Rear door glass replacement

[CorbinDallas]

I searched the forums, but couldn't find a good write-up. ARRC login/password doesn't work anymore, and the haynes manual was useless. Rockauto says I need the rear glass from a 91-97 (mines a 96). Some posts for the front door glass suggested i'd have to drill out the rivets.

Anyone have pictures or a video of the process for the back door glass?

 

[koda2000]

Your talking about a 4 door right?
Assuming the '96 is the same as the '00's rear door glass, yes you will have to drill out 2 rivets to release the glass from the window regulator. There are holes near the top of the door that you line up to get a straight shot at the rivets. Before drilling use a punch to knock the center pin out if the rivet. The rivets tend to spin while you're trying to drill them. Use a screwdriver or pliers to hold the back of the rivet to prevent this.

You'll also need to remove the bolt-in lower glass tracks and rubber piece around the window to get enough room to get it out/in. I recently did this on my '01 Sport Trac (Explorer is pretty much the same) and I even removed the small qtr window, which comes out with the rubber. It just pulls out from the door with the window in the down position. It was then quite easy to get the glass out/in.

Tip: Rather than using rivets to hold the new window glass to the regulator, I used small (5/16" ?) grade 5 bolts, washers and nylock nuts. Works great. i don't know why Ford used the damn rivets. They're a PITA to get out.

 

[CorbinDallas]

Thanks Koda, looks like I'll have to buy the whole door and take it home to do this. Trying to drill out the rivets at the wrecker seems like a major pita (probably need a 12v battery to lower the window too)

 

[koda2000]

Thanks Koda, looks like I'll have to buy the whole door and take it home to do this. Trying to drill out the rivets at the wrecker seems like a major pita (probably need a 12v battery to lower the window too)

Well the good news is you get to practice on the donor door. I had a real mess with my rear window, as the PO broke pretty much everything inside my door trying to fix the power window when there was nothing wrong with it (problem was the master window switch) any of the parts that weren't broken were missing. I had to use a piece of 2x4 to hold the window shut while I accumulated all the parts I needed and then figure out how to put it all back together. The glass is glued to a metal piece that's then riveted to the regulator. Last month I had to replace a front window regulator on my daughter's '00 Mountaineer and what I learned fixing my ST's rear window was very valuable. It made it a pretty easy job. One thing I learned was to use Gorilla tape to hold the glass where I needed it while working.

 

[96eb96]

Tip: Rather than using rivets to hold the new window glass to the regulator, I used small (5/16" ?) grade 5 bolts, washers and nylock nuts. Works great. i don't know why Ford used the damn rivets. They're a PITA to get out.

Just be extremely careful not to over-torque ... I learned the hard way on another car. It is not pretty. My glass insurance covered it when I explained what happened. With nylock maybe 5ft/lbs at most. You aren't tightening steel flanges so torque may be difficult to sense. Maybe a drop of lock-tite too. The crown vic service manual mentions you can use bolts, but they specify a low torque.

 

[koda2000]

I tightened my up fairly well (didn't go crazy). Didn't have any problems. You wont need to use Loctite with the nylock nuts, that's kind of the point. After a lifetime of tightening nuts and bolts I've got a good feel for how tight something should be, but do whatever you're comfortable with.

 

[96eb96]

I tightened my up fairly well (didn't go crazy). Didn't have any problems. You wont need to use Loctite with the nylock nuts, that's kind of the point. After a lifetime of tightening nuts and bolts I've got a good feel for how tight something should be, but do whatever you're comfortable with.

Just wanted to warn others . Nothing wrong with bolts, but a warning to others not to go nuts with tightening.