Everything You’ll Need To Remove And Replace A Windshield Yourself

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Your windshield got cracked during your latest ride down a dirt road. It’s not that bad, is it? Well, it all depends on where it’s cracked, and how badly. If the crack has occurred on the sides, then the windshield’s structural integrity has been compromised. Is the crack in your field of view? That’s another reason why a windshield has to be replaced. The real question is, do you have a professional replace it? Or do you want to replace the windshield yourself?

Do-it-yourself projects are pretty popular these days, because what’s so bad about learning a new skill and saving money while you’re at it? And yet, replacing your windshield may not fall into that category. It can take a lot of time and money based on the tools and materials you’ll need if you want to replace your windshield yourself. 

It can be done, but repairing a windshield on a modern car can get expensive. Just know, it’s not bad to admit when you’re in over your head and have a professional step in and replace your windshield for you.

If it’s more than just a chip we’re dealing with here, cracks can affect one of the most important safety features in your vehicle. If your car is more modern and has the latest advanced safety features, a cracked or broken windshield can also throw off advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as lane departure warnings and blind spot assist. These innovations have made it that much more complex to repair a windshield, and once the windshield repair is complete, a professional should step in to check the ADAS for proper calibration.

Most insurance companies will cover the cost, but you should give your provider a call just in case. If they don’t cover the costs, then we can understand why doing it yourself may be more desirable. It can’t be any more difficult than changing a headlight, right? 

Not so fast. In summary, you’ll need to: Remove the surrounding components (wipers, rearview mirror, plastic covers), cut open the urethane seal, remove the windshield, clean the area, apply primer, reinstall the windshield, then reinstall whatever you removed alongside the windshield itself.

The costs can add up when you take a look at all you’re going to need to replace the windshield yourself. You’ll need to source a replacement windshield, of course: Most auto repair shops and auto parts stores can help you find a replacement for your model and order it. Once you have the new windshield, here’s a list of materials and tools you may want to take an inventory of before running off to the nearest hardware store.

• Gloves
• Safety goggles
• Screwdriver
• Plier
• Utility or cold knife
• Wire brush/sandpaper
• Vacuum
• Glass cleaner
• Stiff nylon brush
• Razor blade scraper
• Rubber windshield gasket
• Urethane primer
• Auto glass urethane
• Caulk gun (electric or air-powered is much easier, trust us)
• Two suction-cup window holders
• Painters tape

Look up the average cost of all of these materials: How much do you have to buy? Is it worth it? On average, the cost to replace a windshield can be anywhere between $350 to $550, and that’s for mass market cars. Luxury cars with rare parts will cost even more. You’ll need to do the math and decide whether the time and money are worth it to replace the windshield yourself.

Now comes the fun part. The removal part of this DIY project should be easy: Use your hand tools to remove any additional hardware, including the rear view mirrors, wiper blades, windshield gasket, and plastic molding. Look for any clips, fasteners, and retainers while you’re at it.

Using a cold knife, a razor, or even a stiff wire or guitar string, you can remove the windshield. Make sure to cut the urethane around the complete perimeter of the windshield. Try to avoid any damage to the pinch weld, paint, or bonding surface to make reinstalling the new windshield easier.

You may need to use the razor blade scraper to remove excess old urethane. Old glue doesn’t get along so well with new glue, so we want a clear bonding surface. If you see any rust, some sandpaper or a wire brush and a quick scrub can help prevent it from spreading further into the body of the car.

Now that the windshield has been removed, we need a clean workspace. You can use the nylon brush to remove any loose dirt or debris left on the frame. Going over it with a vacuum couldn’t hurt either, and a cloth with warm water can also help. Treat this job as you would any other time you wash your car, and be thorough.

We also want to make sure the new windshield is clean. Some glass cleaner can make it shine and prepare it for installation. While doing that, you should also clean the perimeter of the windshield. Like any other polymer, this urethane won’t be able to create a strong bond with loose particles in the way.

Apply the urethane primer around the perimeter of the windshield where the old urethane was. If there is still some of the old urethane left over, this can help as a guideline for application. Wait a few minutes, and then apply the auto glass urethane onto the primer. Your caulk gun will make this task a whole lot easier. You should also start with a line of beads, then fill in the gaps if there are any left over. If some gets on your car’s paint, try to remove it with a paper towel and rubbing alcohol, but don’t dilly dally — that urethane won’t wait around forever to harden.

We want to do this as soon as possible. If you have someone to help you, it’ll be less stressful. Otherwise, some heavy-duty suction cup window holders should do the trick. Use them carefully to handle the windshield and lower it into place. Once you get it on there, you can move it around a bit to get the windshield in the right spot, but don’t mess around with it too much.

Gently applying some pressure with your palm all around the perimeter of the windshield should be enough. Then, wait for the urethane to dry. You can also use some painter’s tape to hold the windshield in place while the urethane cures.

This will take several hours. Some sources suggest waiting 24 hours for the urethane to dry, but the manufacturer of the urethane knows best. Once it’s done, you can reinstall all of the hardware you removed, including any clips you found along the way. And that’s it, you’re done. Way to go!