Yellowed Back and Side Glass

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AppleTech
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Yellowed Back and Side Glass

Post by AppleTech »

Can the rear side and back door windows be cleaned up similar to shining headlights? Or do they need to be replaced with proper automotive glass? Mine are yellowed enough that you can't really see much out of them and I was going to try and clean them up.
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VinceAtReal4x4s
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Re: Yellowed Back and Side Glass

Post by VinceAtReal4x4s »

You can try but it will never be optically like glass. I replaced all of mine with windshield glass because tempered would be too complicated. Wasn't hard to do and fairly cheap in my case.
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AppleTech
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Re: Yellowed Back and Side Glass

Post by AppleTech »

VinceAtReal4x4s wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:07 am You can try but it will never be optically like glass. I replaced all of mine with windshield glass because tempered would be too complicated. Wasn't hard to do and fairly cheap in my case.
Thanks Vince - what source did you use? Did you re-use the rubber or replace at the same time?

-Phil
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VinceAtReal4x4s
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Re: Yellowed Back and Side Glass

Post by VinceAtReal4x4s »

Local glass shop. My side rubber was fine. The back got RTV I think. Its been a while...
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dokatd
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Re: Yellowed Back and Side Glass

Post by dokatd »

I replaced all mine with tempered glass. Even has the tempered stamp on it for DOT. It’s pretty easy and reasonably cost effective. Just look up a local glass company and tell them what you need. Don’t tell them it’s for a vehicle, just tell them you need stamped tempered glass and give them the exact size of the originals.

I made the mistake of using a trimlok rubber seal for my back glass, I honestly wish I had just glued it in. Use windshield urethane sealant to secure the new glass.
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Re: Yellowed Back and Side Glass

Post by VinceAtReal4x4s »

It was over the top cost-wise, for me, when I looked into it.

The question is, why put tempered glass in anyway? Several cars actually have laminate glass on the sides. (I was a fireman for many years who did lots of auto rescue work and trained often in junk yards, busting windshields and side glass for 8 hours at a time...)

One of the arguments out there is that laminate glass might trap you inside a car that is on fire or in water. This is a rare occurrence, first of all, but laminate glass is much tougher and might protect you in other ways. It can also keep someone from popping your window and breaking in. Intact glass also adds structural strength when a car rolls over, believe it not. Laminate glass can also keep someone from being thrown out of the car in hard hits and roll-overs. I've handled bad head-on crashes before where someone was thrown around inisde the cab then ejected out of the pasg. window and onto a highway- not a good sight. The glass argument isn't a straight forward one, in other words. ://

As far as tempered glass being easier to break.. this is mostly true but I've also seen, many times, a hammer or even an axe bounce off repeatedly. The fire/rescue technique is to throw some duct tape across the glass and use a spring loaded punch to pop a tempered window, or one of the many rescue knives now made with glass breakers. If you don't use a hard, sharp point, you will be there all day. Ever see a cop hit one with a baton 20 times?

Regardless, those mid-side windows in a Volvo can be easily kicked out if needed, so for me, laminate glass works fine there. If you were going to have tempered glass made, it might be best for the rear window.
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