Need help with back glass

[Challenger in NC]

I recently ordered a new back glass from Auto City Glass, but I cant get it to fit correctly. I tried shimming it but the bottom driver's side, and to a lesser extent, the top passenger side sat HIGH. The other diagonal corners seemed to be ok. I spoke with a rep. from Autocity to explain the situation, sent them some photos of each corner including one of the original glass for reference and they said they would send out a replacement. I expressed some concern that the replacement might have the same issue but the rep said "I'll have my guys check it". I received the second one and sure enough it was a repeat of the first.

Contacted Autocity again and they said you will need to "shim opposite corners and call it a day". They said they never had any complaints with this particular part. I don't think the window channel geometry is the issue because the original glass fit better. I can't drop the high corner of the new glass without making it too low in another spot. I thought about polishing the original glass but feel that might be an exercise in futility. Suggestions?

[Brads70]

Is all the buttle tape or urethane removed right down to the metal?
I have my front and rear glass out at the moment and when cleaning up the channels I found a few spot welds that were sitting up pretty high. A few hits with a hammer on to a aluminum rod
solved that issue. Didn't take a lot of force to move it ?   I'm reinstalling the same glass , so it all fit before ok just thought I'd make it sit as flat as possible with so area's to  high maybe stress the glass when installed?   
Maybe time to hire in a expert installer for their opinion?

[torredcuda]

I assume you checked the pinch weld flange for straightness or high spots? If you still have the original glass you can use a contour gage or simply  use a piece of carboard and draw the curve from it and compare to the new one to see if it is different.

[Challenger in NC]

Is all the buttle tape or urethane removed right down to the metal?
I have my front and rear glass out at the moment and when cleaning up the channels I found a few spot welds that were sitting up pretty high. A few hits with a hammer on to a aluminum rod
solved that issue. Didn't take a lot of force to move it ?   I'm reinstalling the same glass , so it all fit before ok just thought I'd make it sit as flat as possible with so area's to  high maybe stress the glass when installed?   
Maybe time to hire in a expert installer for their opinion?

@Brads70    Yes, the channel is completely clean since the roof was replaced, it was coated with a butyl tape primer but that shouldn't affect it much. I will need to investigate the channel again to see if there are any high spots that may be holding the glass up.

[Challenger in NC]

I assume you checked the pinch weld flange for straightness or high spots? If you still have the original glass you can use a contour gage or simply  use a piece of carboard and draw the curve from it and compare to the new one to see if it is different.

@torredcuda     I will check the channel again and I may try to lay the new glass over the old to compare the contours, but I do know the old glass sits in the channel better.

[tparker]

You mentioned the old glass fits fine, Do you still have it in tack? If so I would try to figure out where the problem is buy comparing the new glass to the old. Stack them back to back and check contours. I would also lay it on a flat surface and check how it lays. From the centerline it should be symetrical. If it is twisted you should be able to see it. Checking for in consistant bowing might be a little harder.

I can't recall how mine fit, but I don't recall ANY issues. It certainly wasn't as bad as the pics. I think all four corners were flush with the body, but if not, it was close.

I can't imagine your roof being bent out of shape unless you got into an accident, and even then, your old glass wouldn't fit right as you mentioned. I would consider letting the company know that it doesn't work and you'd like your money back and get glass from some one else.

A last thought, does it matter? Can you mock it up with the trim and see how it would look? Not sure how it would seal if you are using eurathane on it since it tends to be thinner, but buytle tape might work fine and then the trim would cover the glass and body.

[Challenger in NC]

You mentioned the old glass fits fine, Do you still have it in tack? If so I would try to figure out where the problem is buy comparing the new glass to the old. Stack them back to back and check contours. I would also lay it on a flat surface and check how it lays. From the centerline it should be symetrical. If it is twisted you should be able to see it. Checking for in consistant bowing might be a little harder.

I can't recall how mine fit, but I don't recall ANY issues. It certainly wasn't as bad as the pics. I think all four corners were flush with the body, but if not, it was close.

I can't imagine your roof being bent out of shape unless you got into an accident, and even then, your old glass wouldn't fit right as you mentioned. I would consider letting the company know that it doesn't work and you'd like your money back and get glass from some one else.

A last thought, does it matter? Can you mock it up with the trim and see how it would look? Not sure how it would seal if you are using eurathane on it since it tends to be thinner, but buytle tape might work fine and then the trim would cover the glass and body.

@tparker   I do have the old glass that I can compare to and will try to stack them. I also thought about what you mentioned, find a known flat surface and lay the glass on the edges and see if there are any non-symmetrical aspects to it, maybe a corner that slightly raises up. I did install the trim around the first new piece that I test fit and it looks ok around most of the glass but the bottom left corner of the trim gets pushed up. I can lower the bottom left (drivers) glass corner but then it wants to lift up the top right corner. The pinch weld channel should not be off by much because I made a cardboard template of the old roof and it fit the new roof well, although that would only show you an issue with the outline of the window and not reflect any issues going on with high or low spots. As far as complaining to the company, I've done that but they seem to base most of their hesitation on the fact that they have never received any complaints before on e-body back glass. I guess I need to really dig into comparing old with new and ruling out that my window channel is not the culprit.

[anlauto]

Use urethane and call it a day...you're not building a space shuttle here, the tolerance your showing can be over come with the softer material.

You're way over thinking this, in my opinion. My glass guy never checks stuff like that....he comes to my shop, does whatever it takes to install the glass and trim and leaves, yea some cars he curses more than others, but I've never had a leaky window...

[Brads70]

My glass guy is pretty experienced and has been doing this for a long long time.
He tells me the new glass is not as thick as the original stuff. I mention this as maybe that will give you more room to make it work? 

[Challenger in NC]

My glass guy is pretty experienced and has been doing this for a long long time.
He tells me the new glass is not as thick as the original stuff. I mention this as maybe that will give you more room to make it work? 

@Brads70    The new glass is listed as 6mm and does measure 0.24", the older piece I have measures 0.20".  It could be the older piece I have is not original, I don't see any markings on it.

[Brads70]

My glass guy is pretty experienced and has been doing this for a long long time.
He tells me the new glass is not as thick as the original stuff. I mention this as maybe that will give you more room to make it work? 

@Brads70    The new glass is listed as 6mm and does measure 0.24", the older piece I have measures 0.20".  It could be the older piece I have is not original, I don't see any markings on it.

Just for reference, mine is original with markings and measures .285-.290"

[Challenger in NC]

My glass guy is pretty experienced and has been doing this for a long long time.
He tells me the new glass is not as thick as the original stuff. I mention this as maybe that will give you more room to make it work? 

@Brads70    The new glass is listed as 6mm and does measure 0.24", the older piece I have measures 0.20".  It could be the older piece I have is not original, I don't see any markings on it.

Thanks.

Just for reference, mine is original with markings and measures .285-.290"

[torredcuda]

My glass guy is pretty experienced and has been doing this for a long long time.
He tells me the new glass is not as thick as the original stuff. I mention this as maybe that will give you more room to make it work? 

My only concern would be the mouldings sticking up too high in that corner?

[Challenger in NC]

My glass guy is pretty experienced and has been doing this for a long long time.
He tells me the new glass is not as thick as the original stuff. I mention this as maybe that will give you more room to make it work? 

My only concern would be the mouldings sticking up too high in that corner?

Yeah, I had the mouldings fully installed with the glass in and the one corner was high, pushing the trim above the body some. I also took a straight edge to the ends of the glass, one side was almost completely flat, the other end was bowed. I could install the window as is but I know the trim would look like crap. 

[torredcuda]

Do you have those curve/no curve pics backwards as I thought it was the drivers side that was high? I would send those pics to the company and ask for another piece or a refund.