98-01 tailgate swap to 95-97

[FPGT24]

Hi everybody I'm trying to collect some info on how to do a tailgate swap on my 1998 Explorer XLT. I'm not a fan of the 98-01 rear end at all. I loved my 97 Explorer XLT's rear end but had to sell it due to severe shock tower rust. I got my 98 Explorer for 750 bucks from my neighbor whos had it for years and its in such nice shape that i cant justify getting rid of it to get a 97 just for the look of the rear end.

What do i need for this swap? I cannot find any info on how to swap from 98-01 to 95-97 i looked on here and found only 95-97 to 98-01 swaps.

If i have to swap bumpers out, then i probably wont do it. I may end up just doing a tail light swap. I saw a 98 Explorer in the junkyard a few days ago that had 95-97 tails and they were not flush with the tail gate they stuck out. Any way i can get them to fit correctly on my 98 tail gate?

thank you for the info in advance

 

[Joe Dirt]

I cannot find any info on how to swap from 98-01 to 95-97 i looked on here and found only 95-97 to 98-01 swaps.

If i have to swap bumpers out, then i probably wont do it. I may end up just doing a tail light swap. I saw a 98 Explorer in the junkyard a few days ago that had 95-97 tails and they were not flush with the tail gate they stuck out. Any way i can get them to fit correctly on my 98 tail gate?

thank you for the info in advance

Um, not to be difficult, but can't you read them in reverse?

Bumper swap is needed, you'll have no place for your plate. No way to make the tails work, the profiles are different.

Need gate, bumper, tails, harness, and unless you can get a gate from a late '97 that had smoked glass, the glass on the 95-97 will be bronze and won't match your smoke tint.

 

[masospaghetti]

I tried swapping just the taillights, they do bolt in, but they don't fit right. The 98+ lights viewed from the side are rounded and fatter than the 95-97 lights. With the 95-97 lights, you will have a big gap between the center part of the tailgate and the taillight.

 

[97Sandbox]

Hey y'all,

I know this is an old post, but like the OP, I prefer the '95-'97 tailgate over the '98-'01. Since I've been parting out my '97 and getting my new-to-me '00 just how I want it, I decided to go for this swap. It's not too difficult, but definitely takes patience.

I used:
- '97 liftgate including wiring harness
- '97 rear bumper
- '97 tail lights
- '97 LH tail light wiring harness section (includes purple/white wire for bumper-mounted license plate lighting)
- '97 license plate lamps and harness (this plugs into the LH tail light harness or trailer connector)
- Assortment of misc. barbs and hose sections including a check valve from my '97 to plumb the rear wiper washer/sprayer
- Lots of crimp connectors and electrical tape

The tail lights, bumper, and liftgate all swap over fairly simply, but the tailgate is very heavy and awkward. I did it by myself, but scratched some stuff during the struggle.

For the wiring, I had to re-pin the connectors -- use a small pick to pop out the red insert and release the lock tabs carefully). The colors all matched up except for the purple/white license plate lamps wire and a dark green/purple wire which I'm still trying to identify (it went to the door lock in the '97 liftgate).

The license plate lamp wire (purple/white) has to be pulled out of the later model liftgate harness and rerouted to the LH tail light harness.

-'
That's where you need the earlier tail light harness that includes a wire for the license plate lamps (or poke a new one through the bushing and run a new wire).

Now it's all wired, so I'm just going through debugging an issue with the CHMSL that came up along the way, but I don't think it was related to the swap. Eventually, I'll try to swap in the '95-'97 rear window trim as well. All in all, this swap is not necessarily difficult, but it is a lot of work and requires a lot of disassembly. However, if you prefer the earlier 2nd gen liftgate, the swap is very much possible!

 

[EB4X]

/\ Good job! ...on this subject I didn't really care for my 95 rear hatch at first...figured it looked too dated and upon hearing I could swap to a 98-01 had put that on the back burner as a future project, now after seeing both in traffic over the last couple years on and off I decided I like my/ the 95 (95 - 97) better after all! Go figure!

 

[97Sandbox]

Automotive styling goes in cycles and it's all a matter of taste anyhow! When I started driving my '97 ten years ago, I thought it looked dated too. But nowadays I think the 2000 looks dated and the '97 looks almost vintage

 

[DemonMudder]

Honestly, I hadn't thought about doing this before, but now that y'all are...that's so tempting to do, I prefer the older look and if I hadn't just recently had the whole thing painted, I'd probably go for it. I've looked into (still debating) on swapping the front bumper to a '97 as well, like its look more as well. Tried once, but it didn't fit with my brush guard, if my new fog lights don't work out then I'll probably go looking for an older bumper again. But the tailgate is a great idea man! Wish ya luck with it!

 

[EB4X]

Today's SUVs look all sharp and sophisticated with the slopping contoured hatch in back... problem is you can't fit squat back there!....all style no utility! These boxy Explorers have more room than my semi roomy mid-sized Jeep SUV....the Explorer's my go-to SUV when moving / picking up anything of significant size.... and my off-roader.

 

[J_C]

^ ?? I can fit more in my '14's cargo area than '98, though if I recall correctly, the '14 hatch opening is a few inches wider, but (very few) inches shorter, but the cargo depth is about a foot longer... though the annoying thing about the 5th gen is all the additional gaps when the 2nd/3rd row seats are folded down, not a good place to put a dog for example unless there is cardboard over the entire cargo bay so it can't get its paw/leg stuck in a gap.

 

[EB4X]

Not comparing the newer Larger Explorer's.... but the nissans / hyundais etc... granted most of these fall into the CUV class but even so, like an SUV with 4 doors and a hatch they forfeited any kind of storage / transport room for mere aggressive styling

 

[joney]

Automotive styling goes in cycles and it's all a matter of taste anyhow! When I started driving my '97 ten years ago, I thought it looked dated too. But nowadays I think the 2000 looks dated and the '97 looks almost vintage

I like the 90s styling on a number of SUVs including my Explorer! Just my taste, but the latest styling on a number of SUVs and cars, reminds me of the very early 60s and not sure it will age into a classic style that stays popular...my 2 cents.

 

[CDW6212R]

It is interesting how people prefer different things and change their minds sometimes. I rebuilt my 99 in 2006 when the older Explorers were getting pushed aside for newer stuff. I made my changes for work use, and the lower cost of the parts I had on hand. So the wiring part was the hardest, but my project had the entire truck apart, which made the wiring less trouble. For years I've wanted to update my 99 by swapping the 93 hatch to a 98-01, but for a spare truck now, it's not that big of a deal. I had a fun time trimming a 98-01 tail light to fit onto my 93 body, that I wish I could move away from.