I should have been more clear about shoes... YES, tennis, running,
driving shoes, etc..... something that gives you a good sense of "touch"
with your feet... as opposed to boots... but I wouldn't do it with bare
feet... while it is "safety glass"... if it does break... you could cut
your bare foot... i.e. the idea of this glass was to keep you from
being cut to ribbons in an accident... but even with the special
laminates, if your face slams into it... you may still come out with
some cuts... etc.. So be careful out there... :)
Rather than cutting the inner rubber... which could lead to cutting
yourself... or the plastic/vinyle covering... I'd be more inclined to
flood it with some Armour All spray... it will act as a lubricant...
without doing any damage...
Perhaps... if the foot technique just doesn't "feel" right... after
giving it the old college try... then maybe go ahead and cut the
rubber... as an added survival method for the glass... and try again.
There's really not that much holding these things in.
On a side note...in my experience... the older the windshield rubber...
THE EASIER it comes out... as opposed to getting tighter... Quite a
different story from most of the problems we run into with our aging
cars.
--Justin
Andrew Mace wrote:
>
> On Mon, 20 Apr 1998, Justin Wagner wrote:
>
> > I would like to hear others on this... but I read long ago... that THE
> > way to remove a windshield... although archaic in appearance... is to
> > remove the front moulding piece as mentioned... then... from inside the
> > car... sitting somewhere about the handbrake... legs in the air... feet,
> > with shoes, against the inside of the glass... evenly and wide spread...
> > and slowly applying pressure while an assistant to two... prepare to
> > secure the glass as it comes out...
> >
> > I have removed one windshield in this manner... no damage... but I
> > destroyed it afterward, as it had deep, beyond repair, wiper
> > scratches...
>
> You're absolutely right, Justin, and I've done this myself. Caveats: 1. wear
> sneakers or use bare feet. 2. Be very slow and patient, and apply the
> pressure as evenly as possible with both feet. 3. (shouda been 1.) make
> REAL sure that you've broken the seal as best you can as I'd hinted at in
> the previous message. 4. be prepared for the worst.
>
> In most cases, it's much safer to cut off the inner lip of the gasket.
> Heck, it probably needs replacing anyway. But in a pinch, and with some
> luck, or when you're a poor and cheap high school student and you've
> already broken one windshield by stupidly prying on it with a screwdriver
> and can't afford many more trips to the junkyards for scarce used glass,
> this WILL work.
>
> Not that I have personal experience such as I described above. :-)
>
> --Andy
>
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