It’s really tough to cover windshield de-installs and installs in only an hour. Particularly with the more modern Porsches. Porsche shops routinely farm out windshield replacements to specialty shops, who do a lot of windshields. However, many are quite poor and the employees cocky. In short, they think they know everything. Your Porsche dealership should provide those shops with the ten page checklist used to do this work. The shops rarely consult the Porsche checklist. The area that is most problematic is two areas-the de-installation, and then, of course, the reinstallation. During deinstallation a proper shop following the Porsche checklist will take away the entire A pillar trim area and then leading edge trim of the dash area. When you use those Sawzall looking tools keep in mind that they are intended to slice through the urethane sealant in order to remove the windshield. However, you can’t use such a tool, or any other tools for that matter, without protecting the dashboard. You will notice that today’s Porsche dashboards are made of several pieces. The leading edges, closest to the glass, are removable for a reason! They need to be deinstalled from the car before the glass guy starts pulling out the Sawzall. If you don’t do that, the blade will damage the interior dash parts nearest the glass. The tool will leave marks on the slush finish of today’s Porsches right at the glass and dashboard junction. It is worse (and more expensive) if the those parts are leather. (Ask me how I know). Sadly, most shops are quite cocky and know it alls, so if you’re not going to stand there and watch them like a hawk, be sure to take a lot of before photos to show the damage was caused by them. It is rather difficult to break that urethane seal without collateral damage-hence the reason to take the inner dashboard pieces off first! Installation is also without issues. Notice that the 996, 997, 991 cars all have a rather small gap between the windshield and the outer A pillar. The new glass comes with a pre-installed ‘gasket’ which goes all around the glass, on the outside. If the windshield sealant is of the proper amount, and the windshield is centered correctly in the opening you will have few issues. However, the problem is usually seen AFTER the job is done, if done by a true novice. That windshield gasket may fail to suitably cover the gap between the glass and the opening. The seal may wind up meandering in and out and not be straight. If allowed to set up that way, you will have a crappy job. If the windshield is centered left and right and up and down, you can then use a pick to gently manipulate that seal so that you have straight lines that are consistent around the opening. The tolerances are even tighter on the 992 cars because Porsche has been able to tighten their tolerances. Since you guys elected to use a photo of mine in this video I guess I have the right to make some inputs here. Next time focus a video on the later cars-997, 991, 991 cars-and do an actual deinstall and reinstall. Keep in mind that Zuffenhausen has chosen to have all windshields installed by robot with laser guidance. It’s simply too precise to be done by humans! Clearly, replacements, therefore, are extremely demanding jobs. Most glass shops cringe when they see you pull up in a late model 911. They recognize that most insurance companies far underestimate the level of effort it takes to do a windshield on a modern 911. It takes about 2-1/2 tubes of the sealant (not just 2) and all the hand work like the deinstallation of interior trim takes time,-more time than insurance wants to pay for, unfortunately. Check out my posting on Rennlist under 997 windshield installations for some detailed photos. I used to install glass in 356 and G-series 911s with the big rubber gaskets, but am certainly not qualified to work on a modern Porsche without good glass people. But, they need some reasonable assistance. If they appear to know what they are doing, let them go for it, but if they are stumbling along, make sure they have the Porsche checklist and are using it.

Wow! Everything you ever wanted to know about windshields, windshield removal, windshield replacement and, most importantly, the complexity of that pane of glass you look through every time you climb into the driver’s seat! It’s amazing the stuff I learn on TechTactics, Vu! Keep them coming!!

This was very good. Chris knows his stuff! I didn't know there was so much involved in windshields.

Super useful, keep ‘en coming!

Well done, but wish you would have addressed the protection film like PPF for windshields. Will it stop pitting, small stones and does it effect vision out through it.

In south Texas, you get a windshield chip/crack every month, if not sooner. My GT3 probably has 10 of them. You just wait until the crack spreads across the windshield and then replace it. Cost of ownership down here.

Thanks for the tech video

So one should not use headlight restoration products on windshield?

M Cha from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Great videos.

I’m interested in the raffle Fairport NY. I have a little chip.

Please put me in the raffle…Atlanta, Ga. Don’t let those little Knick’s grow…the right bump and it’ll crack.

I have the 997 with the antenna in the windshield. Does anybody offer one with an antenna that gets better reception? Or, do I have other antenna options? Thanks a lot!

Where is the best place to find a windshield replacement for my ‘87 Carrera? Please don’t say Pelican, I live in the Southeastern U.S.

I had a car where the pillar was completely rusted under the windshield. like someone to a bit out of the pillar!

Needs more commercials at the beginning