- Joined
- Apr 3, 2022
- Messages
- 406
Decided to tackle the windshield frame today. Watched a few online videos of guys doing it and they made it look like a huge pain. I had the windshield frame off with little to no issue in less than an hour. Thought I'd share what I did and tools I used.
1. Lower the windshield forward. Use a blanket if glass still in frame.
2. Using a grinder with a wire wheel disc (4 or 5" diameter) clean off all of the paint and rust in order to clearly see all of the little round spot welds.
3. Use a centering punch (this one works fantastic...you'll never drill a hole again without using this inexpensive tool to set a center punch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KGF7ZFQ/?tag=cbama-20) carefully set a punch in the center of each weld. (I had about 25-30 total welds). Took minutes.
4. Use this tool to drill out the spot welds https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087FS9PR8/?tag=cbama-20 This thing is an amazing tool. Carefully center the pin into the punch and slowly drill through the top layer of the hinge. Its easy to drill too far and into the dash frame. I just looked for the smoke of rust dust to start coming up and then I knew I was through the hinge. It was pretty rusty between the hinge and the dash frame its welded to) I drilled out all welds in 15 minutes. Never had to change the bit (24 come in with the tool)...only used one and its still sharp.
5. I used a long wide flat blade screw driver and started at one side hammering the screwdriver in between the hinge and the dash frame it is welded to. The hinge separated at every weld with zero issue. Never even had to go back and redrill any. Had the windshield off in 5 more minutes.
6. Uses a grinder to go over dash channel where the welds remained and flatten them...10 minutes.
7. Changed grinder to a cup wire wheel and cleaned up dash frame to shinny metal.
8. Laid the frame on the shop concrete floor so the hinge sat flush on the floor and used a body hammer to flatten out the hinge where it had a few bends from the removal process. Looks good as new.
That was it. Very easy job using these tools. I estimate you could do all of the metal body repair on a Bronco plus some and not use all of the drill teeth attachments. They stayed sharp a long time. I'll use nutserts and flat head SS screws instead of welds to reattach the frame once its ready to go back on.
1. Lower the windshield forward. Use a blanket if glass still in frame.
2. Using a grinder with a wire wheel disc (4 or 5" diameter) clean off all of the paint and rust in order to clearly see all of the little round spot welds.
3. Use a centering punch (this one works fantastic...you'll never drill a hole again without using this inexpensive tool to set a center punch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KGF7ZFQ/?tag=cbama-20) carefully set a punch in the center of each weld. (I had about 25-30 total welds). Took minutes.
4. Use this tool to drill out the spot welds https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087FS9PR8/?tag=cbama-20 This thing is an amazing tool. Carefully center the pin into the punch and slowly drill through the top layer of the hinge. Its easy to drill too far and into the dash frame. I just looked for the smoke of rust dust to start coming up and then I knew I was through the hinge. It was pretty rusty between the hinge and the dash frame its welded to) I drilled out all welds in 15 minutes. Never had to change the bit (24 come in with the tool)...only used one and its still sharp.
5. I used a long wide flat blade screw driver and started at one side hammering the screwdriver in between the hinge and the dash frame it is welded to. The hinge separated at every weld with zero issue. Never even had to go back and redrill any. Had the windshield off in 5 more minutes.
6. Uses a grinder to go over dash channel where the welds remained and flatten them...10 minutes.
7. Changed grinder to a cup wire wheel and cleaned up dash frame to shinny metal.
8. Laid the frame on the shop concrete floor so the hinge sat flush on the floor and used a body hammer to flatten out the hinge where it had a few bends from the removal process. Looks good as new.
That was it. Very easy job using these tools. I estimate you could do all of the metal body repair on a Bronco plus some and not use all of the drill teeth attachments. They stayed sharp a long time. I'll use nutserts and flat head SS screws instead of welds to reattach the frame once its ready to go back on.