Hardtop removable side glass! Probably totally safe, maybe!

[daveprice7]

So, I took the plunge last season and decided to make my back glass removable.. been running it all winter without problems, so I figured I'd share, if anyone else wanted to be crazy.

Step 1: Cut out your back glass with a windshield removal tool (harbor freight).

This is a giant pain in the ass, needs two people, and you gotta be really careful not to cut into the fiberglass on your top as you're doing it. I'm no expert and managed to do it with my 12-year-old daughter's assistance.

Step 2: Get some windshield glue/primer (amazon):

Step 3: Get some t-track (amazon) and cut to size:

Step 4: Glue it to the glass you cut out on the inside of the glass, just inside of the blackout area.

Add pinch weld gasket to your window hole:

Add t-track clamps (amazon) to your t-track and clamp the window back on:

And it probably, totally, won't fall out!

Two people and at least one of those glass suction cup handles would be smart.

Enjoy!

Sponsored

 

[Grayhound]

Nice!

 

[Blues Fan 30]

I wonder if instead of a screw tight solution if you could use a pressure latch similar to what is under the visors for the freedom panels? I'd just worry about the screw backing out enough for the latching mechanism to rotate and allow the glass to fall out.

 

[daveprice7]

I wonder if instead of a screw tight solution if you could use a pressure latch similar to what is under the visors for the freedom panels? I'd just worry about the screw backing out enough for the latching mechanism to rotate and allow the glass to fall out.

I was worried about that a bit too, but it hasn't been a problem so far. I thought about adding a bit of locktite on the bolt for added piece of mind. The gasket adds a bit of springiness and I think absorbs some of that "shake it loose" vibration. I checked it a few times in the first couple of weeks and then not again until today and it hadn't backed out at all.

I'd love to adapt some proper latch hardware, but that would likely take some actual engineering. The great thing about this setup is.... I can just scrape those t-tracks off the glass with a razor blade and glue the window back on and it's like it never happened!

 

[rcadden]

This is really well done, man.

 

[Dan M.]

Awesome. The hardtops really should come from the factory with removal side windows. I would use that way more than the fold down windshield.

 

[Bayrat]

You could probably stitch up some isinglass with zippers, snaps, tracks etc, to eliminate that glass entirely.

 

[daveprice7]

You could probably stitch up some isinglass with zippers, snaps, tracks etc, to eliminate that glass entirely.

I was thinking about something like that with velcro or snaps to roll up and keep in the rig as a temporary/emergency window if I was out and about and the weather hit.

You can get real crafty with the opening once that glass is out.. If I had an unlimited budget, I'd go to a metal shop and have slotted aluminum panels cut to fit and powder coated... I'd do one up for the back glass as well!

Sponsored