I have just fitted the new Masai rear windows. I’m not a massive fan of their look, but they’re OK on black vehicles. The reason I went for them is that they are more secure than the standard windows, have no seals to perish and split, and they hide the corrosion that is starting to appear under the paint around the old windows, saving a lot of work grinding out the oxidised aluminium, filling, painting and polishing.
They’re a pig to fit, but only because the Wurth adhesive is so thick – I had to use extreme force on my mastic gun, pressing the plunger rod as hard as I could against my chest while trying to force the adhesive out onto the glass. I have the bruises to prove it! Other than that, it was pretty simple, though I did have to remove the roof rack braces and shim them out from the tub capping so that their feet clear the extra thickness of the new glass. The glass is bonded to the panel by applying an included primer to the back of the glass and the paint work and then using the mastic like adhesive (it may be easier if warmed up), pressing the window into place. The instructions say to tape the window in position to prevent movement while the adhesive sets, but this stuff wasn’t going anywhere. It’s even messier than silicone sealant, and needs cleaning up quickly to avoid permanent mess on the panels or glass, and that was a horrible part of the job – I got through lots of rags and a fair bit of solvent too. My hands will be black for the rest of the week – wear gloves if you do this job! This morning, having set overnight, I used black RTV silicone around all the edges to make sure that it’s all water tight.
I think it’s a shame the Masai logo is so large – I’d prefer it to have been a little more discrete, but the results are pleasing. The interior trim was refitted and it looks much the same as before from inside. They do rather highlight the car’s need for a wash and polish, though!
(Edited to include an internal photo, as requested.)
Can you post a photo of the inside view, looking out?
Will do. But there’s nothing to see – it looks just the same as before – the Defender interior trim panel hides the metalwork, so the windows just look like plain tinted glass filling the trims’ apertures. Without trim, it’d be the same as before but without the rubber seal (or on a Station Wagon, you could leave off the aluminium strips). I’ll take a photo this afternoon and add it as an edit.
When I fit land rover panoramics ive never had problems with masai windows I fit them all the while
I may have been misunderstood – I am very content with the windows, I merely found the glue very viscous and difficult to apply in cold conditions. That was the sole difficulty in fitting the windows.