I've been thinking about what all would be involved in painting my YJ lately. Among my thouhgts, I was trying to figure out what prep work would be needed, and what repairs would be necessary. I started to recall those spring and fall days, where it rains a lot and my feet get soaked. I've replaced the cowl rubber and sealed up everything I can thing of sealing up, but still have a pretty good sized leak under the dash somewhere.

I was asking my old man about what he thought it could be, and he suggested if I was going to peint it anyway, I should just weld her shut and move on. I started to think about the downsides of welding it shut, and I personally can't think of many. Now, I've only owned the YJ for 2 years, and a TJ for 2 years before that. The only time I've ever folded down a windshield was to replace the cowl rubber. I can't think of a time when I would ever need to do it again, except to replace a cowl rubber seal again.

When I wheel, it's nothing too extreme. Just some stuff that most of you would call mild. It's fine for me though. So I thought I'd start a poll to see who actually uses the nice little feature. Also, list any possible downsides to sealing her up for good if you can think of any.

I put mine down every time I go wheeling. The other day i was at the local Sherwan Williams paint store and there was a CJ7 outside. I got to talking to the owner (he was running the store) about it. He had taken the seal and cut it in half. Then he filled the outside of it with bondo and painted it. It looked factory and he said it didnt leak at all. He also put in bolts (like in a YJ has) to hold the windshield in place. That way no one would unscrew the knobs and break the bondo. Personally I wouldnt do that to mine, but if you want to do it and lets see how it turns out.

I think that folding down the windshield is my favorite thing about my jeep. I drop it to go to the supermarket.

I've folded mine down a few times. The time I folded it down to go wheelin' I didn't like it as much as having it up. It's harder to see the front corners of the Jeep with the WS down...at least for me. My CJ has all new seals, gaskets, and closed up holes and it still leaks when it rains. Jeeps leak, if you seal up one part, another will leak. Pull the carpet out and deal with it. [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I have heard bad things about driving on the road with the windshield folded. Some guy told me that he was doing about 40 mph on the road when the footman's loop on the hood pulled right out and the windshield blew upright really fast! He was ok but it broke the glass and scared the heck out of him. I have not yet folded my TJ windshield down for fear of causing a water leak by "breaking" the factory seal.

I wouldn't weld it. It's actually kind of overkill. Go buy yourself a tube of urethane (the windshield stuff that varies between $8 and $90/tube depending on kwality) and seal it with that. This way you can get it back apart again someday and it is flexible enough to not crack when wheelin'.

When I see someone do something stupid like weld their lift blocks to their spring perches, weld a metal body lift on their TJ, or weld their windshield in place I think of a backwoods redneck with elementary education and the common sense of a fence post. PS: I've seen all three of those things in the last week. Welcome to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Yoopers, eh?

I don`t fold mine down, I take it completely off. I folded mine down once, and the frame ended up in my lap and the glass broken covering my interior. It`s sometimes nessesary to remove it to run some of the trails I like. Welding it would be an extreme fix in my opinion. Like was already said, find some good quality urethane sealer and fix it that way.

If I'm wheeling, and it's not snowing, the windshield is down. I opens up your field of view substantually, and makes it easier to see and hear your spotter or other wheelers. Plus it's just nice to have a little nature in your face for the slow stuff. Like said earlier, trying to seal up a Jeep is like trying to keep a snake in an orange crate. If you plug one hole, it will just find another.

every time i wheel i put it down.. or take it off.. and sometimes around town.. i put it down...

I would say that I put the windshield down about once or twice a year when wheeling the backwoods near my house. I would do it more often but I usually have the bikini top on and it's a hassle for just a short trip. My vote is also NOT to weld the windshield.