Surely it's been contemplated or discussed before.

I was wondering if would be possible to mount a nice lift-up rear window with hydraulic struts on on the roof in place of the tailgate mounted rear glass. Obviously anything is possible if your wallet's fat enough, but something doable on a $300-400 budget.

It would be cool to eliminate the weight and complexity of the stock window/hardware/motor. And theoretically weatherstrip it so rain doesn't get in the tailgate. And possibly wire up some of that fancy defrosting glass.

Maybe the back window and hardware from a pick-up topper as a starting point? Didn't some Explorers or Expeditions or Suburbans have that type of horizontally split rear hatch/tailgate?

Anybody else kicked this idea around?

 

It would be pretty tricky to do with the way the top of the rear is. On most flip up style windows that I know of, the hinge is almost directly on the top edge of the vehicle in the rear, so the window can tilt up with greater leeway in the angle the hydraulics are mounted etc. (if that made any sense)

With the broncos, there is the 4-5" section that the top brake light is on that is vertical. That would make mounting a hinge somewhat difficult on that lip.

Not only that, but on the inside, the top goes up the same amount where the rear cargo light is. This makes it quite difficult to find a reasonable mounting space for the hydraulics since the top isn't level with the opening.

I would think that if this were to be done, the top end would need to be modified significantly where the edge is level with the window opening so that the mounting brackets and hydraulics would be in line with the top of the window. To make any modification like this look professional or reasonably well done would be quite difficult. I don't believe it would be doable in the 300-400 dollar range, but maybe I'm not motivated enough to think of another way it could be done!

 

I was thinking that that's what it needs too, even BEFORE my window was broke. The tailgate glass treatment is the ONLY clunky looking part of my Bronco. It's set too deep, the pillar is too thick there and the opening is too small. It's also a PITA in the rain and we KNOW it's fragile.

Bring it farther out, nearly flush with the rearward most plane of the top, put a corresponding sealing flange on the tailgate, then weld the window slot shut, FOREVER!

OR! Put a sealing flange across the bottom of the roof, making sure that the tailgate can open. It's possible!

Wonder if there is an existing later model hinged glass gate that is similar in profile, size and contour to the Bronco?

I see tops for sale all the time that you could make an attempt at.

 

I marvel at this one. If kept in good repair, the window mechanism is no more complex than some of the power window mechanisms in any other car/truck door. Face it, you have a window motor, the mechanicals and the latching system... same as any other door and its significantly less complicated than a modern driver's side door with copious electrical harnesses and multiple switches. (Try repairing the driver's side door on a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis). If you are enterprising enough, it can even be retrofitted with an auto down/up function. The rear glass was/is available stock with a defrost grid. Relocating the weight of a THIRD piece of glass to the top would frustrate the hell out of someone like me who pulls the top at the first sign of nice weather. The top is heavy enough to begin with.

And just so everyone is aware, the "C" post in the top is as thick as it is because of the internal steel structure does a lot more than just hold the window channel and weather seal. It actually makes the top strong enough to protect passengers in the event of a roll over (which is why its so heavily constructed in that area in the first place).

If you are worried about water getting into the tailgate, replace the weatherstrip. But keep this in mind, the tailgate was designed to "take on" AND "shed" water. (That's the reason for the weep holes in the bottom of it). But then this is no different than any other automotive "door" assembly with a roll-down window mechanism in it. You won't keep water out of any such door assembly; end of story.

Come to think of it, other than the fact that it opens vertically instead of horizontally, the tailgate and glass in our Broncos is really no different than any other door. Maybe I am simplifying it too much but I just don't see the concern over something that can be maintained/repaired far more readily than it can be reengineered. But then maybe thats why no one has done it.

 

I honestly like the window mechanism of the broncos. I have had little issues with it. Sometimes it moves slowly, but I think I just need to grease some stuff up for it to work better. I've had more issues with every other type of rear window mechanism. My mom's 99 explorer hydraulics need to be replaced because it keeps falling on me. The same thing happened to the expedition we had.

I've seen that issues with a lot of the hydraulic opening windows. I've never had motor issues on my tailgate!

 

Yawn.......

 

Meh, I'm just not in love with the stock window. Not a priority just kicking ideas around. Rear window defrost would be really nice.

 

I am in the process of replacing the delrin pins and felt channels in mine but other than the fact that I am getting verticle scratches on the glass, I really am in love with the stock rear window.

Why?

Because when it is 100+F in Sacto. you can roll that puppy down, roll the front windows down (all electric) and back up and push all that hot air out the front windows. One big scoop. Then forward with the AC on and windows up.