Windscreen Rubber

[Keith66]

Hi Guy’s

Going to refit my windscreen soon. Initially thought I’d buy a new screen and rubber but after looking at the screen and realising it was a Triplex Laminated and isn’t as scratched as I thought I’ll refit and see how it is.

Question is do I refit the rubber which must be pushing 30 years old or buy new.

It looks in ok condition, isn’t split or cracked but I’m assuming they do dry out and stiffen up over time.

Against that thought is some things I’ve read about the very tight fit of new ones being a bit small and the potential for poor quality.

Any feedback appreciated.

 

Cheers   Keith

[Waldi]

Hi Keith,
I have just fitted a new Moss rubber on my original windscreen glass, it was not really easy, but we got it done. The plastic chrome strip still needs to be installed (need to order the tool); the gap looks very small and the rubber, once installed, is not very flexible, but maybe it will be ok.

If my old rubber were ok, I would definitely attempt to re-use that after a thorough clean-up and “coating”. I had an old bottle (still priced in guilders) of “Black Chrome”, this was a pvc/rubber conditioner, it revises old rubber and pvc surfaces. My soft top, which I think was the original one, became “like new”.

Waldi

[Mark69]

What’s so different about a triplex screen compared to a laminated. Yes I know laminated are cheaper :).

Edited May 17, 2020 by Mark69

[Motorsport Mickey]

The Triplex has a flame hardened surface which when fractured “ frosts” becoming almost opaque and cannot be-seen through. If it breaks or disintegrates ( almost certain ) when being replaced the screen becomes small individual “pixel” like components, about 3 mm dimensions and get into any nook and cranny, not unusual to find in heater outlets from prior replacements.It’s advantage is very little wearing or degrading in use, a 20 year old screen is undetectable from A new one.

The laminated of course Has a thin plastic like membrane between two layers of glass in the screen. If damaged in use and broken by impact it will star from the impact point but still remain viewable in use. If broken with 150 miles to go to destination you stand a good chance you could continue safely to venue and replace when there. Sometimes they can suffer with misting or delamination on an outside edge not normally enough for an MOT fail though. When being removed the screen normally hangs together ( the middle membrane will be intact) but resembling a limp lettuce, meaning very few small diamond shape pieces of glass to hoover up or get into heater vents.  Years ago there were arguments they were less safe than a toughened Triplex screen, the cracked larger pieces being dangerous if your head was thrown into or through it ( really). Whereas the Triplex toughened glass just shreds your skin like forks pulling off pork ! We’ve all seen horror photos of the results of that.
These days any occupant sensibly restrained by good safety belts and sound in car Safety would not have either of these problems. Laminated screen my choice every time.
 

Mick Richards

Edited May 17, 2020 by Motorsport Mickey

[PodOne]

Agree with Mick I’d rather be able to see through a few cracks than a fog of glass should a rock get thrown up which has happened to me a couple of times. Once on a motorway at around 70mph from a skip lorry full of rubble I was amazed it bounced off rather than coming through the screen which had a nice inward bulge and a few cracks. Mind you I needed some new underwear!
 

My current screen is Triplex but it won’t be going back in when the time comes.

Andy

[Mark69]

Mick, Andy. 

Thank you both, Laminated it is. 

Mark. 

[Keith66]

 

Hi Guy's

There appears to be some miss-understanding or miss-interpretation here.

Triplex XXX is a brand name not a type of glass.

Original 70's TR windscreens would have been Toughened or Tempered glass (diff names same thing) which as has been said deliberately breaks into small bits as a safety feature, but it does get everywhere. Diff to normal window glass which breaks into slivers, all the better to stab you with, but of course normal window glass has not been allowed in car windscreens since the 1920’s.   

A lot of those toughened 70’s OEM screens would have been Triplex as they were a big british supplier to the motor industry and I suppose Triplex could be associated with Toughened Glass as are Hoovers with vacuum’s, but Triplex no longer exist, its just a long gone old brand.

But Triplex also did laminated glass, I can tell this because my screen has the legend “Triplex Laminated” on it.

So I was always going to fit a laminated screen, it would be mad not to, but as my old screen turned out to be laminated (assumed it was just toughened until I looked) and a major branded one (rather than a cheapo Vietnamese copy sourced on price alone by the supplier) I thought I’d pop it back in.

The real query was it is sensible to use the old rubber, old being 25/30 years.

But given Waldi’s comments I’ll give it a go.

Cheers   Keith

[Waldi]

Hi Keith,
my original? front window glass also is laminated. I re-used it to avoid quality issues. It had a bit of “black paint” around the edge, probably to seal the area between the 2 layers. I gave it a good clean-up before installing, Just with glass cleaner, nothing fancy, it came out good.

Make sure it is a warm day, and use plenty soapy water (In a spray bottle) and a thin cord. Install glass in rubber, then into frame (from outside, obviously). I started at the bottom, 2nd attempt together with my wife it went ok (but the corners were hard work). Work gradually, moving from left to right side and vv several times. My wife pushed the window to the inside and to the bottom, while I was fighting the rope on the inside. I guess practice makes it easier, the last one was 20 years ago.
Waldi

[ntc]

15 hours ago, Waldi said:

Hi Keith,
I have just fitted a new Moss rubber on my original windscreen glass, it was not really easy, but we got it done. The plastic chrome strip still needs to be installed (need to order the tool); the gap looks very small and the rubber, once installed, is not very flexible, but maybe it will be ok.

If my old rubber were ok, I would definitely attempt to re-use that after a thorough clean-up and “coating”. I had an old bottle (still priced in guilders) of “Black Chrome”, this was a pvc/rubber conditioner, it revises old rubber and pvc surfaces. My soft top, which I think was the original one, became “like new”.

Waldi

Waldi

You don’t need a tool just a suitable lube you know the one and a rubber mallet, warm the trim in a bucket of warm water start at the middle just over half way tap it in when all the way round do not cut and leave for a few days then cut and fit the joint cover 

[Waldi]

Thanks Neil,

I will give it a go then.

Best regards,
Waldi

[stuart]

The Moss screen rubber is the best fitting one and FWIW fit the trim into the rubber once you have it on the glass and then fit them in one piece you will find the trim sits down properly doing it like that.

Stuart.

[Mike C]

Neil's right "leave for a few days then cut and fit the joint cover ". My new rubber shrank a fair bit after the windscreen was replaced, I had to make up an extended cover- the extent of the rubber shrinkage surprised me.

[Waldi]

Looks like I’m too late for Stuarts method to fit the plastic finisher in the rubber after fitting the rubber on the glass but before installing it in the frame. This all comes down to (lack of) experience. I will let  you know how it goes.
Waldi

[SeanF]

18 hours ago, ntc said:

Waldi

You don’t need a tool just a suitable lube you know the one and a rubber mallet, warm the trim in a bucket of warm water start at the middle just over half way tap it in when all the way round do not cut and leave for a few days then cut and fit the joint cover 

+1 for the rubber mallet approach. I did it this way and it was very easy. As demonstrated in this Elin Yakov video. Mallet method starts at about 13.4 minutes in.

 

[Waldi]

Thanks for the Link Sean, 

when I looked at Elin’s nice video I suddenly realised I had seen it before;)

Elin makes is look very easy.

If only I still had the memory I had 20 years ago!

Cheers,
Waldi