possible to replace upper windshield molding without pulling windshield? (1 Viewer)

[gatormark91]

Honestly, put some black gorilla tape over it, trim to fit, and see if that helps. At least you'll be sure. I wouldn't stuff sealer down there, especially if you live up north - rust is not a happy thing. And the rivets don't go into the glass - they hold the trim to the A-pillar. The glass is just glued as normal. The trim is what controls the air flow and usually causes the noise. You can pull the trim, drill out the rivets (or remove the screws, if it was done wrong) without much trouble. There is plenty of info here as to how.

 

[128keaton]

Honestly, put some black gorilla tape over it, trim to fit, and see if that helps. At least you'll be sure. I wouldn't stuff sealer down there, especially if you live up north - rust is not a happy thing.

Good idea. I'll do that tonight. I've already ordered all the trim ($65 for all of it, roughly) just because I know that the top seal is not great already.

Thank God I live in the south. My plan was to pull the trim off the top, clean the surfaces with isopropyl, and if there are any gaps in the urethane, I'd put the silicon there.

I do know that where the roof meets the windshield is a common rusting spot. I had a 1993 4Runner for a while that was susceptible to the same thing. There was no rust around the frame there at all, so knock on wood, the LX should hopefully be the same as they both spent their whole lives/mileage in the same climate.

 

[LETSROLLEM]

I'll probably pull the trim this weekend since I have a piece on the way. @SPACEBOY, I'll let you know what its like pulling it. Planning on using a heat gun to soften it, then just use a fine handled screwdriver to get it out of the channel. 75531-60030 is the P/N for the top moulding.

@128keaton, thanks! Please keep me/us updated on the difficulty of reinstalling the upper trim. Looking to do the upper trim piece and both side rivet trim covers if it doesn't require removing the windshield. The FSM isn't very clear but as I read it, it doesn't appear that you have to. Actually it shows these to be the final steps after replacing the windshield. It does however recommend running a bead of silicone adhesive down before the upper trim piece. The cutaway of it, shown in a previous post, appears you just press it into place after the silicone adhesive. After 21 years my trim seems wavy and looks to have deformed and shrunk a little. I have all 3 trim pieces saved to my shopping cart. Just waiting to hear more input. Thanks again

 

[Qtonic]

Looking to do the upper trim piece and both side rivet trim covers if it doesn't require removing the windshield.

Be careful if you try to remove the side trim. I cracked my windshield doing it. They're reinforced with metal internals and once I had it partially lifted I tried to yank it off ungracefully and the internal metal must have put pressure on the edge of the glass and cracked it. It's avoidable if you're careful, I just didn't know to be.

Edit: I see now you said rivet covers. In that case don't worry, those just peel out.

 

[128keaton]

@128keaton, thanks! Please keep me/us updated on the difficulty of reinstalling the upper trim. Looking to do the upper trim piece and both side rivet trim covers if it doesn't require removing the windshield. The FSM isn't very clear but as I read it, it doesn't appear that you have to. Actually it shows these to be the final steps after replacing the windshield. It does however recommend running a bead of silicone adhesive down before the upper trim piece. The cutaway of it, shown in a previous post, appears you just press it into place after the silicone adhesive. After 21 years my trim seems wavy and looks to have deformed and shrunk a little. I have all 3 trim pieces saved to my shopping cart. Just waiting to hear more input. Thanks again

Super easy. Just did it. Took me all of 30 minutes, including cleaning and replacing the side pieces. Mine did not have any silicon used to seal the upper piece, so I reinstalled without it. Will test tomorrow, but I'm thinking of just removing and adding the silicon layer. I also unfortunately learned that my windshield has screws instead of rivets, thanks PO.

 

[LETSROLLEM]

Super easy. Just did it. Took me all of 30 minutes, including cleaning and replacing the side pieces. Mine did not have any silicon used to seal the upper piece, so I reinstalled without it. Will test tomorrow, but I'm thinking of just removing and adding the silicon layer. I also unfortunately learned that my windshield has screws instead of rivets, thanks PO.

That's great thanks! So just to be clear, you just pulled it and the other "pops" back into place? I did order some 3m silicone I am going to lay in first. Thanks again

 

[128keaton]

That's great thanks! So just to be clear, you just pulled it and the other "pops" back into place? I did order some 3m silicone I am going to lay in first. Thanks again

You are correct! I need to remove and lay some silicone down, no excuses.

THIS is some BS though.

Good luck!

 

[MATT0404]

Question for those of you with more windshield experience than me....How in the hell do I install the side trim pieces that cover the rivets? Number 3 below:

 

[128keaton]

Question for those of you with more windshield experience than me....How in the hell do I install the side trim pieces that cover the rivets? Number 3 below:

View attachment 1937314

Put the L-shaped piece towards the top and slide in the bottom. The L should be facing inwards to the windshield, at least thats how mine came out.

 

[LETSROLLEM]

You are correct! I need to remove and lay some silicone down, no excuses.

View attachment 1937198
THIS is some BS though.

Good luck!

Yeah, I had the same problem. Had some water pooling in my drivers side floor, the PO had a bad window install done and they left the rivets out and only put 2 screws per side back in. My glass guy did an excellent job, but my moldings are just old and slightly deformed so I'm going back with new upper reveal molding and side rivets cover molding. Glad it was an easy job for you. Sucks though that it seems you have to always come behind the "professionals" and fix their screw ups. Can't wait to get this new molding in though, should finish it off nicely. Thanks for posting

 

[LETSROLLEM]

You are correct! I need to remove and lay some silicone down, no excuses.

View attachment 1937198
THIS is some BS though.

Good luck!

I got mine reinstalled. But I think I might redo it. If fit really well from the passenger side towards the rear view mirror, but from then on I couldn't get it to "seat" down in the channel as well. I have about an 1/8th of an inch of the molding that fits to the roof profile sticking up above the roof line. I'm afraid I might get water seeping in behind that area and sitting behind the molding eventually leading to rust. That side just wouldn't "pop" in like the first half of it. I cleaned the area well enough (I thought). I had very very little evidence of rust, just some redish powdery dust. I think I didn't get enough of the old gasket material out of the area that won't seat. I'm gonna pull it this weekend and retry it. I kept my old molding, which is in good shape, but it's not OEM, it has a slightly different profile. The OEM has an added skirting to it where it contacts the body profile underneath, I guess for added protection. But the old one actually seemed to fit a little better. I know it is not meant to be exactly water tight at that area, but with the portion rising slightly above the roof line, I'm fearful it might be a "catch" point for water. I'll let you know what I figure out. My glass guys are really good and cool guys, so worst case I'll run it down to them and they would probably knock it out for free.

 

[LETSROLLEM]

I got mine reinstalled. But I think I might redo it. If fit really well from the passenger side towards the rear view mirror, but from then on I couldn't get it to "seat" down in the channel as well. I have about an 1/8th of an inch of the molding that fits to the roof profile sticking up above the roof line. I'm afraid I might get water seeping in behind that area and sitting behind the molding eventually leading to rust. That side just wouldn't "pop" in like the first half of it. I cleaned the area well enough (I thought). I had very very little evidence of rust, just some redish powdery dust. I think I didn't get enough of the old gasket material out of the area that won't seat. I'm gonna pull it this weekend and retry it. I kept my old molding, which is in good shape, but it's not OEM, it has a slightly different profile. The OEM has an added skirting to it where it contacts the body profile underneath, I guess for added protection. But the old one actually seemed to fit a little better. I know it is not meant to be exactly water tight at that area, but with the portion rising slightly above the roof line, I'm fearful it might be a "catch" point for water. I'll let you know what I figure out. My glass guys are really good and cool guys, so worst case I'll run it down to them and they would probably knock it out for free.

Looking back, I should have dry fitted it first, oh well, live and learn