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Stock Problems/IssuesDiscussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for MINI Clubman (R55), Cooper and Cooper S(R56), and Cabrio (R57).
Mouting strip, cover, firewall51312756196 (same part used on R55/R56/R57/R58/R59) (purchased from @PelicanParts.com before I realized I also needed the other two)
The Bentley book (513-2 and 513-3) calls #1 the "retaining strip". It has a rubber-lined square-section metal channel that's apparently a friction fit over the bottom edge of the glass, and a rubber-lined U-section metal channel that holds an edge on the bottom of the apron/cowl covers.
The old strip had deteriorated, and came off the windshield when I removed the apron/cowl covers. I cleaned the surface of the glass with Windex. So far as I know it's the factory-installed original glass, and I don't see any adhesive where it looks like it shouldn't be.
Now I can't get the new strip to go onto the glass. I've tried starting at one end and prying it open a bit to get it started, but still I can't push it onto the glass.
I have studied several cowl threads here, and several YouTube videos, but I haven't found any that address installing this strip on the glass.
What's the trick? Do I really just need to push it harder, or am I missing some critical step or insight? Any suggestions are gratefully welcomed!
Last edited by BSut; 05-01-2021 at 08:20 PM.
Reason: fix bad utags
I was under the impression that windshield strip get replaced when you replace the windshield… I don’t think you can replace it with the windshield in place?
No, it can definitely be replaced in-situ. I had to replace mine when I replaced my cowl covers to get the cowl to stay attached properly. I'm afraid I don't remember what I did, sorry, but I don't remember it being a difficult job.
You sure you're installing it right? There's two channels in the piece, I forget which one clips over the bottom of the windshield and which one the cowl covers slot into. Use your existing one as a guide.
You sure you're installing it right? There's two channels in the piece, I forget which one clips over the bottom of the windshield and which one the cowl covers slot into. Use your existing one as a guide.
The old one had the square-section channel on the glass, and the U-section channel holding the cowl cover: orientation of 51-31-2-756-196 (Mouting strip, cover, firewall)
I think I remembered how I did it: I had to lubricate the channel on the strip with some silicone lube. This is the stuff I used but anything similar should work:
05-01-2021, 06:16 PM
