Vking windshield replacement

[85vking]

Hey folks,
I had my boat redone a couple of years ago and finally got around to ordering a UPD plexi windshield to replace my cracked and crazed original. It's here and I removed the frame assembly off the boat but the top rail just doesn't pop off? I don't anything resembling glue or epoxy in the track but it sure is tight and won't come off. What is the trick? What am I doing wrong??

Mike

[LakeFever]

Theres clips that have barbs on them inside the track. Could slip some old credit cards or something maybe in there to release them. I have a frame with no plexi in it i can take some pics tomorrow for you if you like

[85vking]

GEEEEZ....they don't make it easy!? I could slip some putty knives down along the edge I suppose. Lake, do you think or do you know what the instal procedure is for a new piece of plexi? I'd hate to just jam it into the frame for fear of cracking it.

[LakeFever]

Well i have two. Ones complete with the frame still bound to the plexi and the other one came without any plexi so i havent tried to remove one myself yet because it does look risky not to crack it. Sort of like fuel injection lines if you could get something in between the barb and the plexi on each one it should release. It would be best to remove the whole deal and lay in on the floor upside down so you can find all the clips. Maybe even dull dinner knives would work. Anyways heres some pics of the frame and clips hope this is of some help to you.

id imagine if you made sure the clip barbs are all oriented properly before sliding the new plexi in you’d do alright

[LakeFever]

Curious how you made out with the windshield install?

[bbezok]

So UPD is still making windshields for Streams?...read somewhere that they had stopped?

[David - WI]

I wonder if they originally placed the clips on the edges of the windshield and then snapped the frame onto the clips?

[LakeFever]

Im not too sure how this was done or how best to do it. I think i’ll take some small pieces of plexi and experiment inserting into the frame and see how it goes. I’ll be doing this over the winter as i am getting close to windshield stage. Feels good to be able to say that

[85vking]

I wonder if they originally placed the clips on the edges of the windshield and then snapped the frame onto the clips?

Sorry about the lagging response....here's my update. The windshield was made by UPD per their website. It took about 6-8 weeks but they did notify me BEFORE the production date arrived so I could cancel if I wanted. No payment until they actually start the production of the windshield. They do offer for you to ship them your old windshield for sizing and fit but after seeing the website's guarantee that an 89 and an 86 would fit, I could hardly believe Hydrostream changed the dimension for an 85 so I went with it. The windshield took about another 10 days to get made and arrived at my home...in Florida. (the same as UPD but across the state). The windshield was packed pretty well. The fit was ALMOST exact. The dimensions overall look good. The ONLY area that I saw a discrepancy was the lower lip that meets the deck. It wasn't flaired as much at the contact surface. It was probably 3/4" shorter. How did that impact mounting? The upper frame, which are where the mounting clips are. fit fine. I measured the exact thickness of the original to make sure the replacement was the same. The old one came out in pieces. There may be a way to get the original out, but I broke it all into pieces and the pieces attached to the clips took a hammer and chisel to knock them out. Once I mounted the new windshield in the upper rail, I flipped it over and laid it into place. The lower frame does cover the windshield, but this is where I wish it had been a little longer to fill the void under the frame. That was all based on using the originally drilled holes for the lower frame. I haven't had the boat out since installing the windshield, so I don't know if there's a vibration or rattle problem. If I have to reseat it, I will either move the lower frame up a little tighter and drill new holes which I'm afraid might expose the original holes or I might silicon the joints in the frame to secure the windshield a little better in the frame. All in all.....I'd say the 650.00 which included freight was worth it. After all, unless someone else gets into the windshield production business for Hydrostreams or has the exact jig/ mold for the originals, this is the best thing out there. Again, mine is a V-king and the various models that this style windshield fits, I'd expect to fit the same. Good luck. I can't complain about the product or company.

[bbezok]

So it might be worth sending them the original, then the lower lip might be a bit longer if they're actually making the replacement off the original?
thanks for the update with yours.

[85vking]

You're probably right! Given the info and years it fit, one would think that 'bug" would have been worked out already. For anyone else that orders one.....they could at the very least, emphasize the extra extension to the bottom lip! Good experience overall tho....

[Aaronhl]

Im really surprised nobody has made the frames yet, maybe something close or improved from the original???

[LakeFever]

Hard to improve on the original without adding weight. Its a good frame so long as you don’t use it as a grab bar. I believe the Hydrostream dot com guy is working on this

[tnelsmn]

The upper frame is a bit of a complex extrusion. I contacted a few extrusion places around me a while back for this exact reason. They want the first order to be like 10,000lbs and then want more large and regular orders to follow to bother making a set of dies. At least thats what I was told around here. Forming it to fit the boat wouldn't really be that bad if you had a good frame to make a form off of.