Windscreen rope trick

[xavier]

What's the rope trick I hear tell about when refitting an e30. Winscrean? I have a good 2nd hand screen to replace my old cracked one. Is it as easy as the wiki says?

[HairyScreech]

Take a look at methods for fitting Austin Mini screens, there will be plenty of tutorials out their for them, the technique is the same but the E30 is easier.

[Brianmoooore]

'Rope trick' isn't needed for E30 front and rear screens. They are so easy to fit just by lifting the lip over.
Only needed for fixed rear side windows.

[xavier]

is it worth getting one of those plastic tools for lifting the lip over? Also is it OK to use lots of silicon spray?

[Brianmoooore]

Only tool you need is one to fit the locking strip. The rest is too easy to require anything other than maybe a small screwdriver.
No need to use anything expensive like silicon spray either. A temporary lubricant, such as soap mixed 50:50 with water is all you need (don't use anything with a high salt content, like washing up liquid).
Fit the rubber into the screen aperture, lube up the channel where the glass sits, slide one lower corner of the screen into position, then lift the lip over the glass all the way along the bottom, and then up the side from the first corner. Go over to the other lower corner and push the glass away from you, hard into the channel you just fitted on the other side, while you lift the rubber over the second lower corner, then up that side and along the top.
You might want an 'assistant' to be ready to catch the glass if it slips out of the first corner while you fit the second, but in practice this is unlikely to be happen.
Locking strip can be fitted with just a small screwdriver, but always work towards the glass, because the screwdriver will slip at least once, and the point does less damage to glass than it does to painted steel.

[daimlerman]

Do check to make sure that the replacement 'screen is sitting central in relation to the rubber seal,it's very frustrating to get the locking strip three quarters home without scratching the paint to discover that the locking strip refuses to enter the last corner!