Need help with windshield frame screws

[Tutosnake]

I am planning to remove the wind wings attached to the windshield frame. Does anybody know what screws replace the ones you pull out once this is done? They need to be shorter than the ones used to attach the wings. There is another screw present on the frame that is shorter but does not seem to fit in the hole left behind...

Thanks,

Hector

[mickmate]

#10 Coarse thread on yours, fine thread on the English screens. I have them if you need them.

[Tutosnake]

Well, send me some, mate! I'm e-mailing you right now...

[DonC]

Be very careful of the length of the replacement screws. Just one or two threads too long and it will make contact with the edge of the windshield glass. Once that happens you can count on the windshield breaking.
Standard windshields are tempered glass and won't take any contact on it's edge. You can hit the face of the windshield with a hammer and it probably won't break but touch the edge and it's gone.
DonC

[Tutosnake]

thanks for that advise... had no idea!

[roadrod2000]

Originally Posted by DonC

Be very careful of the length of the replacement screws. Just one or two threads too long and it will make contact with the edge of the windshield glass. Once that happens you can count on the windshield breaking.
Standard windshields are tempered glass and won't take any contact on it's edge. You can hit the face of the windshield with a hammer and it probably won't break but touch the edge and it's gone.
DonC

Tempered??? I hope not, should be laminated for the windshield, the last thing I would want is a rock chip to blow out my windshield at 70 MPH.

[Bod]

Should these screws that attach the wings to the windscreen posts have a serated washer under the head and what is the correct sequence of the attachment of the wing itself, Bolt ,flat washer,surface,surface.flat washer,serated washer.nut?? thanks
Jeff

[Jaydee]

Tempered??? I hope not, should be laminated for the windshield, the last thing I would want is a rock chip to blow out my windshield at 70 MPH.

It's both. Tempered and laminated. Only side windows and rear are not laminated.
JD

[NFLDMNBB]

Originally Posted by Bod

Should these screws that attach the wings to the windscreen posts have a serated washer under the head and what is the correct sequence of the attachment of the wing itself, Bolt ,flat washer,surface,surface.flat washer,serated washer.nut?? thanks
Jeff

Flat washer against the wing then the serated then the nut. Careful not to over tighten the nuts as it will cause small cracks in the laminate. That is if you don't have glass wings. A small amount of blue thread-locker never hurts as these things tend to vibrate a bit! Careful not to get any thread-locker on the wing it will attack the laminate. Also do not over tighten the bolts into the frame as (most) tread into a brass strip and are easily stripped. Witby Motorcars sells a stainless strip for that very reason. A flat washer only under the bolt head that attaches the wing to the windshield frame

Roger

[Dwight]

take a small piece of wire to insert into the screw hole to check the depth of each screw.

I replaced a windshield for a friend a couple of years ago and when I screwed in the last screw into the windshield frame, the glass cracked. Same screws and frame. The shop I used to mastic in the glass must have got it a got the glass a few thousands closer to that side. That's all it took to crack the glass.

Dwight

[601HP]

Originally Posted by mickmate

#10 Coarse thread on yours, fine thread on the English screens. I have them if you need them.

Tutosnake:
Last week I removed the windwing brackets on my car. Here are several things I noticed.

1. The original screws in the holes other than the brackets location, are 10-32. There is 1/2" of thread on those other screws.
2. I ordered replacement 10-32 1/2" long screws to use where the brackets had been located. These replacement screws didn't start easily in the former brackets location, so I stopped. I tested the new screws in the holes above and below the bracket location and they threaded in easily. So.........I used a 10-32 tap to gently freshen the threads in the windshield where the brackets had been located. Fortunately the tap threaded in easily, which was good because I didn't intend to create a new thread size.
3. I also installed some Nick Acton windshield mirror mounts. They were 1/8" thick in the screw area. I used a 10-32 5/8" screw to install them.

When inserting the screws, if you feel resistance before the screw head seats, it may be too long.

David

[Tutosnake]

Thanks David. My mechanic also figured those screws are metric, and I am buying inch type screws... he's figured out they are 5mm screws and has a source for them. He will still have to cut them to the appropriate length. We will try that.
Amazing that such a simple thing becomes a big deal in a supposedly straight forward car to keep

Thanks all for your input... I will keep you posted on what worked.

Hector

[Bob Hess]

I took the wind wings off my car last week. I bought 5mm stainless steel screws at the local hardware store and cut them to size, no washers and just snugged them up into the threaded holes. So far so good.

[Karl Bebout]

Roger, Thanks for the Whitby Motorcars reference for the stainless steel replacement strips. I ordered some two days ago, talked to Jeff at Whitby, yesterday, and am now waiting for them. Never understood why such soft metal was used in the first place but feel confident the SS strips will cure the issue.

[601HP]

With two of you talking 5mm, I went into the garage to double check myself.

The long screws that originally held on my windwing brackets, easily screwed into a 10-32 die. It was an exact fit.

I inserted the same long screws into a 5mm-80 die with no effort, but I could detect very slight left/right movement of the screw while in the die.

I'm staying with the 10-32.

David

[NFLDMNBB]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

Roger, Thanks for the Whitby Motorcars reference for the stainless steel replacement strips. I ordered some two days ago, talked to Jeff at Whitby, yesterday, and am now waiting for them. Never understood why such soft metal was used in the first place but feel confident the SS strips will cure the issue.

You're Welcome. I just received mine yesterday and plan to pull the windshield off this weekend. I recently replaced the visors and the wings and when reinstalling the wings I pulled the threads on one hole. I was considering the permatex thread repair, then I found the Witby reference so to me it made a lot of sense to do it right.

[A98Coupe]

DonC & Jaydee,

I am sorry but Roadrod2000 was right. Windscreens are not manufactured from toughened/tempered glass. They are manufactured using laminated glass which is designed to crack upon impact from projectiles such as stones etc. The polymer interlayer holds the screen intact thereby safeguarding the driver & passenger safety. If the glass was tempered or laminated tempered, it would shatter, and either stay intact and completely block any forward visibility for the driver, or simply fall into the car and hit the occupants as a floppy sheet of broken glass.
Windscreen glass must be laminated plate glass and must confirm to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards - FMVSS 212 to be precise.

I just needed to clear that up
Stuart

[cscobra]

I would NOT recommend using threadlocker on screws that thread into soft brass--removing them later, if necessary, can cause a loss of those brass threads. Don't ask how I know.

[NFLDMNBB]

Originally Posted by cscobra

I would NOT recommend using threadlocker on screws that thread into soft brass--removing them later, if necessary, can cause a loss of those brass threads. Don't ask how I know.

Using Loctite Blue Threadlocker which will allow the removal of bolts - screws without a problem.

Roger