General Precautions
- Store all chemical products in an area above 5 °C for an adequate period before use.
- Bear in mind that push-in trims will be more difficult to fit at low temperatures as the adhesive is stiffer
- Use extra care when removing and replacing scuttles and trim pieces as they become more brittle below freezing point
- Bonding cannot take place in air temperatures below -10 °C; the vehicle must be stored somewhere with a higher air temperature or the job must be postponed
Cold Temperatures
Additional measures must be taken when bonding glass at temperatures between -10 °C and 5 °C so that the glass can be bonded safely by all methods.
If cold materials are moved into warm environments, condensation can occur. If faced with condensation, damp and/or wet conditions, clean and dry any materials or surfaces before beginning work.
| Sika® Cleaner G+P | If temperature is below -5 °C the glass cleaner will freeze when it comes in contact with the glass and will malfunction. In such cases, move the glass and vehicle to a warmer environment, or ensure the glass is cleaned beforehand in the warehouse prior to mobile installation. |
| Sika® Cleaner PCA | As Sika® Cleaner G+P freezes a low temperatures, Sika® Cleaner PCA contamination removal can be done dry. In such cases, no wetting control can be done. |
| Sika® Aktivator PRO | Condensation on the glass does not inhibit Sika® Aktivator PRO. Pre-treatment can also be done beforehand in a warehouse environment to allow a controlled reaction. |
| Sika® Primer-207 | Wait until the surface of the primer is “touch” dry if it is used for bonding purposes.
Tip: warming up the primer surface with a hairdryer until it is “touch” dry will save considerable time (however, high temperatures from the use of a hot air gun can destroy the primer surface).
At low temperatures the primer can easily be rubbed off the substrate as it is only touch dry and not cross-linked for a longer time than the mentioned flash-off time. This does not affect bonding purposes, but if case tapes (e.g. foam tapes) are applied and peeled off again, primer can detach. |
Adhesives
For easy application, condition the adhesive at ambient temperature prior to use. Sika recommends that the adhesives are temperature soaked to above 5 °C prior to application, due to the viscosity increase at low temperatures. Sika’s recommendations for application equipment are based on adhesive temperatures of 5 °C and higher.
Hot Temperatures
To avoid bubble formation in the adhesive bead, the glass components and vehicle’s aperture should not be exposed to direct sunlight until the Save Drive-Away Time has passed.
The open time is significantly shorter in hot and humid climates. The glass must always be installed within the open time. As a rule of thumb, a change of 10 °C reduces the open time by half. High humidity further increases this effect, which can be verified by testing the skin formation of the product. Never install a glass after the product has built a skin.