Had my interior partially apart yesterday (replacing door weatherstripping) and noticed that it looks like my rear window has been leaking near the end on the driver's side.

How hard is this to fix, or does all the gasketing around the outside of the window have to get replaced?

Also can you buy replacement glass panels for sliding rear windows at glass shops? The driver's side piece of glass on my rear window has some kind of antenna attached to the glass and going through it...I don't even know what it's for, the cord was just coiled up behind the seat, and I'd like to just get that panel replaced with new glass.

 

You will probably get a better price for the glass at the bone yard but yes, any good glass shop can cut you a window.

As far as the leaking goes, I have seen a few trucks up here in Oregon with the same issue. They used silicone sealant to stop the leaks. Usually it is not the gasket but the metal that is rotted away. I am sure others with more experience on this subject will chime in. Good luck.

 

Is it preferential to have a windshield/auto glass place replace that piece of glass, then?

I've dealt with that kind of seal the rear window has before...where there's a channel for the glass and a channel that fits the body, and it's a pain in the ***.

 

Actually, No.
I called numerous glass shops and the glass cannot be replaced since it is tempered.
It is impossible to cut and shape tempered glass for a rear slider.
Either Lexan or Plexiglas the same thickness or a boneyard is the best bet.

 

I had to get a complete rear slider for my truck when one of my windows broke last year.
I called every glass shop in my area and the glass is tempered.
Ordinary window glass is not a suitable replacement since it does not shatter but instead breaks into jagged peices that can slice a person open.

 

Good point. I forgot about the tempered part. I guess either a bone yard or an auto glass shop would be your best bet.

 

I did remove the one good end peice from the other end of the slider and traced it onto heavy construction paper.
I took it to Home Depot and got a peice of 1/8 inch Lexan which I cut on my neighbors bandsaw to rough shape.
After that I used an angle grinder on it with 120 grit pads to round the edges and bring to final shape.
After that I used 180 grit to polish the edges and remove any burrs, attached my weatherstripping with clear silicone and pushed into place in the frame.
I put the remainder of the frame on and then put on the seal.
During the time I had this whole window apart I cleaned and siliconed the other seals and edges for a tight waterproof seal all around the window.

I still have another slider here I need to do the same with and will be listing it on ebay sometime soon. My 83 F-150 has a factory one, So, This is an extra.

 

Well, by "glass shop" I really meant auto glass shop...and I figured you could buy that piece of the window as a replacement.