I thought I would start a thread detailing my adventure repairing my leaking windshield. This is my first time, so I'll have many questions and please comment if you see something wrong!

The project began as a gutter reseal job, then turned to the floor pan holes, then to the cowl rust and finally onto windshield removal and rust repair. Talk about project creep.

The existing windshield was FW397 with a rubber gasket. No trim. It had been replaced sometime in the past. I removed the windshield glass and hope to reuse it. There are no chips or scratches. There was some plumbers putty type stuffed in various locations and the gasket was siliconed to the glass. There was pretty heavy pitting in places that had been primed over, some holes had been welded shut. There were several new holes and areas of active rust, particularly near the bottom passenger corner.

Here is my plan:
-Wire wheel and clean the channel
-Replace the worst sections with new 20ga steel
-Fill and sand pitted areas with All Metal Body Filler
-Epoxy prime the channel
-Reinstall glass with new rubber gasket


Ready to remove


Glass out


Diver's side lower corner


Passenger side lower corner


Patch in progress


Patch complete




Materials/Products/Special Tools Used:
-20 gauge cold rolled steel
-Crown 7007 93% Zinc weld through primer. Coated the backs of all new metal and whatever existing I could spray before welding in new parts
-Por15 Rust Coating. Used in a couple of spots that showed some surface rust but were not bad enough to replace.
-USC All Metal Body Filler. Good stuff, easy to use
-Raptor Gray 4:1 Anti-Corrosive Epoxy Primer
-Automotive Touch Up Aerosol Paint, Medium Blue 857
-Toyota Window Gasket 56121-89115


-Shrinker/Stretcher Tool. Got it from Harbor Freight. Worked just fine for this project.
-Electric Die Grinder with variable speed. An absolute must. I used the wire wheel, cut off discs, carbide burr grinder and scotch brite pads.
-Press brake. Preformed new steel parts. Not necessary, but made nice clean bends before shrinking/stretching

 

Good to see this. I've been putting off replacing the windshield on both an 80 and an 84, for fear of what I might find under them. Whats up with the headliner, is it going to be ok?

 

I'm on the fence with the headliner, it's in decent shape but kind of dirty. I did remove the portion on the pillars-I cut it at the seam. It was kind of gross in that area and in the way because they are folded over under the windshield. An odd design. I'll probably leave the pillars exposed and paint.

 

I am looking at gasket options. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences with the following options? Are these the correct parts? I am looking for just the gasket with no trim.

WBL397 Weatherstrip
https://www.ocautocarpets.com/wn-pro...dshield-29879/

Toyota Part 56121-89115
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/...121-89115.html

Front Windshield Weatherstrip
http://toyheadauto.com/Toyota_truck_parts_list.html

 

I am planning to use a Toyota gasket, cant go wrong with OEM. I had saved part # 56121-89114 https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/...121-89114.html. I wonder whats the difference in 89114 and 89115?

 

Agreed on OEM that is what I leaning towards as well. Looks like that number will fit my application as well (RN37). Curious about the differences now...

 

Maybe this is the difference?

My 1980 (RN37 also)




Whats left of a 1982 with some kind of trim package. The seal has a grove in it for an aluminum trim strip.

 

I found this on another thread:

79-83 Toyota Pickup W/Trim Groove 56121-89112
79-83 Toyota Pickup WO/Trim Groove 56121-89115

 

I ordered the 56121-89115 gasket from Toyota. It'll arrive in a couple of weeks.

Looking at the FSM it recommends applying Cemedon 366ET or Imron Sealant. I am not finding much info on these products and are probably obsolete after 40 years. There are many window urethanes available out there. What do other people recommend?

 

I did my 79 windshield (w/ chrome trim piece) a few mos ago...used no sealants at all but this:

Lisle 48600 Offset Windshield Locking Strip Tool

made the job possible for one guy.

 

Thanks Faber, I was under the impression that there were no sealants involved, then I looked through the fsm... I presume yours is staying nice and dry.

 

hehe. Good so far but I haven’t driven through any heavy rains yet. I didn’t note any sealant when I removed the original.

 

Making some progress. Finished up the new metal parts. Ended up replacing three corners, some of the bottom at the passenger and the entire top and about an inch of the roof. It went all right, the geometry on the roof is a little off, hoping some all metal filler will smooth it out enough for the gasket. Time will tell...

 

Made some more progress. Got some all metal filler in place. Things are starting to smooth out.

 

That's looking really good. Can we get the details on the products you've used.

 

Thanks! And yes, I'll update the first post with specific products when I get a chance.

 

Glad you were able to get repairs done and cut down on leak potentials, great work BTW

 

Thanks Lons81. I appreciate your advice on my other thread. You were correct, the windshield was not installed correctly and/or the seal failed. Not what I had hoped for, but I'll get it all fixed up.

 

Original Post updated with materials and essential tools.

 

hey cascade, I got a one piece seal for the front window from rock auto that does not use the metal trim stuff, just plain rubber, for under 50$