I replaced my convertible E36 foggy rear window this weekend. I got a kit from EMiata.com, under $150 with shipping, etc. It includes instructions (you can see them online), but there are some vague items. Here is my experience that I thought I would share. The job is fairly easy - on a scale of 1 - 5, it's a 2 or 2.5. No special tools are needed, just a lot of patience and a helper.
Items needed:
- E36 BMW Convertible Window replacement kit from emiata.com - zipper pulls and glue were included. BMW dealer window may not include these items.
- Small DULL blade knife, i.e. a butter knife, or screwdriver.
- Needle and NYLON UPHOLSTRY thread. Don't use cotton thread!
- A helper to install the new window. It will VERY difficult to do by yourself.
- PATIENCE!! This is not overly difficult, but patience is needed. Rushing or forcing things will ultimately make the job harder. I spent about 2 hours on it.
Note: Every step of the way, be careful not to damage the zipper half attached to the roof!!
1. Open the top so that the rear frame raises about 6", support it with a block of wood.
Use a dull knife or screwdriver to gently pry the rubber window gasket away from the fabric, and pull the fabric out of the gasket. It is glued to the rubber on the underside of the fabric. I started at the side center of the window on mine. The fabric was already loose at the crease where the window folds.
2. At the bottom center of the window you will find a rectangular "staple clip". There is a similar retainer piece on the inside. You can try to pry it loose from the top, being careful not to damage the zipper. I suggest an additional step here to make it easy to pop off. Push the roof button to raise the rear window frame assembly up so it is nearly vertical, stop just BEFORE the rear hatch opens. Locate the clip on the inside of the window. Look closely and you will be four prongs that are folded over like staples. Use a tiny screwdriver to pry at least two of the prongs up. The picture shows two of the prongs, the other two are in the shadow.
Now close the roof so the rear window drops down again. The clip on the outside should easily pop off at this point. Toss it, you will not reuse it. Now CAREFULLY note how the zipper ends are arranged and aligned, you want to duplicate this during installation.
3. Time to remove the old window. Use your fingers/thumbs, or a small screwdriver, to pull the zipper halves apart. This should be easy to do, once you get it started, the zipper will separate easily. Just take your time so that you don't damage the roof half of the zipper.
Time to install the new window. Getting it positioned and started is the hardest part of the job. Here's how I did it, working first from the outside, then getting in the car. Your results may vary.
4. Lay the new window on top of the old window. In my case, the new window was SMALLER than the old window. At first I was concerned, but as you will see, it actually tightens up the fabric top. Use a tape measure to locate the CENTER of the window as best you can. Use a piece of tape to mark the center at the bottom, inside and outside.
5. Open the rear window frame assembly to near vertical as described above. Get your helper to sit in the rear seat. You will work from the outside and need both hands to get the zipper started.
6. Look closely at the bottom edge of the raised rear window frame assembly. You should see screws along the bottom edge. One of the screws is dead center. You will use this as a reference to *hopefully* get the window centered on the first try.
7. Get your helper to hold the window in position. Visualize how it all goes together before doing anything else. locate the zipper ends on the new window and top, and match them up. Again, pay close attention to how the zippers must be arranged and aligned.
8. NOTE: All of the following directional references assume you are working from the rear of the car with the frame raised, you are facing front. The zipper on the convertible top will overlap in the center. You will to start the installation on the left end of the zipper, it is "hidden" from your view by the right end of the zipper. You will pull the zipper towards the right side of the car. Start the zipper pull on the window first. Get it started just at the very end. Keep in mind that since you will be zipping to the right, the open end of the pull needs to be facing to the right.
9. After you have the pull started on the window, do your best to determine exactly where the centers match up. You can only be off by one tooth! This is the hardest part of the job, getting it aligned and started. Be patient! Your helper should support the window's weight. You will need both of your hands to get the zipper started. Note that on my window, trying to match up the ends of the zippers evenly WAS NOT even close to being centered.
10. Once you have it started, DON'T pull it fast! Pull it a few inches at a time, aligning the infeeding zipper halves nicely as you pull. Every few inches, stop and check that all the teeth are engaged. If it gets REALLY HARD to pull, STOP! You have an alignment problem. Back up a few teeth and get it straightened out.
CAREFUL!!! The "start" end of the zipper does not have a "keeper" thingy like a jacket does, if your helper does not support the window properly, it could start to separate. If you are concerned, get a few inches of the zipper started, use the needle and thread to stitch a loop around the zipper start to secure it.
11. Zipper across the bottom of the window and around the first corner with the frame assembly raised. Stop just after the first corner. You will now lower the window frame and work from the inside to continue.
12. Lower the frame keeping the 6" or so opening at the bottom, with your helper being careful to not stress the zipper starting point.
13. Climb in the right rear seat and continue zipping up the right window side (your left looking to the back of the car) and across the top.
14. Continue around the top corner, down the car's left rear window (your right facing backwards) and stop before turning the last corner.
15. Open the rear frame and zip around the final corner. Continue to the center but STOP BEFORE zipping the pull off the zipper.
16. Now is the moment of truth - check the alignment. Close the roof again, this time let frame go all the way down, but DO NOT let the top fully close/latch down, to avoid too much tension on the zipper.
17. Go behind the car and look at the rear window. If you see a relatively flat window with NO diagonal ripples in it, CONGRATULATIONS!! Go get a beer. While you are drinking the beer, you can finish zipping the zipper and slide the pull off the end of the zipper.
18. If you see diagonal ripples in the window, your zipper tooth alignment is off. You either must live with the ripples, or reinstall the window. I had ripples in mine on the first try, going from the bottom left to the top right.
19. Determine your adjustment direction - Ripples that start in the bottom left and go up on an angle toward the top right mean that you must move the window BOTTOM to the right one or two teeth. Conversely, ripples that start in the bottom right and go to the top left mean that you must move the BOTTOM of the window to the left one or two teeth. Keep in mind that this will also shift the top accordingly.
BEFORE you do anything else, mark the zipper as to it's current position! You want a reference as to how many teeth you will shift. Get a bottle of whiteout or other suitable marking fluid (shoe polish, paint, etc.) About 2" past the zipper start, mark the zipper with the whiteout. Just a small dot on both halves of the zipper. Make a few more at 3" and 4". Now you can align the zipper as needed, and you can see how many teeth you have shifted left or right! If you look closely at the picture above you can see my white marks.
20. If you have to move the bottom to the LEFT, I think you have no choice but to completely remove the window and start over. But read my tip below, perhaps you can do something similar if you create more slack in the zipper.
21. If you have to move the bottom to the RIGHT as I did, use this trick to save some effort. You do not need to completly remove the window. Separate BOTH zipper ends about 8". Get the zipper started again, paying attention to your marks to determine the "tooth shift". In my case, I decided to shift my window TWO teeth to the right. As you continue zipping it together with the zipper pull, keep separating the previously zipped zipper about 8" to 12" ahead of the pull. This works because you essentially are creating 2 teeth of "slack" in the zipper by shifting to the right.
22. After you have a ripple free window, or are willing to live with the ripples, use the needle and thread to stitch loops around the zipper ends. You are using thread to secure the zipper ends instead of the metal clip you removed. I did this by opening the rear frame assembly 6" and using the wood block to support it. Leaning across the trunk, start the needle from the top down, on the zipper half that is NOT next to the plastic window. I started about 1" beyond the zipper end, and continued about 1" past the other end, or roughly about 3" of stiching.
23. As you push the needle down from the top, be careful to not catch the silky trim material on the window frame assembly. It's easy to accidentally catch this material in the stitch. As you push the needle down, angle it towards the front of the car to avoid this problem. Feed the needle up from the bottom through the fabric on the window side zipper. You will probably have to angle the needle towards the back of the car as you push it through. Pull the thread snug after each stitch, but not so hard that you pop the zipper ends open. Create stitches about 1/4" apart.
24. Now you can completely lower the top and verify that it is ripple free.
25. The next step is to glue the fabric to the rubber. Apply a film of contact cement to the underside of the convertible top fabric. Let it dry for 10 minutes or so. Now gently lift the rubber trim, and press the fabric into the groove. After completing this all the way around, if you want, you can also apply contact cement to the top side of the fabric. Just lift the rubber trim and apply the cement, but avoid getting it on the fabric where it would be visible.
26. DONE! Time for a beer!!
New window is in, compared to old window laying on top!
Another view of the new window
Inside looking out
Items needed:
- E36 BMW Convertible Window replacement kit from emiata.com - zipper pulls and glue were included. BMW dealer window may not include these items.
- Small DULL blade knife, i.e. a butter knife, or screwdriver.
- Needle and NYLON UPHOLSTRY thread. Don't use cotton thread!
- A helper to install the new window. It will VERY difficult to do by yourself.
- PATIENCE!! This is not overly difficult, but patience is needed. Rushing or forcing things will ultimately make the job harder. I spent about 2 hours on it.
Note: Every step of the way, be careful not to damage the zipper half attached to the roof!!
1. Open the top so that the rear frame raises about 6", support it with a block of wood.
Use a dull knife or screwdriver to gently pry the rubber window gasket away from the fabric, and pull the fabric out of the gasket. It is glued to the rubber on the underside of the fabric. I started at the side center of the window on mine. The fabric was already loose at the crease where the window folds.
2. At the bottom center of the window you will find a rectangular "staple clip". There is a similar retainer piece on the inside. You can try to pry it loose from the top, being careful not to damage the zipper. I suggest an additional step here to make it easy to pop off. Push the roof button to raise the rear window frame assembly up so it is nearly vertical, stop just BEFORE the rear hatch opens. Locate the clip on the inside of the window. Look closely and you will be four prongs that are folded over like staples. Use a tiny screwdriver to pry at least two of the prongs up. The picture shows two of the prongs, the other two are in the shadow.
Now close the roof so the rear window drops down again. The clip on the outside should easily pop off at this point. Toss it, you will not reuse it. Now CAREFULLY note how the zipper ends are arranged and aligned, you want to duplicate this during installation.
3. Time to remove the old window. Use your fingers/thumbs, or a small screwdriver, to pull the zipper halves apart. This should be easy to do, once you get it started, the zipper will separate easily. Just take your time so that you don't damage the roof half of the zipper.
Time to install the new window. Getting it positioned and started is the hardest part of the job. Here's how I did it, working first from the outside, then getting in the car. Your results may vary.
4. Lay the new window on top of the old window. In my case, the new window was SMALLER than the old window. At first I was concerned, but as you will see, it actually tightens up the fabric top. Use a tape measure to locate the CENTER of the window as best you can. Use a piece of tape to mark the center at the bottom, inside and outside.
5. Open the rear window frame assembly to near vertical as described above. Get your helper to sit in the rear seat. You will work from the outside and need both hands to get the zipper started.
6. Look closely at the bottom edge of the raised rear window frame assembly. You should see screws along the bottom edge. One of the screws is dead center. You will use this as a reference to *hopefully* get the window centered on the first try.
7. Get your helper to hold the window in position. Visualize how it all goes together before doing anything else. locate the zipper ends on the new window and top, and match them up. Again, pay close attention to how the zippers must be arranged and aligned.
8. NOTE: All of the following directional references assume you are working from the rear of the car with the frame raised, you are facing front. The zipper on the convertible top will overlap in the center. You will to start the installation on the left end of the zipper, it is "hidden" from your view by the right end of the zipper. You will pull the zipper towards the right side of the car. Start the zipper pull on the window first. Get it started just at the very end. Keep in mind that since you will be zipping to the right, the open end of the pull needs to be facing to the right.
9. After you have the pull started on the window, do your best to determine exactly where the centers match up. You can only be off by one tooth! This is the hardest part of the job, getting it aligned and started. Be patient! Your helper should support the window's weight. You will need both of your hands to get the zipper started. Note that on my window, trying to match up the ends of the zippers evenly WAS NOT even close to being centered.
10. Once you have it started, DON'T pull it fast! Pull it a few inches at a time, aligning the infeeding zipper halves nicely as you pull. Every few inches, stop and check that all the teeth are engaged. If it gets REALLY HARD to pull, STOP! You have an alignment problem. Back up a few teeth and get it straightened out.
CAREFUL!!! The "start" end of the zipper does not have a "keeper" thingy like a jacket does, if your helper does not support the window properly, it could start to separate. If you are concerned, get a few inches of the zipper started, use the needle and thread to stitch a loop around the zipper start to secure it.
11. Zipper across the bottom of the window and around the first corner with the frame assembly raised. Stop just after the first corner. You will now lower the window frame and work from the inside to continue.
12. Lower the frame keeping the 6" or so opening at the bottom, with your helper being careful to not stress the zipper starting point.
13. Climb in the right rear seat and continue zipping up the right window side (your left looking to the back of the car) and across the top.
14. Continue around the top corner, down the car's left rear window (your right facing backwards) and stop before turning the last corner.
15. Open the rear frame and zip around the final corner. Continue to the center but STOP BEFORE zipping the pull off the zipper.
16. Now is the moment of truth - check the alignment. Close the roof again, this time let frame go all the way down, but DO NOT let the top fully close/latch down, to avoid too much tension on the zipper.
17. Go behind the car and look at the rear window. If you see a relatively flat window with NO diagonal ripples in it, CONGRATULATIONS!! Go get a beer. While you are drinking the beer, you can finish zipping the zipper and slide the pull off the end of the zipper.
18. If you see diagonal ripples in the window, your zipper tooth alignment is off. You either must live with the ripples, or reinstall the window. I had ripples in mine on the first try, going from the bottom left to the top right.
19. Determine your adjustment direction - Ripples that start in the bottom left and go up on an angle toward the top right mean that you must move the window BOTTOM to the right one or two teeth. Conversely, ripples that start in the bottom right and go to the top left mean that you must move the BOTTOM of the window to the left one or two teeth. Keep in mind that this will also shift the top accordingly.
BEFORE you do anything else, mark the zipper as to it's current position! You want a reference as to how many teeth you will shift. Get a bottle of whiteout or other suitable marking fluid (shoe polish, paint, etc.) About 2" past the zipper start, mark the zipper with the whiteout. Just a small dot on both halves of the zipper. Make a few more at 3" and 4". Now you can align the zipper as needed, and you can see how many teeth you have shifted left or right! If you look closely at the picture above you can see my white marks.
20. If you have to move the bottom to the LEFT, I think you have no choice but to completely remove the window and start over. But read my tip below, perhaps you can do something similar if you create more slack in the zipper.
21. If you have to move the bottom to the RIGHT as I did, use this trick to save some effort. You do not need to completly remove the window. Separate BOTH zipper ends about 8". Get the zipper started again, paying attention to your marks to determine the "tooth shift". In my case, I decided to shift my window TWO teeth to the right. As you continue zipping it together with the zipper pull, keep separating the previously zipped zipper about 8" to 12" ahead of the pull. This works because you essentially are creating 2 teeth of "slack" in the zipper by shifting to the right.
22. After you have a ripple free window, or are willing to live with the ripples, use the needle and thread to stitch loops around the zipper ends. You are using thread to secure the zipper ends instead of the metal clip you removed. I did this by opening the rear frame assembly 6" and using the wood block to support it. Leaning across the trunk, start the needle from the top down, on the zipper half that is NOT next to the plastic window. I started about 1" beyond the zipper end, and continued about 1" past the other end, or roughly about 3" of stiching.
23. As you push the needle down from the top, be careful to not catch the silky trim material on the window frame assembly. It's easy to accidentally catch this material in the stitch. As you push the needle down, angle it towards the front of the car to avoid this problem. Feed the needle up from the bottom through the fabric on the window side zipper. You will probably have to angle the needle towards the back of the car as you push it through. Pull the thread snug after each stitch, but not so hard that you pop the zipper ends open. Create stitches about 1/4" apart.
24. Now you can completely lower the top and verify that it is ripple free.
25. The next step is to glue the fabric to the rubber. Apply a film of contact cement to the underside of the convertible top fabric. Let it dry for 10 minutes or so. Now gently lift the rubber trim, and press the fabric into the groove. After completing this all the way around, if you want, you can also apply contact cement to the top side of the fabric. Just lift the rubber trim and apply the cement, but avoid getting it on the fabric where it would be visible.
26. DONE! Time for a beer!!
New window is in, compared to old window laying on top!
Another view of the new window
Inside looking out
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