How to Replace Shattered Rear Glass?

Hey All,

Punks shattered the back window of my '04 XLT with a BB gun. I expect the appraisal to come back at about $1500 but I have a $1000 deductible.

So looking to see if I can do the repair on my own cheaper.

Here's the rub: while only the glass shattered, the surrounding body pieces that hold the window (in its arc) released and are bowed out.

My question is: can I buy just the glass (fully covered by insurnace) and then successfully reinstall it using the otherwise "undamaged" existing trim pieces and struts? That is, will this mess go back togther or do I need to buy the whole back gift gate assembly?

Thanks, Mike

when mine shatterd i just went to a junkyard and peeeled one off a smalsed one, the glass i got came with a trim panel (the ones that always crack) already so all it took was the 2 bolts on the hinges on the top, and the shocks which just clipped in. its a really easy fix. i dont know if when you buy a new one if it comes with the plastic panel or not, but its just glued on anyway

a new glass will come without an emblem, flat black primer so it would need painting, and without the wiper motor, so youll need to transfer that over...

Make sure when the estimate is done, that they also account for the interior trim- when my '03 back glass blew up on the dealer when trying to replace the hinges, it cut up all of the rear interior trim as well. They gave it back to me as-is, and I returned it and told them 'nice try, now finish what you messed up..." They had to replace the trim on the lower edge of the rear window/interior, the plastic around the bottom of the hatch/interior, and the back bumper pad. The glass cut them all up when it fell onto it. I would have never thought shattered glass could cut stuff up that badly...

doable, yes...but it will be complicated and will require some precise work. The lower trim piece will need to be glued on, and i believe some of the other pieces do as well... you can absolutely do it with some spare time on your hand though.

A lot of people double-stick the trim on the outside, as it limits the possibility of re-cracking from expansion and contraction since the double stick allows some flex.

joe hit the nail on the head, the reason for the back pannel crack is the excessive use of glue by ford, not allowing for thermal contraction and expansion, the TSB states to line the outside perimiter of the pannel with glue and not the interior, as far as i know it still hangs on snugly and wont crack!!.

Have you asked the insurance company if they cover the collateral damage as part of the glass replacement? I'd be surprised if they didn't, since it was the broken glass that caused your other problems.

Otherwise, junkyard sounds like the easiest/cheapest idea.

Mike