The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - Leaking Rear Windscreen repaired, with screen left in!

After searching the internet and forums for a 'How to' on fixing the leaking rear windscreen trim clips, I drew a blank! If any of the Mod's want to add this to the 'How To' section, please feel free.

So here goes.

Firstly, please remember that a number of other users (no doubt with more experience than me!) have mentioned that removing the trim will destroy some if not all of your trim clips. If this happens, you will have to take the screen out and replace them anyway. This method relies on the clips being serviceable following removal of the lower windscreen trims.

The offending leaking trim clips 8 in total are located at the bottom of the rear screen.

The flappy rubber cover at the bottom of the rear screen that covers the trim clips is the first part to be removed. This is done by lifting the cover and easing it from the clips. There is a metal strip in the top edge of this rubber trim, this is what holds it in the clips.

I used a set of jewelers screwdrivers and carefully lifted the rubber trim out of the clips working on several at once so as not to bend it too much. The rubber trim is clipped in on the left and right of each trim clip. So held in 16 places overall. I didn't get any photos of this bit as it was too arkward to hold everything and take one. When you lift the rubber, all is obvious.

The chrome trim around the screen is held in, in a similar manner. You can carefully lift the chrome trim out of the trim clips using the same method as the rubber trim. There is quite a few around the screen. I removed the chrome trim completely, but you can get away with just removing it from the 8 leaking clips at the bottom of the screen and taping it to the screen out of the way.

When the rubber and chrome trim has been removed, you will be left with 8 of these clips visible at the bottom of the screen.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03145629.jpg

You now need to clean the clips, screen and bodywork so all is clean. For this step just use an old toothbrush and water! Do not use soap as this will leave a residue that the silicone used later will not stick to. All scrubbed up and clean it will look like this.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03150849.jpg

To make up for the lack of photos earlier, you can see the trim clip has two rows of clips. the upper (or inner) row holds the chrome trim, the lower (or outer) row holds the rubber cover.

The clips fit through the body and are secured with a conical pin through the centre. It is the seal below the clip, and in between the clip and securing pin that fails and allows water into the boot. As you can see, the securing pin sits underneath the screen.

Carefully with a sharp Stanley knife, you will need to trim off the side of the pin top so that it will go past the windscreen when you remove it. When trimmed it should look like this.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03151055.jpg

You will be able to reach the bottom of this pin through a hole in the boot. You can choose to push it out from inside, or to pry it out from above. You will be best to decide on which method as you are best placed to assess the condition of the clips for prying against. I chose to pry them out and push from underneath at the same time. When out look like this.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03151246.jpg

Remove the pin and put it to one side, you will need it for reassembly. You might have had a small foam / rubber seal on the shaft of the pin. I removed this and threw it away. Mine were perished and served no purpose, you may decide to refit them. If so put them to one side and dry them thoroughly.

with the pin removed you can lift the clip away from the body for cleaning and drying underneath it.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03151339.jpg

I used trusty old blue roll as it doesn't disintegrate when wet, and you don't want to lose any under the clips. I wrapped it around a carpenters set square, (stiff feeler gauges or a steel rule would serve the same purpose) and pushed it under the clips, cleaning and drying, repeating with clean blue roll until no more wet or dirt came out.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03151613.jpg

When you are happy that it is clean and dry, you need to apply clear silicone under the clip and in the securing pin hole, like this,

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03151801.jpg

Now push the clip back to the bodywork, some of the silicone will ooze out, and then push the securing pin home in the hole. If you refitted the little pin seals, make sure that you get silicone on both sides of the seal.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03151846.jpg

wipe your wetted finger around the silicone to tidy it up and make sure that it is fully into the joins. Do not get any silicone in the trim retainers in the clip, or the trim will not go back in. The finished article should look something like this.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-03152300.jpg

Now repeat 7 more times for a leak free windscreen!

Five other helpful pointers,

I noticed that the outer 2 clips were leaking on both sides, and that the others were fine. I did re-seal all of them regardless as you don't want to be taking it apart often.

You can reach the bottom of the outer clips from in the boot. The bottom of the inner clips can be reached with the boot light removed.

The second clip from the outer edge appears to be the support for the windscreen and were a little more difficult to lift the pins out of, and a little more difficult to get underneath to dry and clean.

If you do break any of the clips, they are (currently) available at Rimmer Bros.

I chose to seal in between the trim clips also, sealing the screen to the body, just to be sure. If you do this, make sure you are not trapping any water as it will eventually eat through the body as it cannot escape.

Hope this was helpful :D

Disclaimer:
You are responsible for any work or modifications carried out on your car and you undertake any such work at your own risk. The 75 and ZT Owners Club nor the original author of these How-To's can be held liable for anything that may happen as a result of you following these How-To's.