2000 XJ
i have a leaky windshield, top side passengers side that gets dash floor and seats wet in a good rain.
i have 2 cracks on either side also.

my concern is that if it is removed the windshield frame could be corroded.
don't really want to pay for body work.

anyone have same experience? problems taking glass out and frame area is comprimised?

my last xj i siliconed the area to keep it from leaking but i figured with the cracks maybe just replace.

 

First, cracks on the outside will not leak to the inside. Second, you have a poor urethane seal, I assume the windshield has been replaced before. Third, the pinch weld should be fine if you have a competent person or company replace the windshield.

Make sure that if you have it replaced, you should to avoid further damage, that the replacement person or company steel brushes the pinch weld and primers the area prior to setting the new windshield.

Whole process with a new windshield and moulding should be in the neighborhood of $200. Get it fixed, there are electrical wires and connections and panels at risk.

Yeap, I know what I'm talking about. I install glass for a living.

Happy Jeepin"
Texas Taz 38

PM me if you need to.

 

thanks for info. dont believe its been replaced before but i could be wrong.

stay away from the safelites and mobile glass companies of the world? look for auto glass "shop"?

 

I had a leak just a little left of the passenger side visor in my '00. Was coming from the windshield. Just so happened that I had some surface rust issues on my hood and roof that I was getting my body guy to deal with. So I let him handle that too, he has a glass guy, in case it was more then just a remove and replace and he needed to take care of something under there body wise. Turned all that was needed was to remove and replace it.

 

mobile is fine if they are competent we are 98% mobile. been that way for years. be sure they center the glass and moulding when they set the glass, gauged by the rain channel
at the top. yes, your glass has been replaced, factory glass does not leak. if you look at the windshield brand, it probably has a DW01140 number on it. Factory glass does not have a replacement number on it.

texas taz 38

 

ok i'll check around town and check for any #s on glass later. thanks.

 

My Dad's 94 rusted out at that spot. It was that rusting (apparently he was fine with the religious floor-panels.. ) that caused him to retire the Jeep as his DD.

I would definitely have the shop inspect and correct any issue with the mounting area to get rid of the rust.

My 95 has surface rust in that same area and if I ever need a windshield I'll be taking it to a trusted body shop and have them fix the rust and deal with the glass.

 

yep. windshield says SGC Shaded Sunex DW 1140 among some other letters and numbers.
i'll start calling around and see what the shops say.

 

Top left and top right are common trouble areas for the Cherokee, especially the later models with the rubber 4 sided moulding. Both drip rails and the roof seam drain right into the area of the poorest fitting moulding area. I always apply a little extra urethane in the top corners of the Cherokees just for that reason. The poor fit and alignment of the moulding generally is the cause of dirt and grime retention in the corners under the moulding itself thereby allowing for water retention in those areas. Not much different than road salt gathering under a fender pinch weld. We all think to wash out really well under the fender wells but think little of grime collecting under body mouldings.

I would wager that if you look closely at the ends of your moulding on the top of the windshield, it is not even compared to the drip rail. One end of the moulding will overlap the body and A-pillar more than the other thus increasing the amount of dirt and grime retained on that side. More dirt and grime correlate to longer water retention which will increase the odds of rust developing.

Another thing to watch for is the method the windshield is removed. Most installer use what is called a "chop out gun". It is very similar to a reciprocating saw with a wider flat blade. It is an accepted method for removal but the problem is that it does tend to scratch the pinch weld area. If the installer does not take time the prime those areas, rust will soon develop via those scratches.

I would encourage you to observe the replacement, not under their feet by any means, but there will be moments that you can step in and take a glance and observe the work being done.

So, what to observe? 1) Look at the pinch weld after it is apparent that the installer is making ready to set the new windshield, prior to them running the urethane. What you are looking for is any rusty untreated areas and any bright shiny obviously new damage that needs to primered. Be insistent that those things are corrected prior to them running urethane and setting the windshield. It's to late once the glass is set.

2) Once the glass is set, look at the moulding in relationship to the drip rail ends. Does the moulding extend the same from each end? Eyeball it, if its close to same your ok. The installer can square it up in the opening safely for a few minutes. Don't be a jerk but be firm in what you expect the finished product to be.

I hope I haven't bored you to death and hopes this helps keep more of our cherished Cherokees out of the scrap pile

Happy Jeepin'
TexasTaz38

 

excellent info, I am a little worried about cavities under my rubber seals, sprayed fishoil in there.

Can you confirm the pinch weld is a double flange spot welded together, and the glass bonded by urethane to metal, with rubber trim on top ??

(unlike older vehicles with rubber seal on metal)

In any case, rust here is a mongrel, I had to repair on an older vehicle, drill out spot welds, cut inner & outer flange, form new flange sections, mig & plug weld back together

I also had a (reputable) mobile windscreen company do a glass-on-flange replacement on a later model vehicle, the guy told me he had been a storeman up till 18mths ago, it leaked. They sent the "truck specialists" out to re-do it

 

While you guys are on the subject, I would like to get a windshield molding
for my 98 XJ. What do you recommend, where can I get it, and at what cost?

I am in Africa and will need to replace the windshield in the next few months
to get past annual inspection. I could probably have a colleague bring a molding
to me. Can a molding be folded over and put in a suitcase?

 

[QUOTE=awg;3504883]excellent info, I am a little worried about cavities under my rubber seals, sprayed fishoil in there.

Can you confirm the pinch weld is a double flange spot welded together, and the glass bonded by urethane to metal, with rubber trim on top ??

(unlike older vehicles with rubber seal on metal)

Yes, the roof panel is spot welded to the windshield frame and the glass is bonded by urethane to the metal. The moulding is simply for finished looks. The moulding actually cups the edge of the windshield on the inside edge and has butyl rubber inside it to assist with retention of the moulding to the glass itself. The urethane is normally applied to the pinch weld area first and then the windshield, with moulding pre-attached to it is set in the windshield frame. The urethane should then 1) seal the windshield to the cabin and 2) be of sufficient volume to catch the moulding and help retail the moulding in the windshield opening.

The windshield when correctly set, the moulding will be evenly set left to right visually as evidenced by the moulding position in relation to the drip rails. The moulding should cover the top of the windshield frame nearly to the top of the roof line with the bottom of the moulding just barely lapping over the edge of the cowling that covers the windshield wiper posts. Factory windshield installs actually had 2 small rubber spacers used under the bottom edge of the glass to facilitate the centering of the glasses up and down position. Most of those spacers are destroyed in the removal process and are not critical to a windshield replacement. The installer simply needs to be aware of the correct positioning of the windshield and set it that way. Most installers will use a painters tape to hold the windshield in the appropriate position until the urethane has cured sufficiently to hold the windshield in its correct position.

I hope this answers your question. I provide this information to educate the buying public on what, not only Cherokee windshields, but all windshield replacements entail and what they should expect. Most to the public, not all, but most don't realize how important the windshield is in the structural integrity of a vehicle.

Happy Jeepin'
TexasTaz38

 

While you guys are on the subject, I would like to get a windshield molding
for my 98 XJ. What do you recommend, where can I get it, and at what cost?

I am in Africa and will need to replace the windshield in the next few months
to get past annual inspection. I could probably have a colleague bring a molding
to me. Can a molding be folded over and put in a suitcase?

"Precision" makes one. www.prp.com or 1-800-367-8241 or "GGG" @ www.gggcorp.com 1-800-448-5188

I'm not sure what the cost is to the public, my wholesale cost is about $30 for the moulding.
Yes, the moulding can be put in a suitcase as it is rubber and very flexible.

Hope this helps.

TexasTaz38

 

The number for your windshield is a "dw01140" Ask for the moulding to fit that glass.

The "dw01140" will fit all Cherokee XJ applications from 1984-2001.

If your attempting a 100 point restoration of your Cherokee XJ, the correct glass number for 1984 thru 1991 is a "dw00952" but the "dw01140" will fit all Cherokee XJ's thru 2001 just the same.

More useless information for your entertainment all. lol

Happy Jeepin'
TexasTaz38

 

TexasTaz38,

Thanks for the information on getting a moulding. I just ordered one
from Precision and they'll ship it out so I can have it this week. Their
price was $51.22 plus shipping. She offered to send me a list of local
distributors if I wanted to look for a lower price. Nice folks up there in
Wisconsin. Maybe I should have said TexasTaz sent me.

Thanks again.