I'm sure some of you know the string trick to install windshield seals, but I hadn't seen it before and it works awesome. I had to replace the rear hatch glass in my '85 900 3-door last night. It literally took 3 minutes to seat the gasket. Easily took an hour to clean and prep the replacement glass and gasket, and to seat the lock strip.

Needless to say, I am not afraid of changing out front or rear glass in my cars now! Unless it's the 9-5.... F*** that....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvcJ_lU_VpQ

http://autorepair.about.com/od/fixityou ... ring_2.htm



There are some other articles out there so I didn't take any pictures, but the jist is you install the gasket on the piece of glass, and wrap a length of string / cord / wire around the channel in the gasket that grips around the pinch seam of the window frame. Start out with one edge mostly hooked around the window frame, and then as you pull the string around the gasket from the inside, it pulls the lip of the gasket around to the inside of the window frame.

Some people online like to use nylon weedwacker string, cords out of window blinds, or other around the house things. I used some industrial electrical wire that has a nice smooth chemical resistant insulation jacket that I knew wouldn't catch on the rubber gasket.

A buddy and I went from before to after for a $65 piece of glass and 3 beers each.








Local Saab yard only had 2 C900 hatches, and they were both decent black ones, so I bought both for $170.

My friend and I helped my dad change the rear glass on his '74 99 Combi using that method. I think he stopped driving that car 25 years ago so it's been a while for me

You can warm the lock strip with a heat gun and stretch it slightly. That way if tucks under the aluminum coupler nicely.

A little wet look tire shine makes the rubber slippery, and makes installing the lock strip much easier.

I was wondering why I have like a 4" gap between the two ends of the lock strip now....

DrewP wrote:I was wondering why I have like a 4" gap between the two ends of the lock strip now....

You want to stretch it a little bit over the whole thing. You will feel it get stretchy and rubbery when its hot enough. If you try to stretch it too much, it just breaks.