How To: Windshield channel rivets (1 Viewer)

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Location
SE Michigan
While refitting a loose channel cover, I noticed that my ‘05 LX was missing all eight rivets and the A-pillar channels were only adhered with urethane at some point during its last windshield replacement. Decided to install the rivets and figured I’d post some photos.

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Toyota PN 75547-51021, bought a box of 15 rivets off eBay.
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Had to drill through urethane on some of the holes. Used a 90deg drill adapter with 1/8” hex head drill bit.
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Had to extend the nose of the rivet gun to reach into channel. Used a brass fitting with a 4mm washer on end. At first I tried it without the washer but the hole was too large and the rivet didn’t swage correctly.

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My cheap old Craftsman rivet gun worked great with the extension.

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Important! : Put something between the glass and the rivet gun to prevent the glass from taking an impact as the rivet mandrel fractures. I used a sheet of rubber.
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This is what I think a fully seated rivet should look like.
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Thanks for posting this.

Mine had screws holding the trim on instead of rivets. I tried to replace the screws with the specialty rivets from Toyota, but the diameter was too small to grip the holes that had been drilled out. Ended going with an aluminum 4mm diameter rivet instead which was better than a rusty screw, but not as good as what you did. Nice work.

My experience here... Couldn't take it any longer, it was time to take a look under my windshield trim
 
Thank you for the post! I am currently trying to replace mine and learn everything I can to avoid the wind noise that my old windscreen had. I have 4 screws and no rivets and learning that installers who know what they're doing know that this installation is more tricky than a basic vehicle. Need the OEM windshield, new mouldings, new rivets (most installers have never seen a windshield like this, so they get the installation wrong and it whistles), and the rain sensor fastening tape.
Already "special-ordered" one windshield through Safelite that supposedly was OEE that complemented night vision and rain sensing but upon arrival it didn't have the special screen for the night vision HUD. So now they're "trying" to order OEM so we'll see how that turns up.
 
Mine is held in by screws and leaks where the trim touches the roof. Need to do something about it.
 
Hi folks

This is very informative. Can someone explain why the riveted in part allows leaks if not installed properly? My sense is that the urethane bond around the windshield is the sealing surface.

Does water get in the river holes (if there are no rivers?)?
 
Hi folks

This is very informative. Can someone explain why the riveted in part allows leaks if not installed properly? My sense is that the urethane bond around the windshield is the sealing surface.

Does water get in the river holes (if there are no rivers?)?

The windshield is sealed, hopefully, but the rivet holes are separate from that and enter the A-pillar. Water runs down the inside of the pillar into the under-dash footwell where electronics also happen to be. Screws can provide a water entry and more susceptibility to body sheet metal rust. If there are no rivets or screws it's even worse. Ideally the toyota rivets should be used, since they are coated and don't rust or interface with the body metal so harshly. If the holes are too big (from being drilled out) and the Toyota rivets cannot be used, then suitable alternative should be sourced. I'm looking at these, but have not tested them yet (and results might vary depending on hole size).

Swordfish 64907 - 25pc Aluminium Rivet with Plastic Cap for Toyota 841466149076 | eBay

Btw, Good job @vishmuzty
 
If there is any open hole (missing rivets / rusty screws / wrong rivets without silicone seal) then water will find it's way in - driving 70 MPH in the rain will find the weak point.

Any water that makes it's way into the rivet holes will run down the inside of the A pillars and drip into the fuse/relay boxes in either the driver's or passenger's foot well.

I had been experiencing random electrical glitches over the past several years - although I didn't find any water in the carpet, it only takes a few drops in the wrong place to cause havoc. I finally bit the bullet and drilled out the two rivets per side that were holding on my windshield channels. Apparently the installer of the most recent windshield didn't bother to put in all 4 per side.

I followed vishmuzty's write-up above to reinstall both side channels and added a bit of extra permatex sealer under and around each rivet to make sure they were sealed - Knock on wood - the electrical gremlins have not returned. I also had some 3M tape on hand to make sure the roof channel could be properly secured down, as you have to pull up the front of the roof channel trim to properly install the window channels. While they are off is a great time to inspect around the windshield for any signs of rust and treat it appropriately.
 
Thanks for the added detail.

Is the general best practice to be:
DIY - remove outward trim, drill out rivets, remove rivet bound trim
Glass shop - install new windshield
DIY - reinstall rivet bound trim with rivets, reinstall outward trim

?

Has anyone done this?
 
Just want to add my notes here, although I should probably add them to the other 15 related threads . . .

-----

Finally took the plunge and removed all my windshield trim.

Background: windshield was replaced by PO in '15 or so. Screws instead of rivets. When I got the LC, one of the first things I did was remove the screws, stick a brush with primer into each hole, and then rivet.

But I knew that wasn't really the right answer. And had some wind noise above 60 that made me wonder.

So I pulled off wiper blades, bottom cowl mouldings, trim moulding at the sides, and the moulding at the top of the windshield. Nothing too shocking under there, but a few very small rust spots. Sanded them, two coats of POR 15, squirted some 3m windshield adhesive along the top, then re-installed everything with new trim piece at top of windshield. By the looks of the one that came out, Safelite (or someone) had reused the original piece--it was _crusty_, and not just 5 years old.

When I tried to button things back up I realized my 25 year old Craftsman rivet gun had finally given up the ghost and ran to Advance Auto an bought whatever they had on the shelf--worked great. No extension even needed.

I clearly suck at getting windshield trim pieces in straight. . . makes me wish I had a black LC so it'd be less painfully obvious. Although there are 57 other reasons I don't want a black one, so I guess I'll have to be OK . . .

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And some more pics.

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