Flipper's Window Frame Repair......

Steve's windshield frame got pretty bent up in the roll over. He ordered new glass and rubber, but there was no way the new glass was going to fit. Between us we have several window frames in the parts hoard..... but I was not willing to sacrifice a nice window frame on a jeep that will likely get rolled on the Rubicon next month...... He dropped it off this afternoon for me to work some magic on.
The window frame is really not too bad considering the 3 roll overs that it has been in......





The frame is definitely racked to the passenger side. The drivers side hold down was ripped off in the latest roll over. There is also a pretty good twist to the whole frame.......



The ripped off window latch......





I was hoping that this would be a quickie bend it back operation...... but the frame seems to have quite a bit of spring to it. Here was my first attempt at straightening.



No luck straightening the frame this way. Every time I bent the frame it just sprung back.....
Gave up for the night...... tomorrow I will start making strategic cuts to force the frame straight!

 

Get a repop frame?

 

A wise man would probably get a cheap repop frame for him to destroy..... but I think I can fix this one.....

 

Thought about using heat instead?

 

while I see your enthusiasm . on trying to fix this frame
the amount of rust I see in bottom . I would start with a better frame
you stated you had others

 

Heat and strategic cuts will be required... use one of the spare frames to verify the repair accuracy against?

 

Just put it back on and have him flip in reverse.

 

I'd use a 4 ton Port-a-power cross ways in the window opening. Maybe mount it back to the Jeep body before doing it.

 

I thought about using heat but it’s hard to control the exact location it bends when u straighten it. With a cut you can pinpoint the bend.

 

By east coast standards..... this frame is rust free!

 

A little info on aftermarket windshield frames:
Three weeks ago I needed a new frame due to rust and ordered a Crown brand from Qudratech. Arrived with 3 significant dents, one which cause a crease on the upper frame lip. Returned that frame and exchanged it for a more expensive frame from Omix. Arrived with two dents, the two half’s of the frame were miss matched and spot weld were all over the place including places there should not have been spot welds.
Sent that one back and decided to fix my old one.

 

Here is where we are at as of this morning. I keep this old table framework around for clamping and straightening just about anything.







After using 10 or so clamps, a variety of hammers and a dozen or so strings of 4 letter words that would shock a sailor...... everything was pretty straight.
To reconstruct the hold down clamp portion and add some decent strength back to the frame... I started with a scrap of 18ga and transferred the hold down bolt pattern on to it. I welded nuts on the back side and plug welded it into the frame.




I rummaged around the bone yard till I found a thinner piece of sheet metal that matched the window frame thickness. Ill spare you all the intermediate steps..... but I cut out a larger than needed section, bent it in the brake and then started slowly cutting it to fit exact.





I missed a plug weld ..... but here you get the idea of how it looked post weld




After grinding, welding and grinding some more. I used a chisel to fold the lip on the underside.







Its not perfect..... but it came out pretty darn good.








I keen eye will notice that I forgot to grind out the notch under the hold down clamp. I ground it after taking this picture.
Sent flipper pics and he is on his way over to pick it up now. He ordered new glass, weather stripping ect...... His is rambling on about how good it looks..... some nonsense about getting it blasted and powder coated..... Its not a show piece...... but its good enough to crash again....

 

Nice work.

 

X2

 

That turned out way better than I was expecting. I was going to offer up a spare I have but...

 

I’ll always take a spare for inventory....

 

That is fairly amazing.

 

Like the results and the logic, why out a $100 saddle on a $10 horse?

 

The repaired original is way better than the aftermarket junk!
-Donny