Car Door Glass Vacuum Extention

Wouldn't it be nice if we could reduce the time it takes to replace a car door window without taking shortcuts.

One of the most time consuming parts of replacing a vehicles door window is removing and refitting the door panel, disconnecting all the electrics and then refitting them back.

With this in mind Service 8® Windscreen decided to develop its own windscreen tool to help reduce this time. Welcome, the Excalibur. 

Named Excalibur for is resemblance of King Arthur's famous sword, the Excalibur vacuum attachment eliminates the need to remove the door panel for many vehicles.

Excalibur Glass Vacuum Tool 

As windscreen technicians we usually have to remove the door panel to gain access to the window clamps and to remove any broken glass from inside the door. 

However, in many case if the external weather strip is removed and the window regulator is wound all the way to the top technicians can gain access to the window clamps without removing the internal door panel. In addition when the regulator is wound all the way down we can then gain access from the top of the door with the Excalibur vacuum attachment to clean out the broken glass.

The door glass removal tool will not be suitable for all vehicles, however it works very well on many Australian models.

Even if you have to remove the door panel off the door the Excalibur tool is still the best method to vacuum the glass from the door as it reaches into the corners of the door that some vacuum attachments cant reach.

Vacuum glass out of car doors with ease

Service 8® estimates that technicians could reduce job time by as much as 25 minutes on some vehicles. In addition by using the Excalibur attachment job quality is in no way sacrificed, in fact the risk of damage is reduced. This is because we don't remove the door panel, therefor eliminating the risk of damaging door panel clips, or disturbing electrical wiring.

The Excallibur tool can made from a steel vacuum tube than can be obtained from most vacuum shops. The cost is very cheap so multiple tools can be made for shops with many mobile workshops.

The glass removal tool can be made in about 15 minutes and is quite simple. All you have to do is obtain a long straight stainless steel vacuum tube and crush it in a vice. The bigger the vice the better the result, we did not have a large vice so we went to a local steel fabricator and used theirs.

The trick is to run the tubing through the vice vertically and crush it down bit by bit to approx 10/15mm thick. Its best to start by making it on the wider side, as if you crush it too thin you cannot bent it back out. Any thinner than 10mm and you risk getting glass jams in the tube when using it.

Leaking Windscreen

If you are unfortunate enough to have a leaking windscreen and are wondering how this could happen. Service 8® Windscreens has this advice.

There are two main reasons why your windscreen could be leaking. The first reason would be that your windscreen has been recently installed. The workmanship of the windscreen repairer may have been substandard, or could have failed. As a result of this your windscreen may be leaking.

This may have occurred because short cuts were taken during the windscreen installation, or perhaps the windscreen products may have been out of date, or contaminated.

The second reason why your windscreen could be leaking and the most common reason, rust behind the windscreen.

Rust can form behind the windscreen due to a poorly installed windscreen from the past. This can be difficult to diagnose as you cannot actually see the rust until the windscreen removed. However, removing the windscreen is only way to determine the cause in both of the above cases.

Its important when selecting a windscreen repairer that you choose a quality repairer. This can be confusing as quality does not necessarily mean the most expensive windscreen repairer. There are many corporate repairers that will charge you twice the price for ordinary quality workmanship.

The only advice we could give to insure you will have a better chance of receiving a quality windscreen installation is by asking technical questions during the booking process.

If a repairer thinks you are technically tuned into how the process works, then there is an improved chance you will get a proper job.

Here are a few questions to ask during the booking.

• My car has a passenger side air bag. Will your technician be removing the "cowl panel grill" to ensure the windscreen bonds correctly to the body? (It is a very common short cut to not remove it and effects the quality of theinstallation)
• Will you be using primers to prevent future rust? 
• What adhesive do you use. (Sika Adhesive one of the best)
• Do you have a lifetime warranty on the installation?

Another tip is to trust your senses. If a repairer shows up late, un groomed, driving busted old vehicle, then its likely your not going to get a quality job. If the company does not care for its own appearance then its unlikely they are going to care about yours.

Better still, call Service 8® Windscreens and get the best quality at a fair price.

Here are some pictures of some jobs Service 8® Windscreen had to fix recently. This is the kind of rust that  will cause your windscreen to leak.

Rust behind the windscreen

This kind of rust will cause your windscreen to leak

Rust in it early stages, behind the windscreen

Mercedes E Class - rain and light sensor installation

Many vehicles today have an abundance of accessories attached to the windscreen. What was once an exotic extra, has now become standard equipment on many basic motor vehicles.

Rain and light sensors are simple electronic devices that are attached to windscreen, these sensors automatically switch on the windscreen wipers automaticly when rain is detected. The same goes for a light sensor. A light sensor detects the amount of daylight light and switches on your vehicles head lamps accordingly.

Many vehicles come with rain rain sensors, however we have chosen the Mercedes E Class because it has several onboard computer systems that interlink. If the sensors are incorrectly removed, then the E Classes computers will require an expensive factory reset.

The best advice we would give to any windscreen technician would be to never disconnect any rain sensors unless it is absoloutly necessary. This seems obvious, however its very common for technicians to disconnect the sensor and remove it out of the way for safe keeping.

Second if you have to remove a sensor from an E Class, or any other Mercedes for that matter its critical the the ignition is off and the key module is removed. Service 8® has disovered that if the module key is left in the ignition it can cause errors in the ingnition system on the computer if the sensor is disconnected.

The windscreen sensor plastic casing is very good quality and sits very tights to the glass and roof. The gaps are also very tight, so care must be taken when removing. See pictures below for for an inside view of the plastic housings, this will help with your removal process.

1. 1.Unclip mirror cover first, this can be done with a small pick tool.
2. Remove main sensor cover. This cover sits very close to glass and is fixed solid. It takes a fair amount of pressure with a trim remover tool to remove it.
3. Don't disconnect the rain sensor.
4. Be sure the key module is NOT in the ignition.
5. If you have to disconnect the sensor, do not put the key in the ignition.

Unclip cover near mirror first with pick tool

Inside view of main sensor cover

How the main cover is attached from inside

VW Passat Window Replacement

1. VW Passat Door Handle Removal

Technical instructions for the installation of the door window in the Volkswagen Passat 1998-2006 Model.

Note, this technical information is aimed at professional windscreen technicians. It's not intended to be a step by step for the complete novice.

However, it covers the more complex issues of the VW Passat Door Glass installation, so DIY enthusiasts should have little trouble following.

The door panel of the VW Passat is not too complicated by their standards. To remove it you will require a T25 Torx screwdriver, a large head Philips screwdriver and a 10mm socket, preferably a magnetic one.

Remove the door handle cover with small tool. Here we have used a pick tool. See image 1.

2. Two T25 Torx Screws in door panel

Reveal the two large Philips heads screws and remove. Next step is to remove the two T25 Torx screws at the bottom of the door panel. You may have to get on your knees for this, see image 2.

Once all the  screws are free of the door handle and the lower door panel, leaver the door panel away from the door from the bottom. You can use a large screw driver, or windscreen technicians should have a trim removal tool for this.

Once free of the clips the door panel lifts up and off the door. The door panel sort of hangs on door frame at the top. NOTE: Take care here as there are electrical wires connected to the panel for electric windows, central locking and door release.

Disconnect all of the the electrics, this is easy done as the electrics on the Passat door panel are just plugged in with usual plastic connector blocks.

However, pay particular attention to door release cable. The VW Passat door release cable needs to be unclipped before you unhook it from the door release handle. Its quite difficult to explain, but you will see what we mean when you take a close look at it.

You are then left with a nice inside view of the VW Passat door. From here you will see what you pay the extra dollars for. Solid door panel, top quality.

3. Window clamp access points

When you come too, after being mesmerized by the engineering you will notice there are two rubber plugs that reside horizontally near the top of the door.


Open the flaps of the plugs on both sides. This is where you will gain access to the clamps that hold the door window. See image 3.

Turn on the ignition and use the drivers main control panel to regulate the passenger front door up to the height of the access points. If you are installing a drivers side window then you will have to dismantle the control panel off the door panel and connect it back onto its plug to enable you to operate the window.

When you have regulated the height of the window clamps so you can see them through the port hole, loosen the 10mm bolts by a few turns. Not too much though, if you loosen them too much the clamp will come completely loose and fall off inside the door. If this happens its not a complete disaster as you could probably remove the speaker to gain access inside the door to retrieve it. However, no point it creating extra work if you can help it.

Here you can view a closer image of the access point image 4. You will notice the Audi logo on the the plug, as you will probably know VW and Audi share technology so its not uncommon to find parts on either vehicles. This particular kind of door set up is used frequently on many models.

4. Access point for window clamp

Clean out the clamps as they will have the bits of broken glass still in them. Also for the DIY techs reading this you will have to clean out the glass channels, (the track in which the widow slides up and down in).

Once the guides and clamps are clean of glass you will then need to vacuum out the inside of the door. We have self made tool named Excallibur, see image 5.



This tool is a able to enter the door from the top. Excallibur eliminates the need to remove speakers and door panels to gain access. Will will soon be writing a blog on how to make one of your own.

All should now be clean, so its time to install the new VW Passat Window.

The window needs to be turned approximately 35 degrees forward. Then slide the window inside the door front first.

Then once inside the door turn it back to 90 degrees making sure that when you do the glass is inserted into the door two channel guides. I am being specific here only for the DIY guys. Techs are familiar with this process already.

5. Excallibur Glass Vacuum Tool 

Slide the door glass down into the clamps and tighten the clamps to grip the glass. VERY IMPORTANT! Be careful not to over tighten. Half a turn or so should be enough to grip the window, test to make sure its not loose.

Now, before you reverse all of the above and fix everything back together you will have to reset the window limits. When you test the window on auto close (pulling the switch all the way back) the window will likely hit the top of the window frame and rebound back down about half way.

Don't be alarmed this is typical as the window regulator limits will need to be reset. No computer is required for this, just a little know how.

Pull back the electric window switch as to roll the window up. When the window hits the top of the frame keep holding the switch for about 5 seconds. Next, push the switch down so it rolls the window down. Again, when it reaches the bottom hold for about 5 seconds.

The window should now go up without rebounding. If you notice the auto function has stopped working, i.e. you have to hold the switch as opposed to just a quick press, then you will also have reset the auto function.

Take you key and from the outside drivers door turn the key in the locked position for about 3 seconds. Job done, it should all work fine now.

We would appreciate any feedback from anyone who found this helpful..

5 Essential Windscreen Moulds

The modern day windscreen technician has many windscreen moulds to choose from and indeed in a workshop environment we should carry them all in stock.

However for the mobile windscreen technician the stock room is limited, so its important to select the windshield moulds that are most useful. The moulds that will fit a wide range of motor vehicles.

Service 8® Windscreen have selected the 5 essential windshield moulds that we carry on board our mobile workshops to suit most Australian vehicles.

Uni 18 Windscreen Mould
Uni 18 is a windscreen mould that we would not be without. It will fit any vehicle that a has a sunken windscreen. By this we mean recessed into the body of the vehicle.

Uni 18 is will bend around tight radius corners and is by far the most used windshield mould by Service 8®. The finish is often better than the original.

Uni 8A
A great mould for windscreens that sit flush to the top of the A pillars and roof. Like Uni 18 is hugs radius corners very well.

It can also be reversed to be used for recessed windscreens too. Having a wider profile than Uni 18 it will suit vehicles such a the earlier Subaru Forrester 2002-2008 models.


Uni 8B
The same profile as the Uni A, however the Uni B is about 3mm wider. It is more suited to trucks, especially the more modern Isuzu Trucks that are now bonded in and have a wide space between the glass edge and the body.

Despite its extra width is hugs radius corners surprisingly well. It is very well suited to the Holden Commodore VT to VZ, which has a very wide space between glass and body.

BA
The BA Windscreen mould gets its name from the BA Ford Falcon for which it was designed for, however it has a lot more uses than just that.

This self adhesive mould is best suited for recessed windscreens on more modern vehicles.

Many late model cars are opting for a flush finnish for their windscreens and many manufacturers today have either naked edge windscreen, or a self adhesive mould on the edge.

Personally we find both the naked edge finnish and the self adhesive mould finnish used on windscreen installations are a contributing cause for windscreen delamination.

However for now manufacturers have chosen this design for many models, so we will just have to stock the Uni BA to suit these vehicles.


BA2
The same windshield mould as BA, however like the Uni 8B it is just the wider equivalent. It is well suited for models such as the AH Holden Astra.

Summery
Don't be afraid to change the mould profile on a vehicle. A quality finish is not necessarily and genuine finish. Generic profile moulds are very well made and in most cases can look better than the original.

You customers will appreciate the substantial savings and you will find if it looks right, the customer will be pleased with the result.

As windscreen technicians a simple question to ask yourself when you test a generic windscreen mould is does it look right? Imagine you had an untrained eye and you did not know what the original mould looked like, would the uni mould pass as an original finish? If yes, what are the reasons for not using it?

Windscreen Blog

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Thanks for visiting.