Finally doing the liftgate swap! Need some help on a few things

[BrianDye]

Dont worry guys I already searched, and couldnt find any of the members ive heard about who've done this before.

I found a part out, BLACK explorer sport, he says its a 97, but its got the 99' style hatch and bumper, which is what I want. He told me 45$ for the whole rear bumper, and 80$ for the whole liftgate. I **** myself when I read that, my junkyard would probably want 180$ easy.

So im hopin he can get it tomorrow (He said he'll take the parts off and you just come pick them up unless its mechanical)

I looked into it all myself, and it seems like its gonna be a straight up pretty easy swap (with at least 2 people obviously)

I just have a few questions, mainly about the wiring, and struts.

BlackMounty pointed out to me to remove the 2 bolts on each hinge, rather than taking the pins out, then I just unhook the wire harness obviously.

This is a pic of mine, is the new style gonna line up?

And how do I go about getting the struts off? There doesnt seem to be a bolt or anything...

And are the latches the same?

I just wanna make sure theres not gonna be welding parts on or anything before I buy it.

And as for the wiring, does anyone know a location of a diagram for both years so I can match stuff up, or will it be the same?

Is it gonna be as simple as matching them up, or am I gonna be running new wires & whatnot?

 

[BlackMounty]

Blah blah blah pad pad pad...

I figured out that its just 2 simple pins that hold it on, like a hinge for a home door, just hammer them lightly out, and unhook the wire harness obviously.

This is a pic of mine, is the new style gonna line up?

Why don't you just take out those two 8mm bolts instead of trying to pound out a pin like its a home door?

 

[BrianDye]

Reasons like this make me feel SO stupid, but SO glad to be a member on here, thanks for that idea, I hadnt looked at those, I just assumed that it was welded on the door.




...Damn those must be some strong bolts

 

[Nixthebomb]

Don't touch the pins, did my 99 about a month and a half ago after my wreck, (slight dents and shattered glass) you need to pull some of the headliner back to expose the nuts of the bolt going from hatch through body, remove these, unplug all wiring, then you'll need a second person for this, (prefferably someone who is decently strong/stout) You'll need to remove the other two nuts from the top while they hold it. The HInges have C style clamps, you'll want to save them, unless youre for sure the other guy is keeping them. I suggest you take these off first (just the clips, and don't bump the hinges after that. Oh and the latches should be the same, not for sure though

So...
1. open hatch
2. remove portion of headliner
3. remove two nuts, and unplug all harnesses
4. break lose the nuts from the top of hatch
5. remove hinge clips
6. take off nuts and remove old hatch

Reverse for instalation

Hope I helped, should be able to get pics tomorrow if you like.

BTW I pulled a 98 XLT hatch for my 99 Sport and it was a drop on, any second gen same styled hatch should do. all I had to do was Debadge it, and put it on (all for $50)

 

[BrianDye]

Thanks man, I could have probably figured it out after an hour of trial and error LOL but good to have your help

You should get some pics of it if you have any, and some before/afters.

How was the wiring? (Im concerned about that because I wont have the key to unlock the hatch, so ill be using the fob/buttons up front to unlock it

 

[Nixthebomb]

Wiring for me went perfect, Yah never went back and got a key just too lazy, lol but the power lock works fine, as soon as I put the automatic lock back in my driver door and replace passenger door mechanics getting a remote, but no remote starter for me, Standards

 

[BrianDye]

Woops, I read wrong, I thought you said you had a 97, and after an accident did the upgrade, my bad haha no need for before and after pics :

 

[BrianDye]

Well plans got sh*t on today, im sitting at the table, about 4pm eatin dinner, and I get a call from work, I had the wrong schedule and I was supposed to work 330-730, so since it was 4, I had to work 4-8, but NATURALLY the new girl didnt show up, so I had to stay til 10, which I dont mind, but whatev, anyways I gotta work all day tomorrow too, so I told the guy if he pulls them all, ill come Wednesday and pick them up.

 

[yeah61794]

Yeah I wish I would have done a write up when I did this with my first gen. The rear hatch was tweaked and wouldn't shut right so I took it off and it ended up being the metal where the hinges bolt on to the hatch itself. It was reinforced on the inside but somehow it was still very flimsy. I have to shut my hatch very softly now, otherwise it will get tweaked again. So just a warning, if the second gen doors are anything along the lines of flimsiness as the first are in this spot, be careful of that area and if it gets tweaked, it will weaken and it will be fun to try and get it straight again.

 

[BrianDye]

Thanks for that tip, and yea, I thought the same thing to myself when I was taking those pictures in the first post....HOW the hell does that thin metal hold all that weight LOL.

Here are some pics of the explorer though, I told him Ill probably get the rear windows also, since it would look dumb with mine, plus these ones are BLACK tint, not the ****ty mirrir tint like on mine.

Im going to pick it all up on thursday, around 5ish, I cant wait! Ive wanted todo this seriously since the day I got my first 95, (The old 4 door POS one I had haha)

 

[Glen4X4]

I know Blueka if I spelled his forum name right had done this to his truck.

 

[BrianDye]

Yes he sure did lol thanks for letting me know, I pm'ed him a couple questions about the wiring, dang tomorrow and thursdays gonna go soooo slow now LOL

 

[blueka]

the arms are easy to get off, there's like a little metal clip around the plastic ends, lift it up slightly and it'll pop off.
You need the rear glass, the older model glass is different. Take the door as a whole, by undoing the bolds under the roof lining, make sure you get the key for the back lock too.
unplug the wiring harness, you'll also need some pipe to extend the pipe for the rear washer.

Si

 

[BrianDye]

Yea, im getting everything, already got one taillight, so im getting:

Other side taillight
Liftgate (with glass and wiper and everything)
Rear side glass
Rear bumper
(and all the little nuts and bolts lol)

I was wondering about that too, thanks for letting me know about the wiper hose, the squirter is built into the wiper arm right? Best design ever if you ask me haha.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Nixthebomb]

Yep, though you may have to tweak the arm so it comes up ever time, as well as makes contact with glass. Easy thing to do though

 

[blueka]

make sure you have help doing this.... Don't attempt it by yourself like I did, cos you'll bend the door and it will NEVER sit straight!!!!


Si

 

[BrianDye]

Yep, though you may have to tweak the arm so it comes up ever time, as well as makes contact with glass. Easy thing to do though

Yea, I remember reading a while back about a recall or something on that style rear wiper not getting the whole window, I hope the guy has the key somewhere that I can get for the rear hatch lol

 

[BrianDye]

I am so pissed right now, I got a text from his number, saying

"(random numbers and letters) ..sorry

let me know if you still want the rear bumper and taillight so I can start working on that"


I asked him to resend it, and I am going to bust a NUT if he says he sold the gate already. I will scream at the top of my lungs.

 

[section525]

I asked him to resend it, and I am going to bust a NUT if he says he sold the gate already. I will scream at the top of my lungs.

:shifty_ey

 

[BrianDye]

:shifty_ey

Okay?



Anyways,
I just got his text again, he said someone hit it and theres a ding in it now, and im guessing its really bad. Im gonna ask him to send a picture of it if he can