I broke my drivers door window for my 68 Ranchero on New Years day (great way to start the year, right?)….. Anybody ever installed one before, and, if so, what did you use to do it????
Isn't' the door glass in a channel guide with a rubber packing? Remove the door panel and you should have easy access to the mechanism. https://www.autocityclassic.com/196...968-1969-ford-ranchero-door-glass-set-d39223/
I've got the window out, the new glass is here, and window channels are cleaned out...… Just wondering if anyone has tried gluing the windows back in the channel, and what did they use.... I'm thinking about using the urethane they use to install windshields with to install them......
When you cleaned the glass out of the guides, was it in with a sealant or rubber packing? This video might help..
Don't know where to start, it's a painfull experience. Right or wrong I ended up using J B Weld in copious amounts after trying to use the recommended epoxys. You have two aluminum blocks that glue on the bottom of the glass, right ? Did you remove ALL of the old epoxy ? The glass is intended to sit in the middle of that big groove with epoxy on both sides of the glass. The glass can bottom out in the groove in the aluminum. How you manage to hold it centered in the groove depends on what you can find to hold it in place. The original glass is gone, right ? Here is the really fun part = finding where to make your front to rear reference points for where to glue the new glass into the aluminum blocks. Position the glass in the blocks and carefully find where everything fits correctly in the fully closed position with the door closed fully. Hope you aren't a big guy because the next step is to lay across the seat looking up into the door so you can see where to put your alignment marks. You really only get one shot at this so make double sure your marks are accurate before you remove the glass and blocks to do the glue part. Rough up the glass surface carefully where the blocks sit to give the epoxy something to grip. Be patient, give the glue plenty time to harden. After assembly you will find every direction the glass can be adjusted is in the hardware in your door. Go slow, you can tweak the fit by trial and error. Didn't have urethane when I had to replace my glass so I have no reference as to if it will hold. Good luck !
Thanks Huevos, that was a huge help as to what I'm looking at doing!!! I was an automotive tech for 20 years, but I never really got into working with replacing glass...…. I bought a tube of 3M Window Weld (glass shops have been using it for years installing windshields), cuz I figure if it will hold a windshield in place, it should hold a door glass in a channel!!!! Hillbilly---- I did remove ALL of the 50 year old epoxy from the window channel (big PITA, by the way!!!)….. I made two new brackets to hold the window in the channel, so now I just need to install the brackets back in the door to find out where to install the glass...…. Looks like I'm in for an all day event!!!!!
Any decent epoxy should work. There's not a lot of tension on the joint, and there's a lot of surface area.
this is the stuff yo want... might be a good idea to get two (2) tubes - am hearing - one tube will do one window - or, there about... don't want to get caught up in the middle of the repair and run out of adhesive... also - please watch the WCCC video - very helpful.... I will be doing the same this coming weekend...
This era of window track was notorious for coming unglued!!! Which usually lead to the owner coming unglued as well... so I have been told... The Passenger window on mine was unglued, when the glass guy came out to install the windshield, and we realized he had the wrong window... I gave him the doors and glass, drivers side for reference. When he returned with the correct windshield, the passenger door was repaired. He indicated that todays glues are better then what was used back then. That I shouldn't have any issues. Might want to talk to your local glass guy and see what they are using... just in case they have access to something better then what the parts stores are carrying.
The video is very concise, done well. Only pick I have is about the one inch from the ends part. These doors are not deadly accurate in measurements and can vary in dimensions. That is why I suggest mocking things up in the door before making your reference marks. It seems painful but it is worth the effort because it makes the job way more satisfying when everything fits and works correctly.
The ones I have repaired I leave the regulator in the door and clean up the channel and glass with cleaning solvent and reglue fitting the glass to the body with the door shut and then let it cure before opening the door. Removing all the previous glue makes the channel wider and more of a problem not fitting as well as it did.
I got the window put back in right before the rain started!!!!! Thanks for all of your advice, guys!!! I used the tube of Window Weld to glue the window in, since that is what the glass guy uses here in town...… Had to glue the channels first, remove the window guides before installing, then reattach the guides after the window was installed..... Window is set in place right now with wedges until the adhesive sets (should be ready tomorrow)……
Good work... am also hearing it takes a long time for the adhesive to do its thing... probably even more important when temperatures are low and there's a lot of moisture in the air... let it sit for a day or two before moving anything around...
I have a 69 Ranchero that I need to re-glue the glass in the channels. I removed all the old glue. Has anyone tried using glass setting tape to take up some of the gap? I bought some but I am thinking maybe use the glass setting tape and glue together.
Fred - this is a total PIA job and you don't want to do it twice. The video and notes listed above are about the best info you will find. (I reached out to a couple of glass guys and they did not want to touch this...). Also, make sure the two (2) cast housings that the window attaches/glues to are not deformed (i.e. channel is stretched out or widened) in the area where the glass will be cemented. If so - try to adjust or, locate replacement parts. Take your time & Good luck!
