Swapping glass

I am thinking about swapping the non tinted glass in my 94 with a set of glass from an 88 Limited i parted a few years ago with tint. From what i read the 84 through 96 glass is all the same correct?

How difficult is it to r&r the rear 1/4 and hatch glass? Doors i guess are simply unbolt and replace.

Rather not spend $200 tinting the 94's glass if i can simply swap and have it leak free.

Assuming nobody has put sealer on them, the rear quarter and hatch glass should be pretty easy.

If you've never done this, the basic procedure is this:

Place the replacement glass in the rubber gasket, and then take a piece of stout string or fine rope (about 3/16- 1/4 inch or so seems to work well) long enough to go once around the groove, plus a bit of overlap, so that there are two tails sticking out. String it so that the tails are near a corner. Now (a helper is handy here) place the glass on the outside of the vehicle, pressed lightly against the opening, while an inside person carefully pulls the string toward him. Start with both tails, to get the corner seated, but then you can continue with a single one until it comes all the way around. The string will pull the inner edge of the gasket over the lip in the body as it goes. If you have no helper, you can sometimes do this if you use lots of duct tape to hold the glass against the window frame, but it's worth trying to round up a second set of hands. They need not be skilled.

The rear hatch is the same, except that you can do this single handed, by just laying the glass on top of the open hatch, and pulling the string. It can be done in about 30 seconds.

Getting the old glass out you have a choice. You can usually press it out carefully from inside, but there's a small risk of breakage. Press, don't pry. If you're replacing broken glass with salvaged glass, the usual practice is to slice the gasket out of the donor vehicle and recycle the gasket from the broken glass. If you're saving all the gaskets, be careful.

Thanks Matthew, i think i'm going to give this a shot.

So I just broke my rear hatch glass, and looking at it it seems like their is some sort of rubber glue, like RTV holding the broken glass in. Do all hatch windows have this?

-Alex

Mine didnt, was real easy to remove and replace the glass/seal.

Hatch was probably the easist of all.

Ba-reido,

My 87 Hatch glass is held in with a rubber gasket, where as the new ones seem to be glued in.

You will need to clean the "glue" off the glass with acetone or something equally as nasty. You will then need windshield adhesive, to put the new one back in.

I think there is also a black rubber trim around the outside of the glass, It may be reusable once it is cleaned up.

Ba-Riedo said:

So I just broke my rear hatch glass, and looking at it it seems like their is some sort of rubber glue, like RTV holding the broken glass in. Do all hatch windows have this?

-Alex

Click to expand...

Yours is the later body style with a metal hatch and the previous answers have been for the earlier fiberglass hatch, rubber gasket only, no glue unless added by a less secure owner.

Anybody have a late Cherokee that can answer this?

Poorboy was correct, I talked to a glass guy today and I think I am going to have to bring it to a shop.

-Alex

I popped my glass out a few weeks ago to check for the infamous fiberglass rot (rubebr leaks) and cracks (none found).

SO I can tell you how to seat the rubber gasket if need be.

As for you newer model guys, a glass shop is your best friend.....

URGENT - 88 Xj Re: Replacing Rear Quarter Glass

I'm going to use this post to solicit a response to my question regarding replacing my damaged left rear quarter window - it was destroyed on my commute to work this morning.

Matthew Currie's response below gives me most of the information I need and even indicates this should be fairly easy for me to accomplish myself. This is good as I have a parts car with good glass!

The remaining question I have is concerned with the window gaskets and getting the good glass out. Clearly, my damaged window and gasket will come out easily. Matt states removing these fixed Xj glass panels is accomplished by gently pushing them out of (not into) the vehicle. Am I likely to be able to remove the good glass without cutting the seal surrounding it?

Pressing only? Perhaps using a piece of wood to distribute the pressure applied to the glass panel is useful?

Any wisdom you can offer is appreciated...I must fix this today and need to do so myself to save the funds.

Thanks,

Rick

Yes, glass gets pushed to the outside to remove.

Pull your trim panel, then gently starting at a lower corner you start pulling the seal up and pushing towards the outside.. over the lip on the body. A few small slim screwdrivers or similar will help hold the seal outside as you work your way across the bottom and up the sides.

Take your time and dont put too much pressure on the glass.

I backed my hatch window into a tree lol!

anyway my 01 was glued in and had a rubber seal that went around it. (looked like mainly for looks)

got the seal at the dealer and the glue at the auto parts store..

goof off works great to clean excess glue. I taped the window in place then raised the hatch ( and propped it)
so gravity helped hold the glass while the glue dried.

pretty shure I got the how to info off of here searching. Even the type of glue (i remember buying a specific type was supposedly better)..

I think all the late model metal hatches are the same way

Re: URGENT - 88 Xj Re: Replacing Rear Quarter Glass

RAVC1 said:

I'm going to use this post to solicit a response to my question regarding replacing my damaged left rear quarter window - it was destroyed on my commute to work this morning.

Matthew Currie's response below gives me most of the information I need and even indicates this should be fairly easy for me to accomplish myself. This is good as I have a parts car with good glass!

The remaining question I have is concerned with the window gaskets and getting the good glass out. Clearly, my damaged window and gasket will come out easily. Matt states removing these fixed Xj glass panels is accomplished by gently pushing them out of (not into) the vehicle. Am I likely to be able to remove the good glass without cutting the seal surrounding it?

Pressing only? Perhaps using a piece of wood to distribute the pressure applied to the glass panel is useful?

Any wisdom you can offer is appreciated...I must fix this today and need to do so myself to save the funds.

Thanks,

Rick

Click to expand...

Back in the dreamtime when our Jeeps ran on steam and had windshields that were unglued, they were pretty tight, and it was pretty much obligatory to cut the gasket of the donor. But the side windows of an XJ are not quite so snug, and you should be able to get yours out if you're careful. But if it seems too tight, you're probably better off cutting the inside flange of the gasket and reusing the one from the broken glass. It's a pain picking out the glass, but it's better than two broken windows.

I had no problem using a few small flathead screwdrivers to work my way around the rear window with CAREFUL prying of the gasket over the lip a bit at a time - no pressure used whatsoever and it worked fine for me. Removed the window with gasket intact and installed in the good XJ using the 1/4" cotton rope soaked in soapy water trick.

to remove the rear side (and 1st gen rear hatch) windows, I use a paint stirring stick to help start getting the gasket out. Its kind of like a fuse; unlike a screwdriver, it will snap before the glass shatters.

Okay. I'm just gonna chime in because some of these procedures listed are incorrect. Old style rubber gasket rear----- as stated, put gasket on glass, then feed quarter inch rope (clothesline, not that shitty blue nylon from Harbor Freight) into pinchweld opening of gasket, with 2-3 inch overlap. Start at bottom center of gasket, all the way around, tape excess to inside of glass. Liberally spray foaming glass cleaner (SprayAway is good, blue and white can, sold at WalMart) or water with some dish detergent around tailgate pinchweld and gasket/glass assembly perimeter. Set gasket/glass assembly into pinchweld opening. Pull rope around one bottom corner and halfway up one side, then do same to other side. Then back to other side, pull rope up side, around top corner, to top center. Then same to other side, finishing at top center. All the while putting pressure on glass (I prefer the spread open handed smack). Starting the rope in the corner is not recommended. Pulling rope in one circular direction is also not recommended. Alternate from side to side, basically pulling rope as 4 seperate sections. If you have a chrome insert in the gasket, make sure that goes in first, before glass/gasket assembly goes in vehicle.------------------
Newer style urethaned in back glass- First and foremost, DO NOT use any chemicals, solvents, Goo Gone, etc. to clean off all of the old urethane. Urethane adhesive sticks best to urethane adhesive. Very bad idea to remove all of the old urethane. If glass is intact and you are saving it, cut off the old moulding, and use a cold knife to remove. If glass is broken, knock as much broken tempered glass off as possible. Use long knife or utility knife to start trimming broken tempered, keeping the tool parallel to pinchweld itself. Once you get it started, pull on the glued broken tempered. This makes it cut MUCH easier. You are trying to leave flat, smooth, thin layer of old urethane on pinchweld. Also, keep in mind any scratches on pinchweld WILL RUST. Very important to cover scratches with pinchweld primer. Also, use same maufacturer adhesives and primers. i.e., don't use Sika Aktivator and 206G+P pinchweld primer with Essex urethane. Stick to Sika or Essex. They're the best ones. 3M, Titan, CR Laurence, - all shit. Urethane is gas permeable, and scratches will rust if left untreated. Use urethane! No silicone, Liquid Nails, mastic, butyl tape, or any other of the myriad of shit I've come across over the years. Mostly attributed to being un-informed. You guys can send me any glass questions you might have. JB ...... NGA, Sika, Essex, and Dow certified 14 year auto glass veteran