Rust! Am I done for?

[edpdx]

The SafeLite guy is here replacing cracked windshield. There was a small leak on and off over the years and I neglected it. So now it looks like I'll pay.

He found rust at the top of the windshield- passenger side. It's flaky and a little spongy. He won't warranty it if he leaves the new glass. I get that. But since the old glass is out already and the new glass is in, I'll go with the new and address the rust immediately, now that the weather is better.

Question is, can the rust at this spot be replaced? Will bond* be enough to reshape the cleaned/cut away area? Will a whole section of roof be needed? Or can I get away with cutting the rust, welding in some new sheet metal and b*ndo-ing the rest?

OMG! He (the installer) just came to the door and told me he is removing the glass. They don't want to be liable for a leak. He just packed his stuff and left my old glass on the ground. Didn't even put the wipers back on.

How does this repair typically get done?

 

[Flyingvan911]

Wow. I can't believe he took the new glass back. The best way to fix the rust is to cut out the bad metal and weld a new piece in. The next best thing is to clean the rust up as best you can. Then prime and paint. Whatever bad metal is gone can be patched.

 

[Jeepsinker]

A truck with no windshield leaks a lot more than a truck with a windshield and a rust hole.... Now call them up and tell them they owe you new floor pans.

 

[rlltide12]

Id be furious that he installed it in the first place then removed it and didnt put your old one back in. Id shut the doors and fill it to the brim with water then call the glass people and demand they fix the problem......Rust is going to be found around the window seals on these trucks. Best thing you can do is clean it up best you can, primer it, if there is a hole use a caulking gun of foam in a can and insert some inside the hole if possible, install the windshield, and apply 3M Bonding and Glazing compound that comes in a caulking tube under the gasket once installed.

Unless you have good welding skills and a doner truck then by all means do that.

 

[edpdx]

I put the windshield back in myself, It took about an Hour- I got lucky and the sun had been shining on most of it for an hour. It will probably pour water inside if it rains, so until I get a welder from my brothr's house, I'll have to cover it. I used a crab pick from Joe's Crabshack to seat the glass and apply the seal. Still mad that the company just drove away. They should have had a waiver for me to sign and replace the old glass, at least.

 

[dependable]

The installer sounds out of hand to me. They compromised themselves and left you rooted (in the Australian use of the word) over a $2-300 windshield installation. If they were going to walk, they should have put everything back as it was. You have legitimate complaint.

When windshield is off, and there is rust at the pinch weld, 'Chassis Saver' or POR 15 work pretty well. Grind of any expanded rust or distorted pinch welds. If there are any holes, they can be patched with chassis save and fiberglass mat. No doubt other methods work too.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Bondo will NOT do the job. It has almost no mechanical strength, and it is NOT waterproof. I used to think it was, until a body man friend of mine set me straight.

It's only good for small surface dings, and that's probably saying more for it than is justified.

 

[zout]

Windshields are a structural part of the body - integrity strength.
I am surprised he installed one after the old was out - never really know till the old is out anyhow.

To fix it right - get a doner truck from the junk yard and tack in and get a new section in there properly. Bondo - TIger hair - Duraglass and whatever else is out there is NOT the answer.

Make sure the new section is smooth and has not little dimples in it or it could crack new glass due to the "giving" of the body under stress conditions let alone heat and cold movements.

Check on line for replacement sheet metal NEW.
There is your answer. If you wonder if I know what I am talking about - go check out PaPabears K18 thread we have going and the work I am doing to that. I do it for a living in between my normal cash paying job.

Any questions pm me please.

 

[Hasdrubal]

Windshields are a structural part of the body - integrity strength.

Ahh..no.

 

[rlltide12]

Hasdrubal is correct. Not on these trucks. On trucks with urethane yes, but these install via rubber gasket. No support added.

 

[Cucvnut]

Edpdx you need me to bring over my welder ?

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

The windshield may not be, but the frame around it is. Welding is the only acceptable repair.

 

[zout]

Duh - beg your pardon: Why your windshield is important to the structural integrity of a car - FMVSS ... Collision ...

If the rusted section is wide enough - you could insert a repair section to the inside - form it first and tack it in - then do a full stitch weld - then use a product like Duraglass made by USC. Then take up the offer by CUCV to stitch it in for you.

Just make sure the matting glass surface has no raised sections on it - can level this out by flatboarding it.

 

[zout]

By the way and seeing some are uninformed:
During crash circumstances, windshields also play a vital role in the structural integrity of the vehicle. In front-end crashes the windshield provides stiffness and rigidity, which helps keep the car from crushing on impact, and protects the bodies of the passengers. In rollover crashes the windshield is responsible for reinforcing the roof structure and keeping the roof from caving in on the passengers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports over 40,000 Americans are killed and over 5 million injured every year in highway crashes. Over 30% of the fatalities occur when vehicle occupants are either ejected from the vehicle, or, injured during rollovers.

 

[Csm Davis]

By the way and seeing some are uninformed:
During crash circumstances, windshields also play a vital role in the structural integrity of the vehicle. In front-end crashes the windshield provides stiffness and rigidity, which helps keep the car from crushing on impact, and protects the bodies of the passengers. In rollover crashes the windshield is responsible for reinforcing the roof structure and keeping the roof from caving in on the passengers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports over 40,000 Americans are killed and over 5 million injured every year in highway crashes. Over 30% of the fatalities occur when vehicle occupants are either ejected from the vehicle, or, injured during rollovers.

This maybe why they glue them in now and as one of the few on here who has rolled one of these trucks at speed I can tell you that the back and front glass do not add any real protection and will pop out with very little pressure. The roof of these trucks are weak if not for rollbars me and some of my friends and family wouldn't be here. Zout not arguing with you I bow to your extreme body shop knowledge I just know that it doesn't work worth a hill of beans on these truck in the real world outside of some engineering drawings.

 

[zout]

Thanks Csm - I am sure if the OP can patch in an underlaying piece of metal and get it secured in place with a good weld CUCV is offering up it will work fine - if I were to do it it would be the same process instead of throwing in the towel. But it does have to be properly done and not just cobbled.

I know you'll get a kick out of this Csm - "time for the fella to stop working under the oak tree in the back yard and come into the front yard."

Go for the repair - you can do it.


just so you know - that was an old quote from an ole fella to me years ago that was told to him - it is NOT stating anyone here or personally - its just a very ole quote.

 

[Warthog]

Here is Lavarok roof repair from a few years ago. I had a M1009 body I was hauling to the scraper and I cut out a replacement section and mailed to him. It fit nicely in a flat rate.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?69478-M1009-rusted-front-roof-corner

 

[Skinny]

If you like this truck and plan on keeping it, real metal work is the only way to fly. Anything else is just temporary and will create water leaks along with allow rust to hide/spread while covered up. Water leaks in the dash area create electrical and floorboard issues. Fix it right once unless you are going to send this one down the road.

Your glass man sucks, I'd report him to the BBB.

 

[bchauvette]

I'm shocked that they can leave with less then when they got there with impunity. You would think they had to put in the state is was when they got there. Looks like a Facebook post on their site to me. there's gotta be legal eagle stuff around that.

 

[dependable]

Bondo will NOT do the job. It has almost no mechanical strength, and it is NOT waterproof.
.

If you were replying to my post above, chassis saver and glass mat are not bondo, way stronger, very water proof. Can be layed up structually. As to further posts about rollover survival, .. not sure what to say guys, get a Volvo with side curtain air bags. Thought we were talking about fixing a windshield leak.

This is an impotant topic for CUCV presevation, as roof leak downs can lead to cab decay, especially in 1009.

I agree welding in parts from another roof is the best fix. I would like to know what people do to keep the inside welds from rusting out in near future. That may be topic for another thread, but would like to hear how other people manage the post weld rust. It was doom eventual doom to my best restoration.