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Replacing the back glass

you can gently push it out with the weathertrip attached, then change it over to the replacement and slowly work the weatherstrip back in through the liftgate opening so it "pinches" the liftgate
 
Here's the easy way to do this. Install the weatherstrip on the new glass, and thread thin rope or thick strinig (about 1/4 inch is good for this) into the outer groove of the weatherstrip gasket. Make the piece of string long enough so that it crosses itself and leaves a couple of little tails at one corner. Now lay the glass on top of the open hatch, and get underneath it. Try to work a little of the gasket over the lip of the hatch, where the string tails are located, just to get it started. As soon as it has begun to engage, carefully start pulling one end of the string out of the gasket. As it comes out it will pull the gasket over the lip of the hatch.

The gasket on the XJ is not terribly tight, so it's pretty easy to get on and off.
 
Matthew Currie said:
Here's the easy way to do this. Install the weatherstrip on the new glass, and thread thin rope or thick strinig (about 1/4 inch is good for this) into the outer groove of the weatherstrip gasket. Make the piece of string long enough so that it crosses itself and leaves a couple of little tails at one corner. Now lay the glass on top of the open hatch, and get underneath it. Try to work a little of the gasket over the lip of the hatch, where the string tails are located, just to get it started. As soon as it has begun to engage, carefully start pulling one end of the string out of the gasket. As it comes out it will pull the gasket over the lip of the hatch.

The gasket on the XJ is not terribly tight, so it's pretty easy to get on and off.
Click to expand...
What about using some sort of a sealant? Is it needed? I just pulled the defrost one from my 98 to go into my 97 and the damn thing was so glued in I nearly broke it in half trying to separate it from the hatch.
 
Kejtar said:
What about using some sort of a sealant? Is it needed? I just pulled the defrost one from my 98 to go into my 97 and the damn thing was so glued in I nearly broke it in half trying to separate it from the hatch.
Click to expand...

I don't know about the newer ones, but that kind of gasket is not supposed to need sealant, and I've never found it necessary. That should apply to the side glass too.

If you have a broken one and a good one, or if you know you'll only ever need one, the best way to do the job is to save the gasket from the broken one and sacrifice the gasket on the good one.
 
Yes, thats what I did, sacrificed the new on and used the old one. In fact getting new glass out of another jeep was so easy I am going back to the junkyard and getting two tinted ones instead of the clear ones I have.
 
theschwarz1 said:
Yes, thats what I did, sacrificed the new on and used the old one. In fact getting new glass out of another jeep was so easy I am going back to the junkyard and getting two tinted ones instead of the clear ones I have.
Click to expand...

I know this thread is 4 years old, but rather than start a new one.....

I'm heading to the junkyard tomorrow, is it really this easy? Just push the old one out with your hands?? Should you start at a particular corner, push from outside/inside? Thanks for any additional tips :)

I'll be looking at 84-96s btw.
 
I usually start at a top corner, hatch open. Or, if you have a friend have to closed and push out while your friend is on the outside and can catch/grab it.
 
PhotographerMike said:
I've taken several out by myself using a couple of flat screwdrivers.
Click to expand...

Most likely I'll be by myself...did you pry from the outside or inside? I'm thinking of trying to push from the outside so if it *does* fall it will be a short fall to the floor instead of the ground outside.

Also, are all of the defroster wires soldered directly onto the glass?
 
Pry from the outside starting from a corner. If you've ever changed a bicycle tire you should be fine.
To disconnect the defroster you will need to pull the inside hatch panel. There are connectors on both sides behind the panel.
( If you have a third brake light remove the two screws and undo the wire connector first.) If you want to save some of the panel "clips", use your screwdrivers and start at the sides, then the bottom and carefully pry it off. The top of the panel is hooked over a lip, when you get the clips loose whack on the bottom and pop it up and off.

Good luck.
 
PhotographerMike said:
Pry from the outside starting from a corner. If you've ever changed a bicycle tire you should be fine.
To disconnect the defroster you will need to pull the inside hatch panel. There are connectors on both sides behind the panel.
( If you have a third brake light remove the two screws and undo the wire connector first.) If you want to save some of the panel "clips", use your screwdrivers and start at the sides, then the bottom and carefully pry it off. The top of the panel is hooked over a lip, when you get the clips loose whack on the bottom and pop it up and off.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Well I had already went to the yard before this post :) Thanks though! The one I found (lucked out, only *1* in the whole place had tint AND defrost)...anyway the trim inside was already off, and I couldn't see connectors anywhere. I just snipped the wires leaving about 4 inches or so on them..I'll just solder them onto mine. I found it easier to push the gasket through on the upper left corner from the inside. All went well, but I haven't replaced mine yet. Oh and I also got a couple *strong* struts for 5 bucks each (glass was only 20!).

I took the struts off first, then used a FORD bumper to prop the hatch up while I worked on getting the glass out :D
 
I'm glad I found this thread. My 98 trail rig has the dark tinted glass, but my 97 DD has the regular glass.

If you are by yourself, what's the best way to remove the glass? Open the liftgate and start pushing from a corner? I'm assuming it doesn't take much pressure.

For the back side windows, is it pretty much the same procedure? Do you have to remove the side trim?

Lastly, the back side windows. From reading haynes, with the window rolled up, there are bolts you can take out where the window is held in the tray & pull up. Has anyone done this and is there any issue because the glass is curved a bit or getting it out of the side tracks? Also, the rear portions of the back windows that do not roll down. How do they come out?

Normally I wouldn't bother swapping, but I sorta want the tinted windows in the back & I can't see a reason to shatter them on the trail.
 
1984-1996 rear tailgates are fiberglass and the rear windows have rubber gaskets just like the cargo area side windows. They can be removed and installed as noted above.

1997-2001 have steel tail gates and the tailgate glass is glued in place just like the front windshield. You will need a new plastic trim piece and a tube of window glass adhesive. This job should be done by a professional glass technician for best results.

On the rear doors, the smaller fixed glass is bolted in place and should be removed to give you room to remove and install the movable glass.
 
Tim_MN said:
1997-2001 have steel tail gates and the tailgate glass is glued in place just like the front windshield. You will need a new plastic trim piece and a tube of window glass adhesive. This job should be done by a professional glass technician for best results.

On the rear doors, the smaller fixed glass is bolted in place and should be removed to give you room to remove and install the movable glass.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. How do the side windows in the cargo area come out?
 
This is how to do it--start lifting the rubber and slowly work it over the lip, then keep walking the screwdrivers around the edge

Glass_Removal.jpg


The same method works for the old-style hatch and the cargo windows

If you go too fast or use too much muscle you'll break the glass
 
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