I hope someone can offer some advice. My tailgate window will not move at all. I have tried to use the key in the tailgate, and have tried to use the dashboard switch. Nothing!! I bought this truck from the original owner, and he said that he replaced the motor for the window about 2 years ago. Do you think that it went bad? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have another question, sorry to bother you. Can the top be taken off w/o it being a pain in the butt?, and if you do take it off, will there be a chance of it leaking more when you do replaced the top? I have heard that people take them off all the time and would love to take mine off. Thanks again for any advice.

 

If you get in the back and take the back cover plate off of the tailgate from the inside, you can try to jump the battery by hooking it up directly to a car batery, if that doesn't work(which it didn't for mine!) you can then take out the 4 bolts at the top up by the glass that hold the glass to the bracket. The glass should slide right down,(be careful it will break) and then you can let the tailgate down and put in a new motor.


As for your other question, no it is going to be somewhat of a pain to get the top off, but if you do and it hasn't been off in awhile, you should look into replacing the weather stripping because it will leak.

 

Do a searh on this Bronco forum and use the word TAILGATE.... there are a ton of hits. A very common (Ford better idea problem).

Bob

 

Check the relay that tells the motor not to run if the gate is open. Mine was stuck open and would not allow me to operate the rear window from the front switch or the rear key. My latch relay went bad and I simply cut the two wires leading to the relay and spliced the two together to bypass that relay all together. The relay is located just about the keyhole inside the gate towards the outside corner.

If that doesn't work check your switch on the instrument panel. My switch never worked for me and when I opened it up I found out why. They were made very poorly. Both contacts inside the switch have to be grounded in order for the rear key to drive the motor. Mine were not and I was stumped as to why I could no longer lower the motor with the key. Turns out both contacts were making contact with the ground inside the switch. So, after looking high and low on the internet for another switch I soldered the two connections together and voila! I can now operate the window with the rear key with no problems but am unable to use the switch up front until I find a replacement.

As far as the removable top goes I have had mine off since March (it hasn't rained in South TX for quite some time now so I have no worries) and love riding in my convertible off road machine. My daughters love to ride in the back with the top off and enjoy the wind and scenery. When I put it back on to wash the truck or if there is a possibility of rain I put it back on and haven't had any leaks (even in the high pressure car wash). Be careful when taking it off and have at least one other person with you because it is heavy. Take the window panels off and remove the screws from the top and it should slide right off the back. Good luck and have fun. Let me know if either of my suggestions with the window worked out for you.

KJ