rock through the gun. Also make sure the tube fits in your gun before you open it up. The tip screws on and the end is wider than most tubes of caulk. I have 3 guns and it only fit in one because of the wider end.

Basically just filled the chrome rail about half way with urethane then set the glass in. Don't worry too much about the mess if and when the urethane squeezes out. Once it's dried just use a cutter along the edge of the chrome and a razor paint scraper to peel it off the window. Any small bits left can be rubbed off the chrome and glass with your finger nail or rag. The top edge of the strip is open between the two sides, glass side and rubber seal side. The urethane will squeeze through to the rubber side where you don't want it. Make sure you cut it out of there before you install the window and insert the rubber seal. I left the rubber seal out until after I installed the window, just gives you a little more room while setting the glass down inside the panel.

Now for installing the glass, first I taped the edges of the glass and the chrome strip so I wouldn't scratch them or the car. Oh, almost forgot, I scrubbed the guide rail down with Simple Green to remove all the old grease. Made it lot nicer during the install, didn't get grease all over my hands and the window.

Set the guide rail, the one you cleaned all the grease off of, down inside the body panel. Slide the window down into the panel a few inches from inside the car. While holding the window lift the rail on to the nylon rollers. Now you need to hold the glass and rail with one hand, if you removed the jamb vent you can slide your hand in there. With the other hand you need to position the regulator lift arm to the correct spot and lift or drop or rotate glass and rail until the arm goes into the track.

Now while still trying to hold all of this mess with one hand, install the guide rail bottom bracket. Doesn't have to be tight, just enough to hold things up. Then install the bracket to the top of the panel, the one the top of the guide rail bolts to, then install bolts through bracket into guide rail.

Now you have to get things aligned so the window is straight with the front glass and the gap is correct. First start by getting the two windows in line with each other, top to bottom. Slide the bottom guide rail bracket towards the front or rear of car to get the vertical alignment then lightly snug it down. The washers have teeth so it won't move easily. Next slide the top of guide rail to the front or rear until you get the proper gap between the two windows. You may have to adjust the bottom again as the vertical alignment may have changed a little. Then of course you may have to fine tune the gap again. Last step is to adjust the bottom guide rail bracket so the window slides into the upper seal. Loosen the bolt inside the body panel that holds the guide rail to the bracket. Push the rail out or in so the window slides up into the seal properly. Install the upper window stop so you can't drive the window too far into the seal. Tighten everything down, remove tape, install rubber seal in chrome strip. Lube up the slides and you're done.

First pic is driver's side guide rail, top of rail on left. Fixed nylon guide on window, the one that does not turn slides down the center slot of guide rail from the top.

Second pic is bolt holding bottom of guide rail to panel. Slide this front or rear to align windows vertically.

Third pic is top guide rail adjusting bolts. Slide these front or rear to obtain proper gap between the windows.

Fourth pic is the finished job. Well almost finished, need to get out the Windex and clean the windows. It's not the best pic but gap is uniform top to bottom.

Hank70SS 01-07-2010 04:21 PM

This really isn't the correct forum, if we get a body shop forum it should be moved there.

Mike 1972SS 01-07-2010 07:25 PM

Great write up Hank.

The only thing I would add is it that having an extra set of hands comes in handy when installing them. :D

Mike

Hank70SS 01-08-2010 06:31 AM

I think I mentioned somewhere in there that 4 hands would be better. Your's sure went in a lot faster than mine.

lev8trmn 01-28-2010 06:04 PM

This write up comes at a good time. I'm getting ready to do mine real soon. Thanks!!

Hank70SS 01-29-2010 07:04 AM

Hope it helps. As Mike said, 4 hands makes it easier. We installed his glass and it went pretty smooth.

John 01-14-2013 06:12 PM

I found this helpful. Now I need help with the door glass. Anyone have a link or good instructions of how to replace and adjust door glass?

Ms Grumpy 01-14-2013 07:39 PM

Great write up Hank. Do you guys want a body shop forum ? I can look into adding it if you want me to.

Hank70SS 01-15-2013 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John (Post 41831)
I found this helpful. Now I need help with the door glass. Anyone have a link or good instructions of how to replace and adjust door glass?

I haven't done door glass, I think Ray has. From what I understand the adjustments are similar to quarter glass. Front to rear adjustment. Front to rear tilt and in and out tilt. If doing all 4 windows you should probably start with door windows. The A pillar and roof line provide a fixed reference to adjust to. Then adjust quarter window to roof line and door window. The quarter window slides in to a pocket at the rear that is not fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms Grumpy (Post 41836)
Great write up Hank. Do you guys want a body shop forum ? I can look into adding it if you want me to.

I think Paint and Body covers it well enough. At least that's my opinion.

John 01-15-2013 07:42 AM

I agree, I would definitely want to adjust the doors first. Another question, there are rails attached to the glass, I'd like to swap out this hardware but can't figure out how to remove it. It is attached with flat like washers. Some type of specialized too possibly?


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