How to replace a windscreen on a 1996 750i

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How to replace a windscreen on a 1996 750i

• By Paul Dean

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Tools required

• These are the main tools I use everyday to fit
  windscreens at work

1. Dash knife
2. Scraper
3. Safety gloves
4. Single edged blade scraper
5. Panel tool
6. Latex gloves
7. 13mm socket and ratchet
8. Small dibber
9. Large dibber
10. Kent tool

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We first start inside the car we remove the tax,
insurance and mot discs from inside the
windscreen. Then we remove the mirror grab the
mirror by its support bar and twist anti clock
wise.
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Now use the small dibber (8) to gently Pry the
tabs on each side of the rain sensor
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Now you should end up with something like this
Now with the drivers door open pull On the
edging trim to make it easier to Remove the A
post cover (non air bag)
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In the corner at the bottom of the A post you
will see the connection For the heating element
squeeze the tabs together and pull upwards to
Disconnect.
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Use the small dibber (8) to remove The dust caps
on the drivers side wiper Arm. There are 2 of
them then, undo both 13mm nuts underneath with
the socket And ratchet (7)
Now lift the dust cover on the Passenger wiper
arm and undo the 13mm nut underneath with the
socket And ratchet (7)
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These are pullers, I had to use 2 different types
as the driver and passenger wiper Arms are
different widths. The one on the left fits the
drivers side and the larger one on the right does
the passengers side. The legs grip the under side
of the wiper arm And the threaded part of the
tool screws down on to the wiper spindle to apply
Pressure to pull the wiper arm off the spindle .
These are often sized on.
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Now you should be at this stage Ready to remove
the scuttle or cover Under the wipers.
In the picture you can see the small Rectangular
clips that hold the scuttle To the bulk head.
There are 10 to remove. Use the small dibber(8)
to lever up the Centre of the clip enough to get
the panel Tool( 5) in to remove the centre
completely.
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Once you have the centre part of the Clip out,
use the small dibber(8) again To remove the
bottom part of the clip, Do this to all the clips
and then remove Scuttle.
Now you should be at this Stage.
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We now go to the 2 side trims 1 on each A post.
Using your hands Lift up the trim, its on
locking tabs. Moving down the trim gently
lifting until its free from all its clips.
Use the small dibber(8) pry out the top Rubber
trim, Be careful it has metal in it And can be
easily be damaged. I would Replace this with a
new one but didnt Realise at the time I would
need one. But fortunately I was able to reuse it.
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The windscreen on this car had been Replaced
before. As you can see, this Is a sign that it
has been badly done. This excess glue was
blocking the path Of the water flow from the
sunroof drain tube on the drivers side.
Now use the Kent tool (10) to cut out The top
half of the windscreen. I started Cutting out the
corner that had too much Glue, it was very
difficult to cut through, A bad sign that there
is worse to come.
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With the top half of the windscreen Cut out we
need to cut out the bottom Along the dash. Using
the Dash Knife(1) and some glass cleaner
dash Out the bottom of the windscreen. Start in
the corners first then along The middle. The
glass cleaner helps The blade of the Dash
Knife(1) slide Through the glue while cutting.
This picture shows that there was way Too much
glue used to bond the old Windscreen into the car.
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As you can see again too much glue was used and
no spacers were used to Stop the windscreen being
pushed down too far making it very difficult to
dash Knife out, I ended up breaking the drivers
side bottom corner of the windscreen To remove it
from the car.
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Use the scraper tool (2) to cut the old Glue
away.
Clean any dirt and moisture that may Be near the
glue line. Then using a Etch primer wipe all the
way along The glue line on the car. This
helps The new glue to bond to the car.
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Take the tin of black top primer and shake it for
30 seconds. Use a swab apply the black top to
the car anywhere the old glue is missing and
where paint is showing. Also apply black Top
primer to any where metal is showing through from
when Cutting back the old glue, or where the bond
line is missing. Along the bottom of The
windscreen bond line use 3 lengths of damming
tape. This looks like draft Excluder tape, this
stops the new windscreen from being pushed flat
and makes Is easier to cut out next time.
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This is the new windscreen, part number 2433gngn3
for my car. There are 6 types In total, all the
same shape but with different features, 2433 is
the windscreen Number. Gn (green) is the glass
colour, the second gn (green) is the colour of
the Top tint (sun shading). There are different
types of sensor, sensor on the glass and A sensor
clips to a bracket like mine, hence 3 in the
order code. But there is also a Difference in the
gap from the mirror boss and rain sensor bracket.
which you need To watch Out for, as the cover
that clips over the sensor when the sensor is
Reattached to the bracket will not fit around
the mirror. There are 2 measurements 32mm and
50mm, mine is the 32mm.
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Clean the inside of the windscreen With glass
cleaner and tissue, this Is to remove any grime
and dirt. Then etch prime the windscreen Around
the edge where the glue will Bond to the
windscreen.
Turn the windscreen over and clean, use Some
masking tape to hold the electrical Connection
out of the way on the inside. Straighten the top
trim and fit to the top Of the windscreen. Place
2 pieces of Masking tape on the top of the
windscreen Folded over to be used to hold the
Windscreen in place, so it doesnt slide Down
while the glue is drying. Not doing This can let
the windscreen slide down And cause wind noise or
worse leak.
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Using the cordless 12v glue gun apply a bead of
glue to the old glue line The nozzle on the glue
gun has a inverted v cut into it, so when you
place the Windscreen on to the new glue line it
flattens the inverted v to form a even width
across the glue. In the factory the robot is
able to do this glue line in One movement with
one joint. I cant do this so you have a few
joints one at the top And in the case of the 7
series the bonnet(hood) is in the way so you end
up with 3. Using a dibber mix the start and stop
points of the glue at each joint to form a
Continuous glue line.
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Using 2 single suction cup lifters, 1 on each
side of the windscreen and a double in
the Middle. Lift the windscreen up and guide the
windscreen under the bonnet before Placing in
one movement down on the glue lining up the
windscreen with the top edge Of the aperture and
side. Use the masking tape closest to you at the
top of the screen Tape it to the roof to hold the
windscreen in place while you then run around the
other side and align the windscreen and use the
masking tape on that side to hold The windscreen
in place. Then gently push down on the windscreen
to make sure It has contacted the glue evenly all
the way around.
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Once the windscreen is in place start rebuilding
the car starting with the scuttle, The wipers, as
a precaution we advise to fit new wiper blades as
the old ones May scratch the new windscreen.
Then fit the side trims, rain sensor,
mirror, Connect the heating element connection,
refit A post cover and edging trim. Test wipers
and the rain sensor is functioning. Place a new
disc holder for the tax, insurance and mot
discs. The car can not be driven for 1 hour from
when the Windscreen was placed on the glue.
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Once the hour has passed remove the masking tape
from the roof/windscreen. Inform the customer
they can not wash around the windscreen with a
power Washer for 3 days. Most cars can be done
in 1 hour or less from start to finish, So now
you know how its done, I took my 7 for a test
later on and no wind Noise great!!!! All set
till the next time. Author and
photography Paul Dean Myse7en The 7 Series
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