Rear Window Fix/Install Step-by-Step, get rid of rattles and leaks Options

[Eric_Shea]

Hi Gang,

If you’ve got a rattling or leaking rear window fix it and fix it now. Leaks allow water to go straight down the firewall behind the back pad and it ends up sitting in puddles under your carpet. Ever wonder why they sell “rear half” floor pans? I just finished up installing the interior after re-installing my rear window. This procedure is fairly easy yet a bit more involved than it seems so I decided to do a Step-by-Step to help others understand what’s needed and what’s involved.

Tools and Supplies

 Regular Phillips Screwdriver
 Short Phillips Screwdriver
 17mm Socket and Ratchet or Open-End Wrench
 10mm Socket and Ratchet (for early models with fixed seat)
 .024 Gauge Electric Guitar String –or-Windshield Knife
 1” Putty Knife
 Butyl Tape (NAPA #4196)
 Electrical Tape

Step 1: Remove Interior Pieces. You’ll need to remove the interior pieces surrounding the rear window. This would be the top roll bar pad. The side roll bar pads and the back pad. Pop the little round access covers off to get at the screws. Use the regular and short phillips to get at everything. Remember, there’s screws on the bottom of the roll bar pad as well. The 17mm socket or wrench is used to get the seat belt bolts out which hold in the side pads.

If you have an early car with a stationary passengers seat, pull up the seat cushion from the rear and remove it. You should see (2) 10mm bolts toward the front of the seat. You’ll also have (4) 10mm nuts on either side of the seat bottom. Remove those and lift the seat bottom out of the car.

If you have a later car you simply slide the seats forward or remove them altogether for an easier job.

Now you’ll see 4 screws (2 on each side) at the bottom of the pad. You want to remove those as well. Don’t go yanking on the pad just yet, you need to remove the light (clips on the side) and disconnect the wires. You’ll also need to unscrew the engine lid release handle and unscrew the base for the handle. Now the pad should be ready for removal. Pull from the bottom and let the top of the pad slide down out of its retainers.

Now is a good time to clean up any loose vinyl (ever notice that vinyl and butyl are spelled really weird?). Water and age loosens up the adhesives on the back of the pad. Clean up any old adhesive and apply 3M spray trim adhesive to re-tack the vinyl down with.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 2: Remove the Glass. I’ve never had a problem removing the rear glass myself but others have needed the guitar string or a windshield knife. The window should basically pop inward toward the interior of the car. Position yourself inside the car and have a hand on the glass while you reach over the roll bar and push with the other hand. They usually pop right out. It’s not all that heavy but it is awkward so handle with care.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 3: Remove the Old Butyl Tape and Clean it all Up. Use a 1” putty knife to clean up the old butyl tape. If it’s old tape then it should be fairly stiff. This stuff usually comes out fairly easily. Be careful not to lose the rubber mounts that the glass sits on. There should be 2 rubber pads about 3” long and ¼” wide that sit on the shelf where the glass was. You’ll need these for the installation. Clean the glass and clean the area where the butyl tape was. I like a product called “Goof-Off” but there’s plenty of heavy duty cleaners and removers out there. Bug and Tar remover is basically the same thing. This is a great time to replace the window to engine seal. They’re about $45.00 so be prepared if you want to go this route.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 4: Install the Butyl Tape. I started in the passengers upper corner. If there were going to be a seam in my butyl tape I’d want it there. Water will have a hard time getting to that location. This stuff is sticky. The upper and side areas will be seen after the install so make sure you press the tape in evenly and smoothly. Press it directly into the corner of the mounting area.

[Eric_Shea]

Started...

[Eric_Shea]

Half Way There...

[Eric_Shea]

Step 5: Re-Install the Glass. This can be a bit tricky because the tape (as mentioned before) is quite sticky. First install the rubber mounts on the ledge the window will sit in. The butyl tape will help hold them in place. Make sure the glass is set back in at the proper orientation. For mine the VW logo was readable from the inside and just above and behind the drivers headrest. Make sure the glass is sitting on the rubber mounts and press firmly all the way around.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 6: Tape the Bottom Edge of the Glass. I used electrical tape just as the factory did. Use the rubber seal on the other side of the window as a guide and run the tape from edge to edge along the bottom. I used two rows to get the desired effect.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 7: Reinstall the Interior Pieces. Excellent time to do a thorough cleaning of the vinyl and carpets. Vacuum out those areas that have never been vacuumed etc. Enjoy your new watertight, rattle free view.

[qa1142]

Yep
did this in June. Took about 2.5 hours with taking interior in and out.

easy job.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[tod914]

The butyl tape with the foam core is a better product to use. The old style melts in the hot sun, and the window can slide around. There is also a product that you can get at a glass shop that helps the tape bond to the glass and body. Clear for the glass, and black for the body, sorry forget the name but they will know when u ask them.

[BGman]

Thanks Eric for the great post- very timely for me since I removed the glass last week.

I have read your step 6 about the electrical tape mentioned in some older posts....but never understood it. What is the purpose? Do you wrap it around the bottom edge of the glass before installing the glass to the butyl? That doesn't seem right. Do you use it to tape the bottom edge of the glass to the body??? Why?? Is it simply cosmetic?

Tod- any better description than "butyl tape with foam core"?

Again, thanks guys.
-g

[tod914]

I went to a glass shop and the guy gave me the tape and the adhesive products to use. The butyl is a foam core with the sticky black stuff on the outside. I don't have the exact name, sorry. 1/4" I think I used. BTW nice job with the pictures Eric.

[Eric_Shea]

I have read your step 6 about the electrical tape mentioned in some older posts....but never understood it. What is the purpose? Do you wrap it around the bottom edge of the glass before installing the glass to the butyl? That doesn't seem right. Do you use it to tape the bottom edge of the glass to the body??? Why?? Is it simply cosmetic?

If you look at the picture in step 7 you can see how the back pad mates to the rear window. If you look at the picture in step 5 you can see the area that would be left exposed if you didn't run the tape. "I believe" the electrical tape was simply cosmetic in the sense that it will prevent one from looking through the rear window (from outside the car) and seeing "behind" the back pad. Let's face it, it's not going to stop any leaks. If it weren't there you would probably be able to see a bit of the cardboard and vinyl work on the backpad. From inside it cosmetically covers the butyl tape under the window. The sides and top are covered by the pads. There are areas (vents by the seat belts) that are visually open. The factory put a couple of vinyl pieces on the firewall to hide it in those areas as well.

[Root_Werks]

Very nice posts on this job! Thanks! Most of my customers that come in, I can tap there rear window "Oh, looks like you could have that rear seal replaced." It is a straight forward job. I also usually wind up the seat belts as much as I can for people. Put a little more pull back into the belts. Once you do a few of them, you can do a clean seal replace and belt spring re-tension in under an hour no problem. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[red914]

nicely written. just did it myself this summer, but could have benefited from seeing this before i did it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

ROOT, how does one tighten the seatbelts? if you wanted to write a post on that, you would have one very interested reader right here! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)

[Root_Werks]

nicely written. just did it myself this summer, but could have benefited from seeing this before i did it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

ROOT, how does one tighten the seatbelts? if you wanted to write a post on that, you would have one very interested reader right here! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)

Piece-O-Cake.

There is not a good picture on this thread, so yeah, I will do a new thread on this some time, why not? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

When you have the backpad off, you can get to both seat belt winders. Unwind them all the way until you reach the end of the belt. Hold the winder in place, it isn't very strong. Push the belt through the winder, as in back through. It might be sort of stuck in there a little, use a little screwdriver to help it if needed. You will notice a metal pin going through a loop at the very end of the belt you just pushed through. Remove it and pull the belt out of the winder. Wind up the winder being careful not too much! It will stop when you have reached the end of the spring. Normally I can get another 3-4 turns of the winder before the spring stops it. It isn't a fix for tired seat belts, but you just added more tension to them and it helps. Most of the time the seat belts almost, mind you almost go up by themselves!

Just something I do while I am in there sort of thing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Eric_Shea]

You won't find a good picture of retractable seatbelts in a 914-6 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Root_Werks]

You won't find a good picture of retractable seatbelts in a 914-6 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Oh get all technical on me now! Yeah, you won't find a rectractable seat belt on a 914-6 unless someone added it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[charlesmac]

I used the 3M Windo-weld primer, part no. 08643, when i did mine a few years, actually several years ago. It says it "promotes adhesion of the sealer and helps protect the metal from rusting." Also can be used on the window. I made sure not to use too much on the window, just a strip as wide as the tape. no leaky yet.

charles