Windshield Cowling Installation

[Lr3tx]

So we've had record rain here in South Texas so I've had some serious amounts of water come down on my green machine. Started researching why I was getting so much water in the cabin and aside from the sun roof drain tubes being clogged the cowling was warped as can be. Just finished the replacement so here are some pics of my project.
You can see the gaps in the first pic and then after a nice tight seal.


1. Suggest you shoot penetrating oil to loosed the wiper arms before you try to remove them. Not a hard task but take your time because you are working near the windshield- read Glass!
2. Paid $104 with free shipping on Amazon.
3. Installed it over a 2 day period. I let the penetrating oil "work" overnight. Still took me some careful persuasion to remove it. They had not been removed since 2006.
4. Marked them with blue tape to make re alignment easier.
Major thanks to ZipZapDIY His video on this process is here.

Wish the arm replacement was that easy but a great video anyway!

Hope they help.

 

[catman]

I suggest adding a bead of silicone across the windshield under the edge of the new cowling to help hold it down and also act as a water barrier. My new cowling started to bow after about 18 months, even with the silicone trying to hold it back (I could see the silicone edge stretching over time). Mine is now bowed again, but I have no leaks as of yet since there is silicone underneath.

 

[Houm_WA]

Are you guys in geographic locations that are real hot/cold? Are your vehicles left outdoors? I just got a new cowling last year (after 12 years) and it looks fine. Should expect it to bow anyway?

 

[Lr3tx]

Yes, Houm_WA, Texas weather is to the extreme in both hot and cold weather. Sometimes the same day! And yes, my landy is outdoors all the time. The one I replaced is the original, 2006, one so it lasted quite a while. I do like catman's suggestion to run a bead of silicone as well.

 

[catman]

Mine is outside as well - the wife gets both garage spots . I am not sure why the new one bowed so quickly - perhaps it is not made as well as the factory original. It came from Atlantic British and was "genuine", but who knows who LR has making these things these days.

 

[bbyer]

I suggest adding a bead of silicone across the windshield under the edge of the new cowling to help hold it down and also act as a water barrier. My new cowling started to bow after about 18 months, even with the silicone trying to hold it back (I could see the silicone edge stretching over time). Mine is now bowed again, but I have no leaks as of yet since there is silicone underneath.

I have used black coloured 3M electrical tape, both on the cowl and on the A pillar verticals.

If however, you are still getting water inside and wet carpet nearer the transmission tunnel than the door sills, then one or both of the cowl drains that pass thru the floor has disconnected and the water is not draining out onto the ground.

The jpg re the link below shows the drivers side, (North American and EU), drain. There is a similar on the passenger side.

https://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/displayimage.php?album=30300&pos=5