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Vehicle type: Four-door utility vehicle
NAGS numbers: Windshield part numbers DW1824 solar, acoustic interlayer, remote start; and DW1902 solar, remote start, aftermarket
Watch for: The urethane bead securing the windshield is a little thick along the sides and top. If using a cold knife to cut out the glass, use a blade that is the next size up in length. Also note, the top gap is close to the pinchweld wall, so care must be taken during cutout to avoid damaging the pinchweld wall.
A. Windshield
Preparation
1. Cover the front seats, floorboards, dash and steering wheel with a clean drop cloth or disposable plastic covers. Note: Always wear eye and hand protection when working with glass. Make sure you have the right glass and moldings and that the urethane systems you are about to use are current. Windshield part numbers are DW1824 and DW1902.
2. Drape the fender with a fender cover and tape up any vulnerable areas on the vehicle to protect against possible damage. Tape up the defroster vents to prevent debris from falling into the openings.
3. The rearview mirror is held in place by a T25 Torx set screw. Loosen and slide the mirror off the mirror pad.
4. To the right of the mirror is the remote-start receiver. Remove the decorative cover and release the receiver from its mounting. Let hang.
5. Remove the windshield-wiper nut covers.
6. Remove the windshield-wiper nuts using a 15-millimeter wrench or socket.
7. To remove the cowl panel, first release the four expansion-type retainers along the leading edge.
8. Remove the fender spacers by first removing the push-in retainer. Then, pry the spacer upwards, off the corners of the cowl panel. Remove the spacer from the fender.
9. Remove the hood bulb weatherstrip from the cowl panel. There is a hook-style retainer built into the cowl panel. Just stretch and lift to remove without damage.
10. Release the two corner wings that overlap the corner edges of the cowl panel. There are two underside clips that release with an upward tug and swing forward. Disconnect the washer hose under the driver-side fender wing.
11. Use a door-pad tool or plastic pry tool to release the four underside retainers from the fascia portion of the panel near the lower edge of the glass. Remove the cowl panel and set it in a safe place.
12. The top and side moldings are PAAS-style molding and will come attached to the new glass. Note: Before beginning windshield removal, verify the new windshield is the correct one and the urethanes and primers are current. Never use outdated products as this could jeopardize the structural integrity of the vehicle and the safety of its passengers.
Removal
13. Make sure the cutting blades are sufficiently sharp.
14. Before cutting out the windshield, remove contaminants from the glass and pinchweld to avoid contact with the urethane.
15. Use the cutting tools of your choice to remove the glass from the adhesive bead. The urethane bead is a little thick along the sides and top. If using a cold knife to cut out the glass, you might need to use a blade that is the next size up in length.
16. The top gap is close to the pinchweld wall, so take care to cut out the glass without damaging the pinchweld wall.
17. Take the windshield out of the opening using a set of vacuum cups. Make sure that the vacuum cups do not overlap a crack in the glass. Lift the glass and place it on a windshield stand or suitable workstation.
Installation
18. The OEM glass comes with a mounting bracket for the remote start, two hangers in the upper corners, a foam acoustical dam at the bottom and the three-sided underside molding.
19. After cutting the windshield out, remove contaminants such as dirt, moisture and debris from the pinchweld. Clean the dashboard.
20. Dry fit the new glass to the opening. Mark your glass using a grease pencil or retention molding tape.
21. Place your vacuum cups on the new windshield in the appropriate location.
22. Set the windshield onto the old urethane.
23. With the windshield resting in the opening, make sure it is in the right spot.
24. Adjust both sides to the correct setting, marking the passenger side, then the driver side. Lift the glass and place it on a windshield stand or suitable workstation.
25. Follow the urethane manufacturer’s recommendations for installation.
26. Clean the inside of the windshield using a urethane manufacturer-recommended product. Do not touch the bonding area of the windshield after cleaning, prepping or priming it.
27. Wear powder-free Nitrile gloves to protect against harsh chemicals.
28. Apply the glass prep and primer following the urethane manufacturer’s recommendations.
29. Using the tool of your choice, remove the original urethane bead, leaving 1 mm-2 mm of existing urethane on the pinchweld. Make sure there are no contaminants and do not touch the pinchweld after you have prepped the area.
30. Apply the pinchweld primer only to the areas where needed, and follow the urethane manufacturer’s recommendations. Allow preps and primers to dry as recommended by the urethane manufacturer.
31. Apply a triangular bead of urethane to the same path as the freshly cut urethane on the pinchweld. Before cutting your V-notch, cut the tip off of your nozzle with a nozzle-cutter. With the cut nozzle, measure to the top of the roofline, and at 1/16-inch higher than the roofline, make a mark on the nozzle with a pen or marker. Notch the nozzle up to the marked line; this will give you the appropriate triangular bead.
32. Lift the windshield from the windshield stand or workstation using vacuum cups. Set the windshield on the urethane at the mark you made during your dry fit. Lower the driver’s side of the windshield onto the urethane and line it up with the dry-fit mark; it is now in place.
33. The windshield is now ready to be decked. Press firmly to ensure a good seal.
34. Check for leaks. Use a leak detector to go over the perimeter of the windshield. If you find a leak, apply more pressure or add more urethane to the spot and ensure that the glass makes contact with the wet urethane.
35. Allow the urethane to cure according to the urethane manufacturer’s recommended cure time before returning the vehicle to the customer. Warning: Disregarding the safe drive-away time that your urethane manufacturer recommends could jeopardize the structural integrity of the vehicle and the safety of its passengers.
36. You have completed the removal and replacement of the windshield.
