Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

When I was importing cars from Germany, one of the many DOT requirements (FMVSS 205) was gluing the windshield in place with approved urethane adhesive. You don't want to get it on you as it's really difficult to get off.

Today, windshields are considered part of the vehicles structure and supply strength in case of an accident, especially a rollover accident. The older glues could take 24 hours to set but now, they are formulated to set in one hour. A glass shop didn't wait and released the car to a customer was successfully sued by the family of a girl killed right after picking up the car. This story was told to me by the Reliable Auto Glass shop owner when we had a windshield replaced.

Tidbits: German cars have no tint bar on cars made for domestic use. Tint bars are OK in the rest of Europe. It's a visibility issue for the unlimited Autobahn speeds (unless posted otherwise). Europe used to install tempered glass windshields rather than laminated safety glass. As late as the 1980's, they didn't glue windshields in. All windshields now have to have "AS-1" as part of the information at the corner of the windshield.

Pierce

But I think our coaches aren't part of that "have to be glued" regulation. They are also largely exempt from the crash standards as well. Such as side intrusion, 5MPH bumpers and such.

I replaced probably 50+ FT windshields. Both for customers, and under warranty by Foretravel. Curved, and flat both. Per Foretravel spec's.
They were all glued in with black urethane, all the way around.
Customers were required to stay overnight.
This was from 1995 till FT closed the liberty lake store. Was still gluing them in all the way around.
I would talk to FT which way is proper.
Our 97 still has the original windshields, they are glued in all the way around
Chris

Quite a few regular videos on YouTube for windshield installation. I imported a 1970 MBZ diesel with a tempered windshield. I bought a used AS-1 and installed it myself. I got a big crack in it when it was almost done and had to buy another. Got this one in after a bit of sweating. Then I bought a big windshield for my Buffalo Bus. I sweated this one for a couple of hours and finally got it in. After that I would give a glass guy a call, he would show up and ten minutes later, the glass was in and no black glue to try and get off everything.

Glass work is an art and if you are starting out, you're not an artist. It always annoyed me how good and how fast they are but it's a good way to spend $100 or so and know it's going to be done right especially if a replacement is a couple thousand miles away.

Pierce

I got my last one almost in, But I didnt have any suckers at the time, so couldnt get it the last inch or so,
The glass installer i got cut a 1/4 inch of the top of it to make it fit,
Hence the start of my windscreen problems, It floated all over the place after that mistake,
I just didnt know and thought he knew better,
I cant find any video's on the grand villa with the curved windows,
Plenty of big full screens, Single straight screens,  But none with our screens,

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – July 05, 2019, 12:19:26 am

Quite a few regular videos on YouTube for windshield installation. I imported a 1970 MBZ diesel with a tempered windshield. I bought a used AS-1 and installed it myself. I got a big crack in it when it was almost done and had to buy another. Got this one in after a bit of sweating. Then I bought a big windshield for my Buffalo Bus. I sweated this one for a couple of hours and finally got it in. After that I would give a glass guy a call, he would show up and ten minutes later, the glass was in and no black glue to try and get off everything.

Glass work is an art and if you are starting out, you're not an artist. It always annoyed me how good and how fast they are but it's a good way to spend $100 or so and know it's going to be done right especially if a replacement is a couple thousand miles away.

Pierce

I got my last one almost in, But I didnt have any suckers at the time, so couldnt get it the last inch or so,
The glass installer i got cut a 1/4 inch of the top of it to make it fit,
Hence the start of my windscreen problems, It floated all over the place after that mistake,
I just didnt know and thought he knew better,
I cant find any video's on the grand villa with the curved windows,
Plenty of big full screens, Single straight screens,  But none with our screens,

did he cut the glass or the rubber?