W124 Rear screen / glass removal at parts yard?

[JC220]

I have 2x w124 parts cars currently with perfect rear "pedestrian" spec rear glass. One of these cars is going this Saturday for scrap and the other will follow pretty quick.

Have any members successfully removed a w124 rear screen themselves and if so - how?

 

[speedy300dturbo]

Re: W124 Rear screen removal at parts yard?

Use an old-school "cold knife" and you're almost guaranteed to break the glass. A "roll out" tool or Equalizer Viper which uses wire that evenly tensions around the perimeter of the glass, is probably the best way to get the glass out fully intact:

https://www.equalizer.com/Products/ProductDetail/3355

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYpzD-VBq0I

I've also done it using the T-shaped cutting wire tools, but it's a lot more time consuming and helps to have an assistant. Remove the aluminum molding, drill a hole through the urethane bead from the inside of the car (easiest at the C-pillar pinch weld) and feed the wire through. Use back and forth sawing motion to go around the glass.

 

[JC220]

Re: W124 Rear screen removal at parts yard?

Thankyou for the suggestions above - I cannot get the Equalizer tool here in time unfortunately so I may have to try a wire cutting method. PS I will need to work alone on this one So can't get a helper!

However- I was thinking of a tool like this below with a cutting blade from Inside. If I go carefully and go all the way around the inside of the rear screen to cut the adhesive do you think I might get it out in tact that way?

 

[speedy300dturbo]

Re: W124 Rear screen removal at parts yard?

The powered multi-tool should work. Mine's corded, so I couldn't use it in the scrapyard. The adhesive bead is pretty close to the edge, so reachability with a medium sized blade shouldn't be an issue.

 

[TerryA]

Re: W124 Rear screen removal at parts yard?

Joe,

If it’s going to the scrapper why not take a Sawsall and just cut it out. Then you can take it apart at your leisure.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[JC220]

Re: W124 Rear screen removal at parts yard?

Joe,

If it’s going to the scrapper why not take a Sawsall and just cut it out. Then you can take it apart at your leisure.

Just thinking out loud.

I was thinking this as well Terry! I just got a Sawzall (Notcommonly available here at all) and it’s brilliant for general car ripping apartduties. The ability to reach inand cut inaccessible metal pipes, brackets and rubber hoses etc in seconds ispriceless. I could also saw right around the opening to retrieve a good screenas you say.

 

[gsxr]

Would love to know more about the whole process. I have a parts car with immaculate rear glass and I dream of one day being able to remove it intact...

 

[JC220]

I spoke to a friend who has had success removing screens before with wire. He described how to do it so I am going to try that first and report how that goes

 

[Stevester 500E]

The wire and a helper works best. They sell specialty wire just for this process.
Some guys use modified guitar strings. They remove a couple of wires from the twisted wire guitar string.

I have used a combination of techniques, cold boxer cutter knife, and occasionally w-40 the blade for lubrication, or soapy water. Around the corners I always use the wire method.

I have successfully removed rear glass from coupes by myself, and I feel I had luck on my side-Murphy's law must have been on vacation those days.

Here are the rules I try to use.

1. Never, ever, use screwdrivers or metal tools or metal objects when doing this process. Use sharp blades and braided metal wire only.

2. Do not used the tool pictured below. I bought this tool at HF, I tried using it today, and I cracked the glass. I have a feeling this tool has a low success rate, partly due to its construction and partly due to user error. I am going to return the tool as it was very unsatisfactory.

3. Never, ever, try prying. Prying is in our subconscious, and it wants to creep into your thought process during this removal process. Any prying is sure to crack the glass.

4. Take your time, and take breaks. Not taking breaks will allow to your mind to avoid getting anxious and impatient. Getting anxious and impatient makes you more apt to making a mistake and cracking the glass.

5. Before removing the glass, run the wire one more time around the entire perimeter of the glass just to make sure that you cut thru all the way around the entire perimeter.

 

[Stevester 500E]

Not that this will be helpful, but it will illustrate that it is not a simple job and to have a high success rate, special tools are required.

Admin note: Video below is for the front windshield, not the rear glass.

[video=youtube;PcJTtMBqoqY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcJTtMBqoqY[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcJTtMBqoqY

 

[Stevester 500E]

Re: W124 Rear screen removal at parts yard?

I like this method. That last two attempts at removing from glass have been unsuccessful.
I don't remove glass that often, so I can't justify purchasing expensive removal tools.
I think the saws-all is what I may try the next time around.

For now, I think the wire method it probably the one with the higher success rate, but It works much better wiith two people.

Joe,

If it’s going to the scrapper why not take a Sawsall and just cut it out. Then you can take it apart at your leisure.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[gerryvz]

Best. Stevester. Posts. Ever.

 

[500AMM]

I guess this is what you need. Various dia and grain sizes.
https://www.google.com/search?clien........35i39j0i30i19j0i30j0i8i30i19.PMpnDVoFg_o

 

[nocfn]

Looked like old fashioned prima-cord from Korean demolition surplus.

 

[Stevester 500E]

I may try this brand next. It's a non-steel line so it probably won't chip or scratch the edge of the glass.

 

[JC220]

Thanks for the suggestions stevster! I did have a glass wire removal kit but it was a generic cheapie fleabay one. The wire was single strand and it broke too easily. So I gave up on the parts car no 2 and let her go. I have a second 124 parts car still which I will remove the rear screen from. (I already have 1x spare screen someone had removed at a yard previously so that will yield 2 spares)

I bought some better grade screen cutting wire as below which I hope will help:

If you are removing a wind screen then this the highest quality wire was specially designed to cut through urethane. Composed of three superstrong stainless steel wires braided to form one wire, anodized to a smooth finish, and a distinctive gold colour .

And the multitool device with a suitable cutting blade as below:


Between these 2 methods I should be able to remove the rear screen for a start. On my 320CE resto I would like to pull the front and rear screens myself so as I have time to properly prep and paint the underlying steel prior to new screens being fitted at a later date.

 

[500AMM]

Looked like old fashioned prima-cord from Korean demolition surplus.

Yeah...probably the same as used in the Vietnam war.

 

[500AMM]

I may try this brand next. It's a non-steel line so it probably won't chip or scratch the edge of the glass.

Yes, that is important and why diamond coated steel wires may not be the best.
https://www.google.no/search?q=diam...O805NO807&prmd=ivsn&biw=1366&bih=909&hl=en-GB

 

[JC220]

OK just to close this one off - using a proper windscreen cutting wire and the handles is actually very easy.


I neeeeeed to get my 2x parts cars gone already. So tonight I got started. Start at a corner and loop the wire in around then start cutting until you can see the wire on the other side of the glass. Then take off one handle - pull one end if the cutting wire inside the car and re-attach handle. Then with 2x people go around the screen. It cuts very easily.

However I made a major noob mistake. I cut one screen heater wire right half in two. At least I know how to remove the glass now and I'll try not to do that again

 

[gsxr]

Joe, after the sealant is cut, do you remove the glass+trim together? Does the anodized trim then come off without complaint?

 

[JC220]

Joe, after the sealant is cut, do you remove the glass+trim together? Does the anodized trim then come off without complaint?

Yes Dave the glass and trim comes off in one unit. It takes about 5 mins only now I know how to do it. Try it on a junker! The metal trims then should come off easily but may have little areas caught by sealant.

Ref the heater wires - unscrew them first and tape them back to the glass so you dont cut them like I did by mistake. I have one saloon screen already. Coupe spare next.

 

[gsxr]

That's fantastic. I wonder if the 036 "fine wire" rear glass comes out just as easy - in theory, it should!

 

[gerryvz]

I recently removed the rear windscreen from a 126 coupe in the wrecking yard, and yes the external chrome trim (it's a different design but similar concept to the 124 trim) came off with it. Kudos to Louis for his coaching. I came armed with some glass suction cups, but didn't end up needing them in the end. And yes, JC, I didn't cut the two heater wires where the exited the glass and attached at the window frame area on the driver's side. All I needed to cut the seal from the inside was a large knife. After cutting the seal around from the inside, the glass pushed right out a smidge until I could get it from the outside. Fit in the back of my G-wagen nicely.

Found a second 1984 500SEC coupe this weekend at the yard, but unfortunately the glass was majorly delaminated

 

[nehuge]

I've done this a couple of times and used the windshield tool from Harbor Freight from post #9 above but now realize it wasn't necessary. You pretty much only have to cut enough or drill a small hole through the bead of sealant to the outside of the car. Then use the T-handle two person method wire and it was perfect. The top long tool is pretty much used to push/pierce through the bonding bead of urethane from the inside of the car to the outside and to get the wire hooked and started.

 

[nocfn]

If you are reply to GerryVZ, the 126 backglass floats in a rubber seal, No adhesive to remove to get at the glass.

 

[gerryvz]

If you are reply to GerryVZ, the 126 backglass floats in a rubber seal, No adhesive to remove to get at the glass.

126 FTW !!