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Pulling upper rear cab corner back to square

19K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  S10xGN 
#1 ·
On my 07 Duramax crew cab shortbed. I need some suggestions on how I can get the rear window opening square again so a new window can be installed. Here's what happened. Hint: Gooseneck Trailer

Hooked onto the gooseneck to pull it home after purchasing it and not even thinking, as I turned to exit the driveway, I heard a "boom". Looked back and my rear window is shattered. Needless to say, when I turned (not even a sharp turn) the corner of the trailer hit my left upper cab corner, bent the cab corner and broke the window. It looked as though the window opening was "ok" so I though I would have a new window put in so I could at least use my truck. Took it to Safelite Auto Glass and they tried (2) windows and neither would fit. It seems like my window opening was pushed out of square about 1/8 - 3/16". I know that a shop with a frame machine can straighten it but they are all booked for a few weeks and I need my truck. Is there any way that this can be pulled back over without a frame machine (come-along, porta power, etc)? TIA
 
#5 ·
The body doesn't look "out of square" at all, it looks just like dents and dents could be pulled with a stud gun or remove the interior panels and see if you have any access.

Brian
 
#6 ·
I did'nt think it looked bad either but the rear window will not fit. When I took it to Safelite Auto Glass and they tried to install a new window, they showed me the problem. The opening pretty much has to be perfectly square for the window to fit. When they test fitted the glass, they pushed it as far right as they could and the lower right corner was against the opening and the upper left corner lacked about 1/8" from going in. That's why I was wondering if a person could pull it back over with a come-a-long because it's not that bad but I have never done anything like that before.
 
#7 ·
Take more photos with the plastic removed showing the "pinch weld" it's self where the glass sets. I have to tell you, I believe that glass is urethane set right? Geeez, you can be off a mile and the urethane would take up the slack. Post some photos showing that area, it doesn't make any sense to me.

Brian
 
#8 ·
From the pictures, it looks like the cab is still "square" , but the dents in the C pillar have pushed the sheet metal into the window opening. Kind of in front of the pinch weld, if that makes sense. You should be able to use a stud gun, come along, what ever you have available to pull the dents and use a body hammer to tap the sheet metal back where it is supposed to be on the ridge, where the window and C pillar meet. You really need a window on hand to use as a guide to save making trips to the glass shop, or you could see if the glass shop will let you measure the window at several places to get an ida of what you need.. I know what I am thinking, and how it needs to be fixed, just not really good at putting it into words.... As for checking the sqaure of the opening, measure from the bottom corner of the opening to the opposite side top corner of the pinch weld where the window fits and then do the same in the other diagonal direction. If the numbers are the same it is square, if not the short side needs to be pushed to match the long side measurements. In other words you split the difference to make them even. IE one side is 56" the other is 57", you will need 56 1/2" to be square. You can use a porta power to push the top one way or the other, but you will have to remove most of the interior to do it correctly. Hope this makes sense.

kelly
 
#9 ·
OOOOOHHHHH, I'm sorry, the window could be out of square, what a dummy, I was thinking about being dented in making the cab out of square. :drunk:

Yes, THAT out of square. :sweat:


The come-a-long is pretty hard to work with being the truck would have to be tied down somehow.

How about using my tram gauge "Basics of Basics" and make something to measure that opening (a measuring tape would work just fine actually) and see where it's out.

A real hillbilly way to do this would be with a bumper jack and a piece of pipe over the jack making a "port-o-power".

Brian
 
#10 ·
my first impression, which was mentioned, is that the dent blew out an area on the jamb that's now in the way. I can clearly see a bulge in the jamb on the upper part you are questioning. That's merely cosmetic. No need to pull but to work that dent by releasing the tension in the right order so that area goes back to where it needs to be. Once you have a lot of the tension out of that dent you can then find the related dent to that bulge and pull up on that dent with a stud gun/ sheet metal plate while hammering down that spot. If you have a helper he can pull the dent while you go along and hammer out the tension and place a dinging spoon in that jamb and whacking it down. If it were out of square your gaps that are clearly ok to the door in the picture would also be off. Measure diagonally to your pinch welds in the corners and compare. Then do it to the same corners but up to the jamb. That's where you are most likely gonna see the difference.
 
#12 · (Edited)




Yes I posted two pictures of the same thing (maybe) I am not seeing my editing on the photo bucket photo so I shot a screen shot of it to show you.

If the impact was "A" then that window could be out of square pushing over the roof all the way over to the right cab corner. In that case it would take something like "C" to push it back over.

However, it could simply be "B" as I believe Henry explained where the metal is dented in and the edge of the panel is being pushed over into the "through" where the window sets. If this metal is pushed over there, the hole could be perfectly square and the glass fit after this metal is moved back as Henry describes. The only way of knowing is to remove all that plastic and measure the opening and to inspect that area on both sides and see if it matches, or is the metal rolled over into the jam causing an interference with the glass.

Using "C" to push it over would have to be done VERY carefully as to not crush the metal at the ends of the jack. Over to the right it could be put all they way down into the bottom of the cab by the seat belt mounts (very strong area) and push that left upper corner up and out to make the opening square once again.

You can make a Port-o-power out of a bumper jack by slipping a piece of pipe cut to length over the shaft the jack head rides on, move the jack head and the overall length changes, put it in to place and jack it to push the cab over.

Brian
 
#13 ·
its an ez fix...the cab is not out of square....
To fix this yourself all you have to do is make a template of the glass but only half of it from center to the pass side be sure it fits fairly tight where its glued to the pinch weld and you have an equal gap all the way around,then flip it around and place it in the drivers side....I believe what you'll find is the top corner is pushed forward (not towards the pass side) the metal folded at the edge of the window gap (line B) has been flattened,making it only(appear) out of square and THATS the cause of the glass not fitting ...the template will show you everything you need to know...All you really have to do is fix the dent and the edge that meets the glass...
 
#14 ·
This what I have been thinking also. Metal has memory, get the dent fixed first. Make sure the opening is flat, not bulging out or pushed in will make the fit of the glass fall out. The gap on the rear of the door opening looks good, the opening of the window is screwed up. A yardstick may help show if the opening is flat like it should be, assuming the glass is flat. These cabs are very flimsy, it doesn't take much.
 
#15 ·
Rear window.

I did EXACTLY the same as you EXCEPT,my gooseneck 5th wheel,jackknifed,when it did,it bent me DS rear in about 18 inches,and popped the door out,I got out my trusty porta-power,and jacked from PS floor,to DS roof,and rear sheet metal area,took about 1 hour,door closed great,and window fit,,,had to work out a few dents,but came out great....
 
#16 ·
I did EXACTLY the same as you EXCEPT,my gooseneck 5th wheel,jackknifed,when it did,it bent me DS rear in about 18 inches,and popped the door out,I got out my trusty porta-power,and jacked from PS floor,to DS roof,and rear sheet metal area,took about 1 hour,door closed great,and window fit,,,had to work out a few dents,but came out great....
Bet that was an understatement! :D

Russ
 
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