removing 3m super windshield adhesive

[jniolon]

I have some truck windows set in a power window unit with the 3m windshield adhesive...I have to move the windows to a new unit and need to get them out of the c channel they are glued into... What will desolve this adhesive...don't want to break the glass... tried goo-gone...no help gonna try acetone next..

any suggestions...
thanks
john

 

[brownd]

The only thing I found was a hot knife. Used an old putty knife and propane torch. Cleaned/scrapped and then acetone to clean. Pretty labor intensive.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I have some truck windows set in a power window unit with the 3m windshield adhesive...I have to move the windows to a new unit and need to get them out of the c channel they are glued into... What will desolve this adhesive...don't want to break the glass... tried goo-gone...no help gonna try acetone next..

any suggestions...
thanks
john

Gas are lacquer thinner will help break the bond, thinner will evaporate to fast to soak in. To dissolve I don't know I have had to weaken it with gas and rub it away.

 

[showcrop]

I used acetone

 

[jniolon]

thanks for the replies guys. The hoy knife kinda scares me. I know you don't mean get it glowing but the window is a pretty tight fit in the track and breakage worries me... First attempt today will be acetone and a thin blade utility knife as a scraper/digger. I remember using brake cleaner to get the urethane stuff off my hands when we installed the windshield but I think evaporation might be my enemy theree.

john

 

[Southern Ray]

I watched some glass men replace my winshield. They used WD40 for clean up.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

thanks for the replies guys. The hoy knife kinda scares me. I know you don't mean get it glowing but the window is a pretty tight fit in the track and breakage worries me... First attempt today will be acetone and a thin blade utility knife as a scraper/digger. I remember using brake cleaner to get the urethane stuff off my hands when we installed the windshield but I think evaporation might be my enemy theree.

john

"Hot knife" is an actual tool designed for this purpose. Auto glass installers use it in certain applications. The knife is heated electrically and gets hot enough to soften the adhesive.

You don't take, like, a butter knife and hold it in a torch flame to make it hot.

 

[jniolon]

thanks Ray...this isn't exactly clean up, although that will follow...I'm looking for something that will dissolve the adhesive so I can get the window glass out of the channel

 

[Eman85]

Might ask a glass shop, rare that you'd want to get them out of the channel. Usual problem is the channel fell off. Might try some heat if it's tempered glass. Of course be careful at the edges which is where it's easy to shatter tempered glass and make fish tank gravel out of it.

 

[glennster]

3m adhesive remover

 

[jniolon]

done and done... using a utility knife (thin blade) and some 3m adhesive cleaner and also prying the track apart gently I got them done
Goo-gone did nothing... acetone was a little better but track fit was so tight it was hard to get the liquid down in it. After widening the track it all went quicker and windows out in one piece

thanks for all the suggestions

john