XJ Rear Hatch Lift Or Power Glass?

[DirtySouthXJ]

Hi,

One of my favorite things about 4runners is the power hatch glass, I know it would be very complicated to do and the hatch would have to be heavily modified (license plate recess etc.), so likely not worth it but..Has anyone modded an XJ hatch so the glass hinges and lifts up, made the glass power up/down or anything similar? There is one foriegn aftermarket company (European if I remember correctly) that offers some quarter window mods but I can't remember seeing anything for the hatch. The goal would be to lift the glass and have it stay up with gas struts at a minimum. I do have a spare hatch with glass to play around with. Thank you.

 

[XJlimitedx99]

I've never seen someone do it, but I've always wished the glass raised on XJ's. I used to have a ZJ with the pop-up glass window, and I remember using that all the time.

 

[DirtySouthXJ]

I've never seen someone do it, but I've always wished the glass raised on XJ's. I used to have a ZJ with the pop-up glass window, and I remember using that all the time.

It's been a long time since I've had a good look at a ZJ (rarely see them at all anymore). If I can find one to check out, I will take a good look at how they did the glass. One Idea I had is a lexan window; figure out some kind of seal and make it quick release from the inside, basically be able to remove the window completely whenever weather is good and pop it back in and seal it up when weather isn't good. This might be the easiest way to accomplish the goal.

 

[DirtySouthXJ]

Just found this!

 

[DirtySouthXJ]

I like what he did there but would want to add gas struts, a proper seal and some sort of way to secure it from being opened by anybody passing by.

I might try this out on my spare hatch.

 

[RCP Phx]

It would take a lot of changes/alterations for any kind of roll-up window because the window is taller than the metal portion of the lift gate and a major difference in the glass vs metal angle!

 

[Rob Mayercik]

It would take a lot of changes/alterations for any kind of roll-up window because the window is taller than the metal portion of the lift gate and a major difference in the glass vs metal angle!

Metal on the 97-01 models, fiberglass on the 84-96 ones.

Would also have to address the rear wiper/washer for either. If you wanted to keep it, you'd need to relocate it to the top of the glass for the roll-down idea (and make it park off-glass), or just make it park below the glass for the flip-up idea.

Obviously deleting the rear wiper/washer would be easiest, but I know I'd want to keep mine as it still works and I do use it...

 

[DirtySouthXJ]

Metal on the 97-01 models, fiberglass on the 84-96 ones.

Would also have to address the rear wiper/washer for either. If you wanted to keep it, you'd need to relocate it to the top of the glass for the roll-down idea (and make it park off-glass), or just make it park below the glass for the flip-up idea.

Obviously deleting the rear wiper/washer would be easiest, but I know I'd want to keep mine as it still works and I do use it...

Both of the hatches I have are fiberglass, the spare is from a 84 and the vehicle in question is a 96. I think I'm going to try a lift up window like in that video on my spare hatch and see if I can add gas struts and either a lockable release or interior release for security.

It would take a lot of changes/alterations for any kind of roll-up window because the window is taller than the metal portion of the lift gate and a major difference in the glass vs metal angle!

Yeah, thats what I'm thinking. It would be sweet if an aftermarket company could produce something like that even with different glass/hatch design to make it work, I would definitely by one. I love the power rear windows on the 4runners (and I think Tundra pickups have them too). Much cleaner than a lift up glass setup, especially if you plan to drive with it open (I do).

 

[DirtySouthXJ]

This is slick! Probably could be done with a lexan rear window, looks like the latches might be lockable.

 

[Anak]

It's been a long time since I've had a good look at a ZJ (rarely see them at all anymore). If I can find one to check out, I will take a good look at how they did the glass.

I don't think the lifting glass is present in all ZJs. The VarmintMobile ('97 Laredo) has it, but I think I have seen others in the JY that do not have it.

 

[DirtySouthXJ]

I don't think the lifting glass is present in all ZJs. The VarmintMobile ('97 Laredo) has it, but I think I have seen others in the JY that do not have it.

Speaking of ZJ's I saw a video where the guy swapped over ZJ hatch glass hardware to a WJ side window to do effectively what I'm trying to do. Maybe I can find a ZJ in the yard and swap it to a lexan rear window for my XJ??

 

[Veeb0rg]

I've always wondered about blending something like an explorer rear hatch with an XJ hatch to get the openable glass hatch function. I'm no where skilled enough to pull it off though.