Is it worth replacing the rear large-windshield glass on 2007 Prius myself?

So how many generation 2 Prius have you seen with fake back glass pieces? I don't think I've ever seen one personally I don't generally look all the time I look at the front glass 90% of those have been replaced but the back generally not so much is it easy to replace pretty much by the way I find to take windshields and back glasses out is to use a multi-tool with a blade that I buy online that's made to cut through the urethane where the glass is glued in front and rear the blade is about $24 it goes on your multi-tool it's extra long it's kind of like a scraper and you just stick it in between the metal and the urethane and the glass and hit the button and it just undoes the seal between the urethane glass in the metal if you go to the glass shop you'll see the glass shop people use a tool that looks like a sawzall with the blade I'm talking about they make the same blade to go in a multi-tool if you don't want to buy the sawzall looking thing or if you own a sawzall you can get the same blade for the sawzall the solves all is a little more to control then the multi-tool the multi-tool you can operate with one hand the Saw's all not so much then again you got to remember the glass place is cutting out your broken glass so it's already broken they're not trying to save what they're taking out you are the multi-tool is not quite as hard on everything if you can understand that the sawzall. Make some serious vibration when you're cutting the glass out the multi-tool not so much

 

The hardest part would be removing and transporting the glass without breaking it. The other problem is the adhesive to reinstall the window on you car. There is a special automotive silicone that is used for this, and window installers have a powered gun to put this around the window fast and place the window before the adhesive starts to set up. That would be hard to do at home by yourself.

 

No a knife will never make anything happen except break the glass I can't even imagine I used to work in a salvage yard and have to do this there's a tool that they make that has a little side handle and an angled blade and an aluminum handle if you want to go the seriously manual route but usually that takes a long time and the chance of breaking is about 85%. I used to have to pull these in a salvage yard situation years ago like 1985 when the Cadillac had the plastic inside lined windshield that everybody screwed up putting inspection stickers on

 

I'll try and get you a link up for the blade but you can just kind of Google it windshield removal blade for a multi-tool I kind of looks like a big scraper or a scraper that goes on a multi-tool but it's longer so that it can reach down between the top of the dash and the windshield I mean obviously but I'll try and get you a physical link to the exact bit that I buy from the same seller that I purchase it from as soon as I can get to my main computer. The knife you'll wind up cussing out everything in sight and never looking at a piece of glass again that's for sure the multi-tool or the sawzall looking device makes it almost the one handed job seriously. With the multi-tool and the sawzall in the glass shop they don't even have to pull the trim around the inside of the windshield this tool reaches down that's why it has to be long it was right in between the dash all the surround plastics up along the top edge none of that has to come off you just stick this tool in there and pull the trigger and follow the line that you started whichever way you're going generally a windshield will be out and about 14 minutes something like that.

 

If you have the tools that auto window glass installers use to remove old windows and install new ones and you've watched lots of youtube or Tik tok to learn how to use those tools, then go for it. But it doesn't take much to damage the glass you're trying to pull because the way they do car windows today is way different than how we did them back in the 70's and 80's.

 

If you got the time just amble on over there to LKQ and cut the thing out then what are you going to do to get it all the way across lkq's yard with the little cart just going to lay it on top of the carton start pulling it across the Rock Yard maybe not you probably going to want to bring a U-Haul blanket or something like that with you I doubt you'll have any cardboard that's that size. And when you look at your hatch it should tell you on the glass that it's factory original I've never seen an original I'm sure they exist I just haven't seen one

 

HackOPS Multi-Tool Cold Knife Blade
https://a.co/d/0GyRtnK

 

JAAGS Windshield Express Removal Blade
https://a.co/d/4ZqBTph these for sawzall

 

If you don't have the skills to work with glass, and I believe that many ordinary drivers don't have such skills, the best option is to pay the specialists the amount required. The second option is to find a whole rear door of the required color at a car dismantling site and replace it completely.

 

The black urethane from PPG goes in the oven at The windshield shop to have a special box that looks like the milk box that used to get milk magically appearing in it when you were a little kid that has an element in it that keeps several tubes of urethane one time heated I just use my toaster oven and then you generally have plenty of time once the urethane is in the gun and to run a bead around one windshield is not too bad if you had to do 50 a day your hand would be expired after about 12 but yes all of those things with the urethane the heat the curing I don't think will be a problem unless you're just really slow as a turtle you don't have to be as fast as the guy at the windshield shop but he can't have the stuff sitting there for an hour on the frame of the car about 18 minutes is normal. I mean if you fly a desk and things like that then you probably want to start with smaller pieces of glass at first like the ones that go forward of your front windows things like that then you work your way up to windshields and back glasses I guess

 

I've seen plenty of low quality aftermarket parts. Some were obvious counterfeits and others were only just a little lousier than the OEM.

...but I don't think I have encountered much variation in auto glass across sources.

Specifically relating to sound insulation: There are some situations where the car is built with laminated glass in a side window, which is wonderful for noise control. But the same window is also available as tempered safety glass, which is much cheaper and does not block as much noise. Sometimes that would have been from the factory on a lower-trim version of the car.

It is usually possible to install the cheap version in cars that were originally equipped with the expensive windows. Perhaps this is what you're referring to?

The good news here is that the back window of your Prius was always made with tempered safety glass. Nobody ever made a fancy version of it.

To sum up, I think you have unfounded fears. Just go to the local window shop and let them do their thing.

 

I've tried replacing the windshield on my Prius a long time ago, 1st time it cracked during transport.. luckily junkyard will accept returns and replacement. I just used a string type remover from Harbor Freight.. lots of work but it worked ok.. the knife if you're not careful can break the glass while removing (did that on several Prius while in the junkyard) The other thing when installing is that you need a pneumatic caulk gun to apply the sealant. A manual gun will make your arms sore.. with all the tools and materials required, saving maybe a $100 is not worth it. Cheaper to just find the whole rear trunk assembly that matches your paint ($40 - $80 depending on the junkyard location)

 

That's just what I was going to ask: how much would the salvage yard want to just sell you the whole hatch?

 

Here in North Carolina that hats will be 150 to 250 bucks depending upon condition and where the salvage yard is for the most part $80 that's from somebody that has a Prius in their yard

 

I'd bite that bullet: just because you (possibly) can do something, doesn't always mean you should.

 

I mean if you're at the house and you got a carport shouldn't be any problem really the glass doesn't weigh squat and you're liable to drop it more than anything kind of funny to handle but. You'll want to have some xylene and stuff like that on hand to wipe up any of the urethane that gets anywhere