Replacing window glass

[Tim Way]

Hello all,

New member here. Looks like a great site!

I currently have 3 Suburbans in various states of health (see sig). I am building the '91 for a daily driver. The '87 and '85 will be sold when I'm done stealing parts for the '91 :-) I drove the '87 for 10 years and 180k miles before the engine gave up the ghost. The other 2 just happened to fall into my lap shortly after that. It's amazing what you can find when you're not looking!

I bought the '85 for the privacy glass. I figured that $50 for an entire truck was a ton better than $400+ that I was quoted for new glass. Talk about sticker shock....yikes!

I need to swap out the passenger's side rear door glass, the driver's side rear 1/4 window and the driver's side barn door window.

Any tricks or words of wisdom before I do this? I'd REALLY hate to break a nice peice of glass by doing something silly.

Thanks in advance.

Tim Way

[oldsub86]

Take it to a shop and have someone with experience do it. I had my 86 painted and the side windows were removed to repair some rust. The fellow who did it said they were a bit tricky and easy to break. He did mine without any problems.

[Tim Way]

Thanks Oldsub!

That's kind of what I was thinking. I talked to a window installer while he was putting my windsheild in. And he gave me similar advice.

He did say getting them out in one piece is the hardest part. Getting them in in one piece isn't as hard, but tricky. He suggested cutting the gaskets to get the "good" glass out. And LOTS of silicon spray and a string to get them in.

We'll have to see how ambitious and adventerous I am when the truck shows up. I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks again,

Tim

[old Rusty C10]

doin glass isnt so hard. In the barn doors the glass is smaller than a back window in a cab on a pickup but ive done them with little problem. I agree to get glass out of a truck youre going to scrap id just cut gaskets and i do think its always good to have a helper especially when doin glass.
The doors are easiest the side ones i cant tall ya about cause ive never done those
whatever ya do good luck and welcome to the board from NJ

[Tim Way]

The $50 'Burb didn't have barn doors, but the rest were there. I cut the "good" 1/4 window out with a utility knife. Installed it with a thin rope and a ton of silicon spray.

Door glass was hard to get out of the donor truck. Power windows and no power (doh!). A bunch easier on the install.

Thanks!

Tim

P.S. The '91 turned out to be a '90. I've also sold off 2/3 of my fleet. The wife is thrilled that we are a one Suburban family again :-)