Split screen windscreen fitting

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kennatt
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by kennatt »

now spread the glasses as described earlier until inner centre and seal can be fitted,this will spread the rubber tightly onto the frame,then fit the outer to lock everything in place. .You may then find that the top and bottom corners ar still not flush with the frame and you will need to stick them down. Use screen bonding and strips of duck tape to hold them down(Don't use parcel tape it's a b......r to get off you new paint work) as you spread the glass you may need to push /persuade rubber to sit correctly on the frame from inside and outside .once in fit outer finisher .If you have one :o ,you have kept the old one ,no longer available
markattard
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by markattard »

hi Kennat thanks! the attched pic shows another problem :( I tried to insert the centre pillar but realised that the glasses are both retracted back substantially. Upon pressure from behind the glasses move slightly in the right direction but not enough to be able to install the pillar.

any idea of what could be the problem please?
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split screen esm.jpg
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markattard
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by markattard »

just had a visit from an experienced windscreen fitter and he is suspecting that the frame is not open enough to house the glass and rubber altogether. One solution is jacking up for some clearance ouch!!
kennatt
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by kennatt »

,unless the car has been in a accident and had the frame rebuilt.Has it? and been welded up etc Don.t go down that route.Could cause all soets of alignment problems
They are difficult to fit.try this(Irealise you have had difficulty getting the glass in but) take one out so that you can manipulate the other more easily,get four straps,the ones that self lock at each pull,put two round the glass and outerframe, padded to protect the paint and pull it outwards,easing the rubber and glass so that it fits onto the frame .then slide the other glass in and do the same .leave them for a couple of days to settle in ,then fit centre. Re your other post the inner centre is a simple flat strip same width as outer/and rubber seal and as long as the distance between the top and bottom of the rubber there are four studs to link the inner and outer(From memory)I think the studs are on the outer and corresponding holes on the inner connected with small nuts. If you can't get one should be easily made.
markattard
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by markattard »

found this pic looks like the nuts are flat out?
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myoldjalopy
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by myoldjalopy »

The original way that the centre pillar is secured is that studs are screwed into the outer pillar and cross-headed sleeve nuts are then screwed onto the studs to pull the inner metal finisher up to the outer pillar (with the two rubbers sandwiched in between). The heads of these sleeve nuts sit flush with the inner finisher.
I'm with 'kennat' on the frame - do not mess with jacking the frame to try and stretch it. It will be a disaster. These screens are a known nightmare to fit but it can be done........
kennatt
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by kennatt »

try gently,again gently..... warming the rubber up with a heat gun,it may just help it to stretch a bit,or take it all out and put the rubber into a tub of boiling hot water if you fear damaging the paintwork,or exploding the glass :o :o
That may be the safer option.,
When you say, as it is, that the gap isn't wide enough ,it won't be ,looking at it that's about how it is until the spreading operation ,straps wedges or whatever else comes to mind, takes place.
The inner side of the rubber is a deeper section than the outer . to sit flush with the dash,try lifting this side and you should be able to get a push on the rubber seal from the inside,strip of wood to prevent damage.
I know others have said don't use washing up liquid,but you've,got good clean paintwork so negligible chance of damage,I would run some round between the rubber and frame ,it will slide much better so watch you don't push the whole lot out . Or try Vaseline. You are 80% there you'll get it
As to the comment by pro fitter , a pro fitter would be able to do it as per the workshop manual ,there's not many OLD style fitters left ,If they can't stick it in or up with bonding they have no idea what to do,that's why not many will attempt this. I heard of one who split the rubber stuck the inner bit to the inner frame stuck glasses to that and then stuck the outer rubber to frame and glass,had to cut rubber in half and then filled the gaps top and bottom with silicon ,some fitter :-?
I once ,40 odd years ago,was in Coventry and had a stone through the driver side of mine, dropped it into garage ,went for a walk for about 30 min,on return fitter was wiping frame down ready for me to drive away,wish I'd stayed to watch how he did it.
ManyMinors
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by ManyMinors »

Myself and a mate replaced the rubber on my splitscreen many years ago without any trouble at all - including fitting the chrome finishers.
I can only guess that the problems owners have now are largely due to reproduction rubbers being of the wrong profile?
alanworland
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by alanworland »

I had the rear (bonded) windows come loose on my old Astra. Took them out cleaned everything up and stuck them back in with a neutral cure black silicone - never came loose again and didn't leak!
I wonder if we are not going to get decent seals anytime soon whether oversize screens could be cut, as they are flat, and silicone them in?
I know it's not 'correct' but might be better than a manky looking and leaky after market 'original'?
I fitted my screens probably about 10/12 years ago and remember what a nightmare it was - wright up on hear somewhere, and by the looks of things the seals now appear to be far worse a fit.

Alan
Image
myoldjalopy
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by myoldjalopy »

Short of taking the whole lot out again and bunging the rubber in hot water, a hairdrier may be safer than a heat gun, which is very fierce. You don't want to blister that nice paintwork.
I had mine done about 5 years ago and the guy said it was 'fiddly', took him and his mate about three hours, but it does fit well. The fitter used the old pillar as a 'dummy' to help put it in, after cutting it shorter. I got the rubber from Bull Motif (which, of course, doesn't do Minor parts any more) on their basis of their claim that the rubbers were a proper fit - they were obviously aware that there were some poor makes around at the time. People have used the straps method (as per 'kennat') successfully, and here the secret seems to be patience, gradually tightening the straps over the space of a few days until the centre bits fit in place.
But in any case, the OP needs to find an inner finisher and the other assembly parts before this job can be completed succesfully - maybe worth ringing round the various companies to see if they have second-hand parts available....there must be some knocking round somewhere.
kennatt
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by kennatt »

they can be done easily but looks a bit of a mess ie As one previous post of mine .....a friend cut his at the top and bottom centre line.fitted rubber to screen then one glass and pushed it tight as he could outwards strapped it up to stop movement did same other side once he realised that the gap was open enough,overnight I think,shoved a dollop of sikoflex/tigerseal into the gaps top and bottom,then fitted centre strips with again a load of sealant, Bonded bottom and top corners of rubber to screen and frame to finish.
it was obvious to anyone knowing and certainly would not pass concourse ,but it was watertight and so far as I know still ok,even with the available rubber today you always have to stick the top and bottom corners down ,they are a mile away from fitting properly.Copies of copies etc.
jagnut66
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by jagnut66 »

I have to say, reading through this (with interest), I'm still looking forward to the challenge but not if I find at the end of it that my 'new' rubber surround fits as bad as this.......

As mentioned above, maybe there's some NOS screen rubbers tucked away out there somewhere, perhaps those in the club hierarchy could put out a general inquiry??
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
markattard
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by markattard »

And here it is! With a bit of convincing and good luck the rubber today wanted to sit nicely now the centre pillar is next! Wish me well :)
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jagnut66
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by jagnut66 »

Well done, plus good to see the rubber does sit right in the end, that is a relief! :P
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
Owlsman
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by Owlsman »

Come on then, don't keep us in suspenders...….how did you do it in the end? :D :D

Well done! It's such a satisfying feeling when the impossible is suddenly possible.

Not quite the same problem, though I'm sure I ended up just like you're feeling now Mark but a few years ago I fitted a complete windscreen (i.e. frame, glass etc) to an MGB roadster. What a mare! According to the restoration manual ''Drop both lugs of screen frame into the apertures in the bodywork. Line up securing bolt holes, insert securing bolts and tighten up''

Yeah, right! The holes were about half an inch away from lining up so after using two very large 'G' clamps at each end of the frame screen, it took a full seven days of 'teasing' the frame into place by turning the clamp screws no more than half a turn each day. Every morning I went into the garage expecting to see a massive crack in the screen...…....but I never did. What joy when the holes eventually lined up and the whole screen was secure!

Well done again.

Alan
kennatt
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by kennatt »

Well done you are now 95% there... good luck,
markattard
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by markattard »

Thank You All!! Now I'm onto manufacturing the centre pillar back plate cause I dont have my original one! Just found out that 2ba screws fit in the pillar. What was the original screw arrangement please?
myoldjalopy
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by myoldjalopy »

Like I said above:
The original way that the centre pillar is secured is that studs are screwed into the outer pillar and cross-headed sleeve nuts are then screwed onto the studs to pull the inner metal finisher up to the outer pillar (with the two rubbers sandwiched in between). The heads of these sleeve nuts sit flush with the inner finisher. Check with suppliers to see if they have the studs and sleeve nuts . I know the rubbers are available
markattard
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by markattard »

Thanks!! I bet the cross headed sleeve nuts 2ba are very difficult to find!! Anyone has any ideas please?
myoldjalopy
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Re: Split screen windscreen fitting

Post by myoldjalopy »

Post in 'wanted' section of this messageboard and/or ring round the various suppliers - if they haven't new ones, they may have some second-hand ones knocking about. Or try club spares - 'sparesman' has a lot of older Minor spares in his various sheds! :D
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