5spdman
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- December 2, 2009
- Messages
- 780
- Reaction score
- 129
- City, State
- Stryker, OH
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 91 Explorer XLT
As I discovered recently, many of us suffer from leaking rear quarter panel windows. I was, and it was causing me some problems...not only could I watch water drip into the cargo area, but it was getting behind the trim and causing my siren controller to short out and caused my rear carpet to start growing some fungus..
I had posted to Facebook and got a few answers on how to fix the problem; windshield adhesive, silicone, pay $75 for a shop to do it...none I really liked. What I decided on was using closed cell rubber foam weather strip. This can be found at any home improvement store in a variety of sizes for a pretty cheap price. The closed cell rubber type of the foam listed applications including auto and marine uses (which is what caused me to believe it was a good choice in sealing a window.)
SO, I decided on a how-to. (With the trim already out, I didn't have pictures to go along with this write-up, but I'll explain the steps.)
**2-dr vehicles will be slightly different, but generally the same...having previously owned a Sport model, I'll write down any differences that I can remember.**
Tools you will need:
#2 Phillips screwdriver
9mm socket
17mm deep socket
T-50 Torx bit
Scissors
Sharp utility knife
Can of brake/parts cleaner
Rags
20' Closed-cell sponge-rubber weather strip
(I used foam that was 3/4" wide and 1/4" thick...thickness was good, but something less wide would help in the application)
Tools not necessarily needed:
3-6" extension (for 9mm socket)
Door panel removal tool
Windex
To remove the rear quarter trim, there are a number of fasteners to remove. To start, remove the rear floor trim at the back of the cargo area (6 screws) and remove the carpet. In 4 door models, you'll need to remove the plastic "buttons" on each of the flaps behind the rear seats and unclip the carpet from the flaps; in 2 door models, the carpet will unclip from the front part of the cargo area. Next are the 2 screws near the rear hatch on the side of the trim (both sides), the 3 screws on the floor. There are a number of bottons toward the bottom of the windows and a few above that will also need removed.
Next remove the bolt along the side that hangs the seatbelt in the rear and remove the screws for the "clothes hooks". (This is where I get fuzzy about the 2 door models...can't quite remember what all fasteners are there, but you will need to remove the rear seats, I can tell you that.) You'll also need to remove the nut holding the end of the seatbelt to the floor (17mm socket.) You can now remove the trim.
Next, remove the nuts holding the window to the body using the 9mm socket; there should be about 9 of them. Once you've done this, carefully pull/pry the window out from the top and place on a clean, dry work space (I used a folding table.)
The next step is to clean off all the old stuff from the body...for the most part, it all pulls off pretty well, but with age, the seal strip has shrunk a bit and has left some residue. Carefully scrape as much as you can...I then used an old rag and some brake/parts cleaner (little shot to the rag) and it works rather well to remove the remaining residue from the window opening.
You may not need to make the opening so clean, but I wanted to make sure that nothing got in the way of the new foam making a good seal.
Vehicle prep is now done...off to the window!
There will be some residue left yet on the window, so again, scrape and clean with the parts cleaner. (I took the time as well while the window was out to clean it; hence the Windex...if I was smart, I would have grabbed my bottle of Rain-X anti-fog, but being these windows aren't looked out of often, it was ok.)
With the window clean, I this time took the foam and applied it to the window itself, not the body as it was from the factory.
*NOTE: with only finding 3/4" wide foam, I opted to cut pieces and apply, rather than curving it around the bends...this was to keep it from bunching up in the corners and causing problems sealing. If you choose to go the same route, start the application from the top (running the full width), go down the sides (butted tightly to the top and running to the bottom), and in-between along the bottom.*
Next, I took the utility knife and cut around the bolts coming off the window. This was also to keep any of the foam bunching up in places and keeping the window from sealing properly.
The window is now ready to go back in, just reverse all removal steps.
The 1/4" size of the foam did seem like it kept the window just a smidge more away from the body than before, but the seal is good...I dumped about 5 gallons of water over the window to check and the inside was nice and dry.
Feel free to comment with questions or comments!
I had posted to Facebook and got a few answers on how to fix the problem; windshield adhesive, silicone, pay $75 for a shop to do it...none I really liked. What I decided on was using closed cell rubber foam weather strip. This can be found at any home improvement store in a variety of sizes for a pretty cheap price. The closed cell rubber type of the foam listed applications including auto and marine uses (which is what caused me to believe it was a good choice in sealing a window.)
SO, I decided on a how-to. (With the trim already out, I didn't have pictures to go along with this write-up, but I'll explain the steps.)
**2-dr vehicles will be slightly different, but generally the same...having previously owned a Sport model, I'll write down any differences that I can remember.**
Tools you will need:
#2 Phillips screwdriver
9mm socket
17mm deep socket
T-50 Torx bit
Scissors
Sharp utility knife
Can of brake/parts cleaner
Rags
20' Closed-cell sponge-rubber weather strip
(I used foam that was 3/4" wide and 1/4" thick...thickness was good, but something less wide would help in the application)
Tools not necessarily needed:
3-6" extension (for 9mm socket)
Door panel removal tool
Windex
To remove the rear quarter trim, there are a number of fasteners to remove. To start, remove the rear floor trim at the back of the cargo area (6 screws) and remove the carpet. In 4 door models, you'll need to remove the plastic "buttons" on each of the flaps behind the rear seats and unclip the carpet from the flaps; in 2 door models, the carpet will unclip from the front part of the cargo area. Next are the 2 screws near the rear hatch on the side of the trim (both sides), the 3 screws on the floor. There are a number of bottons toward the bottom of the windows and a few above that will also need removed.
Next remove the bolt along the side that hangs the seatbelt in the rear and remove the screws for the "clothes hooks". (This is where I get fuzzy about the 2 door models...can't quite remember what all fasteners are there, but you will need to remove the rear seats, I can tell you that.) You'll also need to remove the nut holding the end of the seatbelt to the floor (17mm socket.) You can now remove the trim.
Next, remove the nuts holding the window to the body using the 9mm socket; there should be about 9 of them. Once you've done this, carefully pull/pry the window out from the top and place on a clean, dry work space (I used a folding table.)
The next step is to clean off all the old stuff from the body...for the most part, it all pulls off pretty well, but with age, the seal strip has shrunk a bit and has left some residue. Carefully scrape as much as you can...I then used an old rag and some brake/parts cleaner (little shot to the rag) and it works rather well to remove the remaining residue from the window opening.
You may not need to make the opening so clean, but I wanted to make sure that nothing got in the way of the new foam making a good seal.
Vehicle prep is now done...off to the window!
There will be some residue left yet on the window, so again, scrape and clean with the parts cleaner. (I took the time as well while the window was out to clean it; hence the Windex...if I was smart, I would have grabbed my bottle of Rain-X anti-fog, but being these windows aren't looked out of often, it was ok.)
With the window clean, I this time took the foam and applied it to the window itself, not the body as it was from the factory.
*NOTE: with only finding 3/4" wide foam, I opted to cut pieces and apply, rather than curving it around the bends...this was to keep it from bunching up in the corners and causing problems sealing. If you choose to go the same route, start the application from the top (running the full width), go down the sides (butted tightly to the top and running to the bottom), and in-between along the bottom.*
Next, I took the utility knife and cut around the bolts coming off the window. This was also to keep any of the foam bunching up in places and keeping the window from sealing properly.
The window is now ready to go back in, just reverse all removal steps.
The 1/4" size of the foam did seem like it kept the window just a smidge more away from the body than before, but the seal is good...I dumped about 5 gallons of water over the window to check and the inside was nice and dry.
Feel free to comment with questions or comments!
