2008-11 BMW 128i

Photo by BMW North America LLC

Vehicle type: Two-door coupe

NAGS numbers*: Quarter glass part numbers FQ23914 right, flat black frame; FQ23915 left, flat black frame; FQ23916 right, glossy black frame; FQ23917 left, glossy black frame; FQ23918 right, chrome frame; and FQ23919 left, chrome frame

Helpful tools or supplies: Long-bladed utility knife

Watch for: The following installation was performed on a 2008 vehicle, but all models in the BMW 1 Series through 2011 use this quarter glass. Before beginning the quarter glass removal, make sure you have the right trim for the vehicle. The part comes with flat black, glossy black and chrome lower trim.

*With permission from National Auto Glass Specifications. Call NAGS at 800/551-4012 or visit http://glass.mitchell.com/.

A. Quarter glass

Preparation

1. Always wear eye and hand protection when working with glass. Make sure you have the right glass and moldings and that the urethane systems you are about to use are current. Quarter glass part numbers are FQ23914, FQ23915, FQ23916, FQ23917, FQ23918, and FQ23919.

2. Tape up any vulnerable areas on the vehicle to protect against possible damage.

3. Remove the door opening weatherstrip along the B pillar of the vehicle, along the top and down the A pillar.

4. Remove the chrome trim around the door and quarter glass. The lower chrome trim is part of the glass encapsulation and is not removed before cutout.

5. Remove the trim using a door-pad tool or tack puller to gently pry the trim from the sandwich-type clips that insert into lined holes in the body.

6. Insert the tip of the door-pad tool or tack puller into the top of the clip and pry outward while applying outward pressure to the trim piece. The trim piece will separate easily.

7. If salvaging the part, follow these steps:

• Use a cold knife to cut out the quarter glass along the top and down the back to the lower corner.
  
• Use a power-paddle-type tool to cut the front bead. Plunge the blade as far into the bottom bead as possible. When using any power tool, lubricate the cutting area with water. Spray the glass inside and out; then make your cuts.
• Use a long-bladed utility knife, like an Olfa knife, to cut the lower bead. When doing so, stretch the lower bead of adhesive outward.

8. If the glass is broken, just rim the remaining encapsulation from the body and prepare for bonding.

Installation

9. After removing the quarter glass, remove contaminants such as dirt, moisture and debris from the pinchweld.

10. Dry fit the new glass to the opening. Mark your glass using a grease pencil or retention molding tape.

11. Place your vacuum cups on the new quarter glass in the appropriate location.

12. With the quarter glass resting in the opening, make sure it is in the right spot.

13. Adjust the glass to the correct setting, and place it on a windshield stand or suitable workstation.

14. Clean the inside of the quarter glass using a urethane manufacturer-recommended product. Do not touch the bonding area of the quarter glass after cleaning, prepping or priming it.

15. Wear powder-free Nitrile gloves to protect against harsh chemicals.

16. Prep the glass following the urethane manufacturer's recommendations.

17. Use a pinchweld scraper to remove as much of the original urethane as the urethane manufacturer recommends. Make sure there are no contaminants and do not touch the pinchweld after you have prepped the area.

18. Apply the pinchweld primer only to the areas where needed, and follow the urethane manufacturer's recommendations. Allow preps and primers to dry as recommended by the urethane manufacturer.

19. Apply a triangular bead of urethane to the same path as the freshly cut urethane on the pinchweld. Before cutting your V-notch, cut the tip off of your nozzle with a nozzle-cutter. With the cut nozzle, measure to the top of the roofline, and at 1/16-inch higher than the roofline, make a mark on the nozzle with a pen or marker. Notch the nozzle up to the marked line; this will give you the appropriate triangular bead.

20. Lift the quarter glass from the windshield stand or workstation using vacuum cups, and put it in the opening.

21. The quarter glass is now ready to be decked. Press firmly to ensure a good seal.

22. Before re-installing the parts, check for leaks. Use a leak detector to go over the perimeter of the quarter glass. If you find a leak, apply more pressure or add more urethane to the spot and ensure that the glass makes contact with the wet urethane.

23. Remove any clips that stayed attached to the trim and insert them into their receptors before firmly attaching the trim piece.

24. Re-install the removed parts in reverse manner.

25. Allow the urethane to cure according to the urethane manufacturer's recommended cure time before returning the vehicle to the customer. Warning: Disregarding the safe drive-away time that your urethane manufacturer recommends could jeopardize the structural integrity of the vehicle and the safety of its passengers.

26. You have completed the removal and replacement of the quarter glass. 

© 2011 National Glass Association. All rights reserved. Visit GlassMagazine.com for glass removal and replacement instructions for more than 450 vehicles. To sign up to receive the For Technicians Only e-bulletin, email FTO@glass.org.