Let's Talk about Installation Concerns

Bob Birkhauser, AEGIS Tools, moderated a session on standards update following the keynote address, which turned out to be a discussion of industry installation concerns focusing on removal and reinstallations and corrosion.

Bob Beranek, president of Automotive Glass Consultants Inc. and an industry consultant and training expert, discussed body shops installations salvaged glass and remove and reinstall.

"The question is always asked, 'Do we used salvaged glass?'," he stated. Some insurance companies have put pressure on body shops to use it, he explained. He said that this could be done, according to an AGRSS ruling, if the salvaged glass is free of obvious structural or objectionable flaws, is installed with the retention system compatible with the OEM design, and if the adhesive manufacturer's application instruction permit its use in this situation.

Steve Coyle, technical training manager for Auto Glass Specialists Inc. and an AGRR Magazine columnist, then discussed removal and reinstallation.

He made the point that if silicone has been used for a previous installation, then it will be incompatible with the urethane and that is a danger sign. He also said to leave the existing part in place, if possible, until it is time for the reinstallation that should be done, because stripping the existing urethane bead and then waiting for the installation gives time for contamination.

He also suggested taping off the floor of the pinchweld after the primer application and curing.

The point was emphasized that technicians have to go back to the adhesive manufacturer to get its recommendations for previously installed parts.

Dale Malcolm, technical manager, aftermarket, Dow Automotive aftermaket and an AGRR Magazine columnist, spoke about corrosion. "As with the R&R situation, the information you're getting here is the litmus test," he stated. "The AGRSS Standard tells you what the answer is. You can call the adhesive manufacturer and ask for more explanation, but the answer is the answer and it's in the Standard."

He emphasized that glass cannot be safely installed over existing corrosion and that the owner/operator must be notified of the condition.

"Treating corrosion is not a normal part of glass installation," he said. It is not mentioned anywhere in NAGS, he pointed out. "And poor or improper corrosion treatment can be more unsafe than the original corrosion," he added.

Malcolm explained the levels of corrosion. Level one is orange; level two, which is shop treatable, has some red spots. Level three has deep pitting and dark red spots with raised edges. "This is getting close to the edge of what glass shops can take care of," he said. Level four has metal perforation and needs to be sent to the body shop for panel replacement.

In response to a question, he said that a good, thick layer of primer is a good rust inhibitor. "Where problems come in is where it is not primed or it is primed quickly with a thin layer. Each manufacturer has different guidelines and you need to ask each of them what that is," he advised.