Rust along the top of windshield on 97 Tahoe

[doncaruana]

I have some rust along the top of my windshield on the passenger side. It was bad enough looking that a couple of shops wouldn't try to replace my windshield (giant crack) but I took I told one I didn't want guarantees, just a new windshield. Anyway, he said it looked worse than it was and now I have a new windshield but I still have the rust up there, which I don't expect to get better.

So now I'd like to put something on it/over it to at least slow down the exposure without doing major surgery or anything. I mean it wouldn't look great but I could just put duct tape across it (it's not across the whole top). Or is there some kind of caulk or something that I could use? Or any other suggestions?

 

[Fless]

How about a picture of the area in question?

 

[07Burb]

pics would be beneficial but the only real solution is to fix the rust. No real way to "slow it down" any. I had a 98 GMT400 do the same thing and I had a shop fix the rust before it got worse.

 

[Eman85]

Rust Never Sleeps! No easy fix a cheat might be to put some rust reformer on it and some rattle can paint to prolong the agony.

 

[doncaruana]

Sorry about that - meant to grab a pic initially and didn't. The marks there are from duct tape I put there until I could get the windshield replaced. I know I can't stop it. I'd just like to slow it down and maybe keep the extra water off of it.

 

[07Burb]

See that other spot near the middle? I’d bet if you took that windshield out you’d find out that most of that top sill at the roof line is rotten. There is no slowing that down. It needs to be fixed correctly

 

[doncaruana]

See that other spot near the middle? I’d bet if you took that windshield out you’d find out that most of that top sill at the roof line is rotten. There is no slowing that down. It needs to be fixed correctly

Well, I just had the windshield replaced last week and they said it wasn't as bad as it looks. But what does "fixed correctly" mean?

 

[Eman85]

Fixed correctly would require pulling the windshield. Need to sandblast or at the least grind the rust out. Then neutralize it then prime and paint.

 

[07Burb]

Fixed correctly would require pulling the windshield. Need to sandblast or at the least grind the rust out. Then neutralize it then prime and paint.

Just based on the one picture it might also require some metal to be cut out and new put in. I'm basing these opinions on having the same issue that I had on a 98 Silverado a few years back. To fix the rust they essentially had to cut out the rust and replace it with good metal.

 

[doncaruana]

Have to find someone to do that work (I can't do it). How much would something like that cost?

 

[07Burb]

Have to find someone to do that work (I can't do it). How much would something like that cost?

I don’t know for just that. When I had my work done I also had cab corners and rockers fixed. All that rust replaced and paint the total cost for all of it was around $2k or so. Maybe $1800. Some of that was paying the glass guy to come remove and put the windshield back in. I felt like it was definitely worth it and not have to worry about anymore

 

[YukonGTmaster]

Once you have any perforations like that, new metal is the only way to permanently fix. I would remove the windshield. Sandblast all rusted areas, cutout and weld new sheet metal. Corroseal rust converter treat surrounding metal, prime and paint. I’m in Canada, but I would guess $3k. (US dollars would be less) I just went through a rustoration on my 97 Yukon, and the shop swears by this stuff Corroseal. Converts rust to a black “Magnetite” which doesn’t allow it to continue the electrolytic process it needs to corrode. You could grind the area the best you can and brush some on, until you decide to fix properly.

 

[IRQVET]

To fix it correctly, your window of opportunity has passed (no pun intended). You should have cut out the effected sheet metal and welded in a patch. This could have been done pretty easily with the windshield removed.

Any metal man wouldn’t charge very much, maybe a hundred bucks if the windshield was removed. If it was me, I’d do it myself. But I have a mig welder and I’m guessing you do not?

When I was restoring my 49 Willys, I probably cut out and welded in 10 or more patch panels. Its actually pretty easy to do.

 

[2drTahoe97]

Reviving an old thread. I have the same problem and would like to get an opinion on where the water is coming in? Where the roof rack is screwed in?

 

[07Burb]

Reviving an old thread. I have the same problem and would like to get an opinion on where the water is coming in? Where the roof rack is screwed in?

View attachment 450836

Could be roof rack or right where that rust spot is at the windshield.