The notorious rear window

[teamspdm]

Heya,

Well, I just bought a '79 XLT for a steal, but the back glass was missing. I've found a place to replace it for cheap, and a friend and I opened the tailgate and vacuumed out all the broken glass inside. Now, the motor works, you can hear it humming away, but it doesn't seems to be catching and moving the arms inside the tailgate. Friend suggested it'd engage with the weight of the window on it, but I'm not convinced. Any chance the gear is mangled? Looks like one of the little plastic wheels that the window carriers slide on is missing also.

Part II, was thinking of avoiding the whole mess of new glass (and the possibility that the new sheet may shatter inside like the old one definitely did), of trying to make a plexiglass replacement. Anyone tried anything like this? Anyone have any ideas where I'd find a template for something like that?

 

[95 buckin bronco]

well im not an expert on these older trucks but if its built anything like the newer ones i would have to say the motor was installed incorrectly.the motor has a gear that catches the lagers gears(dont know what they are called), but sounds to me the motor is turnin but not catchin anything then either not installed correctly or those other larger gears are brokin but u would see if those are brokin because they are big and out there now once again this only is true if the rear glass is built the sameway as the newer 95s thats the only back window i have had to replace. i know my languge is hard to understand what ith the larger gears and what not so if u get confused upon readin this just let me know and ill try to get pics and point out what im sayin.

 

[teamspdm]

I think I know what you mean. The big gears are visible on the outside (kind of a butterfly shape, though it seems like the wrong word for such a beastly truck). I can also see (by looking in the slot where the glass is supposed to come through) a smaller gear turning. I'm guessing that maybe whatever links the two (presumably some other gear) may be stripped or something? I'll have to stare at it a while longer, though I'm hoping there's an answer easier than messing around in that rather cramped space inside the tailgate.

 

[95 buckin bronco]

yes that is what im talking about aslo i was thinking inside that motor there is little balls those little balls need to be in contact or else the gear will not turn if those are busted u can put little nuts that are the same size in there more explination is somewhere on this form ill have to look really hard for it if u bought the motor brand new this should not be the case but the rebuilt ones i could see how someone would put the old motor on the shelf as rebuilt so that might be somethin u would want to look into.just lower the tailgate look into where the motor gear is and see if it turns the glass dosent have to be out for this but it sure helps and sense u already have everything apart it not that hard lol.if the motors spins but the gear dosent i would drop 100 bucks on that what the problem is.

 

[Foul Al]

Heya,

Well, I just bought a '79 XLT for a steal, but the back glass was missing. I've found a place to replace it for cheap, and a friend and I opened the tailgate and vacuumed out all the broken glass inside. Now, the motor works, you can hear it humming away, but it doesn't seems to be catching and moving the arms inside the tailgate. Friend suggested it'd engage with the weight of the window on it, but I'm not convinced. Any chance the gear is mangled? Looks like one of the little plastic wheels that the window carriers slide on is missing also.

Part II, was thinking of avoiding the whole mess of new glass (and the possibility that the new sheet may shatter inside like the old one definitely did), of trying to make a plexiglass replacement. Anyone tried anything like this? Anyone have any ideas where I'd find a template for something like that?

dude... welcome to the zone!... please be aware of people telling you that you can put NUTS in places where BALL BEARINGS GO! heres what you NEED to do. take off the inner tailgate panel( there should be 6 or 8 screws ) then you will see on YOUR right side, an electrical plug. take a battery and some wire,cut the wire into two (2) 8'' pieces strip the wire on both ends and stick one end of each wire into the electric connection. touch the other ends of the wires to the pos. and neg. terminals of the battery. look and listen to the motor. you should see and hear the motor pushing or pulling the ''arms'' up or down. if you hear the noise and see no movement then you need to remove the motor and replace the gear or replace the whole motor assy. both are easy to do. next check that the (3) three bolts that hold the motor in place are there and tight. next remove the motor from the tailgate and remove the 2 screws that hold the gear cover in place. remove the broken pieces of the gear and DO NOT REPLACE WITH NUTS!!! DO NOT! ( what a stupid idea...) order another gear and replace it. then re-install the motor assy. in the tailgate. the gear that wears out is a nylon type gear and is not long for the world in changing climate. please note that rarely will the motor crap on you but the gear wears out. if you need a working motor with a good gear let me know and i will sell you one at a good price otherwise go to your local yard and look for another bronco and scab that motor. or some later model fords/lincolns have power windows that use the same motor and gear. please don't put nuts in there... thats just ...well.... nuts!? remember.... stupid is as stupid does or something like that! good luck! gimme a shout if you want some REAL advice on how to do this. foul al.