Swap in lift glass on BII?

[MJ'sBlkBII]

Has anyone done this? *CopyKat* How was it done how difficult? I can get the parts from the local P-N-P, but it has been impossable to find a lift gate with this in good condition. I need a new lift gate since mine is warped so badly it won't latch on the left side. I have found good ones with the wiper, power lock, and tire carrier. So thinking just get one of these and bolt on the lift glass and be all set...

 

[BlackBII]

Well, you need the two hinges and the latch...so if you need a new hatch anyway, your best bet would be to buy the hatch that has the lift glass on it, and swapping it on.

 

[AllanD]

The wiper/defogger and openable glass are mutually exclusive options.

AD

 

[Beanmachine7000]

I have a wiper/defogger on my BII, I'm going to try and see if I can make it work on my opening Explorer lift gate glass... At least the wiper...

 

[CopyKat]

Has anyone done this? *CopyKat* How was it done how difficult? I can get the parts from the local P-N-P, but it has been impossable to find a lift gate with this in good condition. I need a new lift gate since mine is warped so badly it won't latch on the left side. I have found good ones with the wiper, power lock, and tire carrier. So thinking just get one of these and bolt on the lift glass and be all set...

All I did was mark where the holes needed to be drilled. Drilled holes and put rivnuts in where needed. I've never had one pull out yet.

You can install the lift glass in any hatch, just need to get creative if you keep the wiper like I did.

For my wiper I cut the rear arm for the shaft spline, and cut a front one for the wiper arm. Welded the two together with a bend to clear the T-handle. To get the wiper blade on the bottom of the wiper arm, I twisted the flat part on the arm 180°. I then took a front wiper blade and cut it down so that it would clear the handle on the bottom and the hinge on the top. To help the blade clear the gap between the hatch and window. I filled the gap with a closed cell foam tape I had.

 

[MJ'sBlkBII]

The wiper/defogger and openable glass are mutually exclusive options.
AD

I am aware of that. I don't mind loosing the defoger. I thought it would be nice to keep the wiper though.

so if you need a new hatch anyway, your best bet would be to buy the hatch that has the lift glass on it, and swapping it on.

I haven't been able to find decent hatches with the lift glass, but I can find the replacement matching my current, so it brought me to this idea.

Thanks for the tech CopyKat. Doesn't this make ME the copycat though?