How To Remove Windshield Without Breaking It?

Windshield repairs are not cheap, and it would get even costlier when you go to a garage. So, it would be great if you could do it yourself. Removing the old windshield from your vehicle might look simple enough, but it could be trickier. 

Many people tend to break the windshield while trying to take it off. Today, I will show you how to remove windshield without breaking it and break down the technicalities involved. 

Read More: Windshield Chip vs. Crack

How To Remove The Windshield Without Breaking It? 

Step 1. Take Off The Plastic Trim Surrounding The Windshield 

Many professionals tend to skip this part. While it’s possible to take the windshield off safely without dealing with the trim around it, removing the trim makes the process easier. So, I would recommend going through the trouble of doing it. 

Carefully unclip the trim from its secure location. You can pull out these clips easily, but make sure not to damage them while you do so. Some of these clips could be pretty difficult to find, so you really don’t want to damage them. 

Use a dedicated trim removal tool for removing the trim clips. Spread a towel over the windshield glass so that you can tuck it underneath the trim when you lift it after taking out the screws. 

Slide the edge of the towel beneath the trim removal tool and swiftly pull up on the stainless trim while holding it in place. The glass won’t get scratched if you take this simple precaution. So, it would be best if you do it. 

Once the tool has caught on the clips holding the windshield in place, pull it down until the windshield comes free. That strip of trim will become unfastened as the clips come off. Repeat this process around the whole windshield frame to take off any remaining trim.

Read More: How To Stop A Crack In Windshield From Spreading?

Step 2. Identify The Most Appropriate Angle For Removing The Windshield From The Pinch-Weld

Simply put, the pinch-weld in a car refers to the junction at the front of the car where the vehicle’s inner part connects to its outer frame. How can you identify this? Look for weldings at the front of your vehicle. Once you find it, you need to plot how to disconnect the windshield from it without damaging the windshield glass.

To remove the windshield, you must cut it away from the pinch-weld. This can be done from inside or outside the vehicle using a cold knife or razor. Figure out which angle seems the most convenient for you to do it. Once you settle on that, move on to the next step.

Step 3. Cut The Urethane 

Car manufacturers use urethane to install the windshield on the vehicle frame. Urethane is so commonly used for this purpose that it is alternatively known as ‘’adhesive glue.’’ The polymer-based glue is substantially stronger than other adhesive options and is water- and UV-resistant. 

You will have to cut the urethane coating to remove the windshield from the car. Try to be as delicate as you can while you try to remove urethane. The windshield can easily break if you mess up this process. 

You can choose to cut it from the inside of the vehicle, or you can do it from the outside. Let’s get to know about both procedures in a bit more detail. I will tell you what tools you should use and what to avoid. 

Cutting It From Inside 

If you choose to cut the urethane coating from the inside, I will suggest using a razor knife with a really big handle. The handle length is important because you need to have a good grip to apply sufficient cutting force. Make dragging motions repeatedly for more effective cuts. 

You might see many professionals using a power tool to cut the urethane coating. Yes, it will accelerate the process significantly. But it will also increase the risk of ruining the windshield. If you don’t have adequate expertise in operating power cutters, don’t do it. Even if you do, I will ask you to take the more boring but safer option.  

Cutting It From The Outside 

You can apply the same technique I mentioned above to cut the urethane from the outside. But there’s one thing I need to mention. You will have a tough time removing the urethane coating from the outside if you don’t have enough windshield clearance. 

That means it will not be ideal to try to remove the urethane from the outside if the gap between the windshield and the pinch-weld is too narrow. As a rule of thumb, don’t cut the urethane from the outside unless you have at least 1/8  inches of urethane thickness to run the blade on. Otherwise, there’s a high chance you will scratch the windshield. 

Step 4. Remove The Windshield 

This is the easiest past, but you should not do it alone. Get into the car and push the windshield out. Since there is no trim and urethane to secure the windshield, it will come off. The person standing outside should grab the windshield immediately and carefully take it out. 

Final Opinion 

Removing a windshield is a delicate process and can relatively easily be broken if the proper steps aren’t taken. It is recommended that individuals unfamiliar with the process only attempt to do it themselves if they have taken the necessary steps to properly learn how to safely remove the windshield without causing any damage.

The safest and most reliable way to learn how to remove windshield without breaking it is to read an article that explains the process explicitly. By familiarizing yourself with the steps involved in the process, you can perform the task safely and properly.

After reading and understanding the instructions in the article, you should be able to confidently and effectively remove the windshield from your car.