Replacing cracked rear panel - what adhesive to use?

[Sweersa]

The rear panel under the rear glass finally cracked on my 05, right to the right of the Ford emblem.

From my online searches, it appears using a hammer and a putty knife (and taping up the surrounding paint for protection) is the best method for removal of the old broken panel.

I bought a Dorman replacement panel, and will have it painted to match at a local body shop. I figure aftermarket would be good in this instance seeing how the Ford panels break.

What adhesive should I use to put the panel back on? I have 3M double-sided tape, but I'm not sure it's strong enough. Ford calls for some Motorcraft adhesive that applies like a glue.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

I used a lot of 3M double sided tape and it still holds well. The panel needs to expand against the glass otherwise it will break again. I used black rtv gasket sealer on the top and sides so that water will not go in. The engineer who did this doesn't understand that plastic and glass don't expand/shrink at the same rate and used a glue that bonded them so strong that they'll crack over time. I also notice that there are water channels inside the panel that doesn't work at all (stupid design) He deserves some spanking..

 

[Sweersa]

I used a lot of 3M double sided tape and it still holds well. The panel needs to expand against the glass otherwise it will break again. I used black rtv gasket sealer on the top and sides so that water will not go in. The engineer who did this doesn't understand that plastic and glass don't expand/shrink at the same rate and used a glue that bonded them so strong that they'll crack over time. I also notice that there are water channels inside the panel that doesn't work at all (stupid design) He deserves some spanking..

Thank you! Haha I agree. That's exactly what I needed to know. I'll get some RTV gasket sealer. I have noticed the crack will get larger and smaller dependent on temperature. Sometimes when it's really hot you can barely notice it is cracked, other times when it's colder it sticks out really well, so that confirms the issue with expansion that doomed them all from the beginning.

 

[TechGuru]

I would use GE Silicone I as it is flexible.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-All-P...ar-Window-and-Door-Caulk-GE012A-24C/100091111

 

[bogart219]

I used a lot of 3M double sided tape and it still holds well. The panel needs to expand against the glass otherwise it will break again. I used black rtv gasket sealer on the top and sides so that water will not go in. The engineer who did this doesn't understand that plastic and glass don't expand/shrink at the same rate and used a glue that bonded them so strong that they'll crack over time. I also notice that there are water channels inside the panel that doesn't work at all (stupid design) He deserves some spanking..

LOL, that was funny!

 

[silverfox103]

How about some pictures and a "show and tell" when you do the repair.

Where did you get the replacement? I have an Aviator that has the same crack.

thanks

Tom

 

[Sweersa]

Hi Tom,

That's not a bad idea, I can do that, no problem. I'll update this thread with that, and probably will change the title to reflect the changes when it's all finished since it will be more of a how-to at that point. I'd like to have it all done before snow falls this year. I have seen the same panel crack on Mountaineers and Aviators too. I believe the Aviators need a different shaped panel due to the tailights.

I bought mine on eBay, it's Dorman brand. $82.77 shipped. Paid $28.97 for a new Ford name plate (I figured it would be better than removing and re-sticking the old one, might as well get new for $30)

I did a quick eBay search, and I can only find OEM Aviator panels, and no aftermarket. They are about $100 more than the aftermarket Dorman Explorer panel.

Here's the Dorman panel, with supplied instructions.

The panel is a glossy plastic, and it's fairly flexible so I'm careful when handling it.

Here's what my crack looks like now:

The next step is dropping off the panel at the body shop for paint. Then I'll handle the rest. Can't be too difficult, I'd imagine.

Alex

How about some pictures and a "show and tell" when you do the repair.

Where did you get the replacement? I have an Aviator that has the same crack.

thanks

Tom

 

[lincolnshibuya]

if you have a butt-crack I'd suggest do the fix before everything gets rusted inside. The actuator lock is secured by a flat piece of metal that gets exposed to the moisture (via the crack) when this gets rusted badly the actuator lock will rattle and no longer secure the window. I put some anti-rust on mine and have it painted (that was for the replacement, my old one is kaput..too late)

 

[Sweersa]

if you have a butt-crack I'd suggest do the fix before everything gets rusted inside. The actuator lock is secured by a flat piece of metal that gets exposed to the moisture (via the crack) when this gets rusted badly the actuator lock will rattle and no longer secure the window. I put some anti-rust on mine and have it painted (that was for the replacement, my old one is kaput..too late)

Thanks for the advice. How hard is that item to replace, and can it be replaced without removing the panel?

 

[lincolnshibuya]

it's only accessible with the panel removed, it's easy to remove it. The difficult part is looking for a replacement if the existing is eaten by rust (you don't want to do this again)

rusted

new one, painted

the lock also holds the bracket for the rear wiper

 

[Sweersa]

Thanks for the pics. I just liked your FB page, very cool mods. I'm going to inspect my Explorer. I almost never used the rear glass, I 99.9% of the time use the entire lift gate. Just never liked it, feels cheap too, even if it all works. I just inspected the latch, and it feels solid. I also used to electrical tape to cover the crack. It will probably work as bad as it looks. Used some touch up so you can't tell from 75 yards away. Haha. It's all going to get removed and trashed anyways, so I figure I can do whatever as long as it doesn't mess up surrounding parts.

 

[TechGuru]

Thanks for the pics. I just liked your FB page, very cool mods. I'm going to inspect my Explorer. I almost never used the rear glass, I 99.9% of the time use the entire lift gate. Just never liked it, feels cheap too, even if it all works. I just inspected the latch, and it feels solid. I also used to electrical tape to cover the crack. It will probably work as bad as it looks. Used some touch up so you can't tell from 75 yards away. Haha. It's all going to get removed and trashed anyways, so I figure I can do whatever as long as it doesn't mess up surrounding parts.

LOL, just fill the crack with flexible 100% silicone.

 

[IIGood]

if you have a butt-crack I'd suggest do the fix before everything gets rusted inside. The actuator lock is secured by a flat piece of metal that gets exposed to the moisture (via the crack) when this gets rusted badly the actuator lock will rattle and no longer secure the window. I put some anti-rust on mine and have it painted (that was for the replacement, my old one is kaput..too late)

This never occurred to me for some reason. Now it's kinda making me move this panel replacement a little further up the (ever-growing) to-do list. I'm also planning to go the DIY route.

 

[TechGuru]

Luckily my crack is further away from the latch...

Considering just filling it with silicone.

 

[chefduane]

Sweersa, the InGen logo sticker is way cool.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

LOL, just fill the crack with flexible 100% silicone.

tried that before with a silicone sealant, major fail.
When it's warm the crack is like a hairline and when it's cold it's like 1/8" gap, the silicone eventually disappeared...maybe some other brands will work (didn't try any after that, I was assuming it's ok to leave it as it is because everybody has it anyways)