G'day everyone,
You may recall I installed new rubber front and rear on my '70 s back in April. The original headlining is still there, but some sections have come unglued and so not all of it is neatly under the rubber, and I want to remedy that.

So, I will pull the windows back out and re-glue the loose sections.

After that, what are your favorite techniques for installing the front and rear screens? I only know the method of using a rope/cord around the rubber, where you use the rope to draw the lip of the rubber past the sheet metal flange. This was really tricky on the mini.

I have read here about using a piece of wooden dowel rod to "work the rubber" around the edge, etc. Can anyone elaborate? Other techniques that work really easily?

The homemade chrome install tool worked like a charm though.

tx,
bmc

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Ben McCafferty
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
1970 ex-police mk2 Cooper S

I've only fitted a few windscreens, and i think the rope/cord method works really well, and then if you have bits left over that need pulling out, try and find a tough plastic that you can shape kinda like a screwdriver, to slide under the rubber, so you can work the rubberover the glass.

An ice-cream container lid might even be stiff enough for you to cut out a piece that can slide under the rubber to work the rest of the rubber infront of the glass.

I have actually used screwdrivers to work the rubber but its really a bad idea, even if you have a spare glass sitting around. (And no i didn't break it)

I found plastic bicycle tyre levers worked really well. They don't damage the glass and slide quite well, but they're strong enough to not bend under force. If you look around your workshop you may find some suitable material - I had some nylon drawer sliders which I could fashion into a useable tool.

But I really hate installing screens - all that effort to find out it still leaks... luckily last time I invested in new rubber which cured it.

Incidentally the string-pull trick works a treat on the windows in the rear door of am Estate or van.

Thanks guys. Both of your posts left me wondering, however...

I have always installed the rubber to the glass, then used the cord to pull the rubber/glass combo into the car. It sounds like perhaps you both install the rubber to the car, then pull the glass into the rubber. That is something of an epiphany--I wonder if I could even use the rubber sealant to "glue" the rubber to the car, let it dry, then work the windscreen in after that?

That would certainly take care of the problem where the headlining gets pulled loose by the cord as it passes by.

Thanks and talk soon,
bmc

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Ben McCafferty
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
1970 ex-police mk2 Cooper S

I am one to usually encouage having a go and if fitting glass is one of those 'must do (or try) myself' items, then go for it. The techniques others have put up here seem to be the most popular / successful over the years.

However, have you priced an auto-glazier to do the job (then it's warrented when / if it leaks!)? From my experience, they don't charge much at all and there are many that'll come to your home.

I rang around last year to get the windscreen rubber replaced in Barney (wife's Cooper S replica).
I HAD THE NEW RUBBER ALREADY.
O'Briens wanted nearly $200 to fit it.
The other well known ones that come to you (whose name escapes me) wanted $180 and were too busy.
I finally got it done at a place I drove to in Parramatta for $160.
I don't think any of the screen places are `cheap' now.
A few guys on here will do it for a slab of beer, = bargain!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Rubber grease is a winner to get it to go in smoothly, you will spend some time getting it off the glass however. I tried using hand soap to lubricate the bead when installing the silver filler strip last time to get remove the mess the grease made (sparkies use a type of soap as a lubricant when pulling cables through conduits in the ground).
Problem was, the water in the soap never dried out beneath the filler strip, and eventually wicked into the gap between the plastic and the silver foil internally....it looked a real mess!

Still, lubricant of any sort smoothes the process up remarkably, and lessens the chance of splintering the glass edge with hard tools.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Must agree with Mick, Rubber grease works wonders combined with the plastic kitchen spatular.

Found he easiest way, is the put the rubber into the flange first. (make sure you have the Aussie seal (smaller)). Soft hammer all around the make sure it is in. No grease at this stage
Then apply the rubber grease to the glass gap. Only once the seal is fully in the flange.

Drop the lower edge of the glass into the seal (on the bottom of the opening flange).
Push to one side, then work around with the platsic splatular. Very quick, before wife comes looking for kitchen tools!.

Make sure you have a helper inside the car forcing the glass into the seal.

Clean spatular and put back in the draw quick sticks.
Wait for next time. You can always blame the cat, if she asks what happened to the spatular??

Smart like frog!!

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"Boris" - '69 Cooper S Mk 2

Wasn't that easy on my rear screen though, was it?

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Cricky Doc, I've never paid more than $65.00. I'll fine the guy's name and post it.

Helps if the flange is not twisted

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"Boris" - '69 Cooper S Mk 2

Mini's are hook in jobs, that is, the rubber goes on the flange first. Some valiants are like this also.
If you are using a new laminated winscreen, use a razor blade, run it around the edge, and trim off the excess laminate.
I use a metal hook tool for installation, dont let it touch the glass though. Don't hit a laminate winscreen with anything other than you hand, and its more of a slapping than a hit, just to help seat the screen in the rubber. (Not always necessary, but some glass is a bad fit)
It really helps if the rubber is soft and pliable. With new rubbers, I don't bother sealing, and if I do, its normally just rubber to glass. Seal before you put the mylar strip in as well other wise you are making things hard for yourself.
To help lubricate the insertion of the mylar strip, I just use plain window cleaner that comes in a can.
Steve (ex Novus employee)

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Member VMCI #19

Wow its expensive down south.

When i first had a mini i paid $100 for a windscreen company to come to my work and fit a new seal i provided. I thought that was a bit pricey but hey, i didn't know how to do it at the time.

Our contact through where i work now runs his own mobile windscreen fitting business. For example, we got him to fit a new screen to a daihatsu charade, we charged the customer $220. Thats everything, new glass, fitment and money for us. I think he charged us $50(trade) to put new rubbers front and rear in a mini.

OK, thanks. From your post above, it sounds like you're installing the glass from the inside of the car, yes? It would make sense, with the rubber being thinner there?

I will look for the right hi-tech mini windscreen spatula installation tool...my wife's version of "cooking" is opening a can of Spaghetti-O's for the kids, so I don't think I'll meet too much resistance there...

Also, someone mentioned having the correct Aussie seal. Minimania here doesn't sell anything but the longer ones, but they say to cut them to fit. I have done this and used some contact cement to glue it back together, but it still wants to give way during installation. Any great product for gluing the rubber ends together that is strong enough to survive installation?

Thanks as always,
bmc

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Ben McCafferty
Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
1970 ex-police mk2 Cooper S

Some suppliers here in Oz can get the single piece rear window seal (minisport South Oz?). But the method I've used for two piece seals for a long time is to install the window( from the outside by dropping the window into othe seal like rookiepilot said above) and working my way around from the bottom of the screen to get the glass in.

Once I've finished the glass and there is just a join left to go in, I leave it hanging out at just that point for a day or so to allow the rubber to settle in and take it's normal shape. If you cut it and push it in without thinking it will pull apart in time and leave a gap. the same goes for the silver strip.

When you do go to finish the job, cut it a centimetere or so longer and force it to go in. Therefore the joint will forever be in compression.

if you use a sealant of some sort, choose carefully as a lot of silicones are acidic and will cause corrosion in time. Use proper windscreen sealant or select a water based product of.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.