Crack in the Tailgate

[04xplr]

I came home yesterday and parked behind my wife's 04 xplr to find that the plastic just below the glass was cracked. Has this happened to many of you?

Is it a costly repair?
Is is a DYI project?

 

[gsmaclean]

I came home yesterday and parked behind my wife's 04 xplr to find that the plastic just below the glass was cracked. Has this happened to many of you?

Is it a costly repair?
Is is a DYI project?

This has been covered here about a thousand times. Try using the search button.

 

[top detailer]

I came home yesterday and parked behind my wife's 04 xplr to find that the plastic just below the glass was cracked. Has this happened to many of you?

Is it a costly repair?
Is is a DYI project?

My wife 04 has the same problem.

 

[dannyb420]

It has been covered many times but in a nut shell, it happens to a great number of explorers and I mean GREAT number. My opinion for the best, easiest and cheapest fix is to find one the same color at a junkyard. Others have tried Bondo but I am not sure how stable that will keep it. there is also a repair kit you can buy that replaces just that peice. Search and you will find alot

 

[cuspid]

Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huPRBzqF1zc

 

[abarkl]

Buy it from their eBay store for $204 shipped instead of $229 from their web site!

 

[cuspid]

There rating is not that good on ebay. 90%

 

[abarkl]

But it's independent of their tailgate part sales.

 

[fordbluefamily]

Now that guy in the video needs to paint the tailgate below the panel.... The panel from Ford was only like 100 bucks unpainted last time I checked. Just paint it yourself and save even bigger, but do be very careful when removing it. That glass and the hinges at the top of it are not as tough as that video made it seem.

 

[Joey P]

So you take it in to get fixed and they use a rusty, beat up old putty knife to remove that thing? WOW! I would think there would be other damage now, right? I don't have a 3rd gen but could you fiberglass that cracked piece back together and then repaint it? What function does this piece serve for the tailgate?

 

[fordbluefamily]

Its just a cosmetic overlay. It cracks due to thermal expansion and some of them rub at the bottom when opening/closing. When they crack, the plastic goes back to the shape it wanted to be in the first place. I have a 1/8 inch gap all the way down mine, it would need filler material, and even then it would be hard to make look right. Cheaper and easier in the end just to replace it.

 

[abarkl]

I have explorered my options and think $204 plus 30 minutes of my time is worth it to return it to factory condition. Mine also has a few other scratches from the backside of the wiper blade when the local car wash brushes pulled it down and then around.

 

[fordbluefamily]

Guess I will throw it out there. I have a local guy with laser cutters and CNC stuff and he is going to try to make me an overlay from either aluminum, brushed or polished or whatever, or one out of diamond plate, heck even stainless. It will either be as wide as the handle opening below it, or as wide as the entire panel, depending on how someone wants their truck to look. It will have a cutout for the emblem. I could get it painted or do some kind of texture to it like truck bed coating. It will be a double sided tape install and once he gets production going, I wouldn't expect the cost to be too awfully high. Less than a new panel.
This will cover the crack in mine and it will never crack again

 

[shoo]

Any news on where to buy that does not cost an arm and a leg?
Looks like it is just one company all these years of complain.

 

[Kovalchuk]

Guess I will throw it out there. I have a local guy with laser cutters and CNC stuff and he is going to try to make me an overlay from either aluminum, brushed or polished or whatever, or one out of diamond plate, heck even stainless. It will either be as wide as the handle opening below it, or as wide as the entire panel, depending on how someone wants their truck to look. It will have a cutout for the emblem. I could get it painted or do some kind of texture to it like truck bed coating. It will be a double sided tape install and once he gets production going, I wouldn't expect the cost to be too awfully high. Less than a new panel.
This will cover the crack in mine and it will never crack again

any updates on this project?

 

[fordbluefamily]

I got sent on a little trip for 6 weeks (military) so as soon as I return back home, I will run the truck down to the guy to get something finalized. I will let you all know as soon as I get back and get this thing going. I really want to see this succeed.