This weekend some douchebag threw a beer bottle through the rear window of my Runner. Not even deserved, didn't even know the guy. Didn't catch him either. :mad3: :mad3: :mad3:

But I digress. My question is, has anyone replaced the rear glass on a first gen 4Runner? I took all the trim and shiat off the tailgate, to clean out all the glass. I found the window runner (the piece the window sits in) all rusted to shit, and it broke just from me moving it around with the vacuum.

Seems to me it would be damn near impossible to get a new one in since the tailgate is spot-welded shut. Would it be possible to replace all that stuff, or should I just replace the whole tailgate?

Thanks, TG

P.S. Death to stupid vandals!!!! :mad3:

I smashed my buddies on accident. Just bought him a new tailgate 150-200$ or so. not to bad.

If you can find a tail gate cheep then go for the whole thing but make sure it works.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Looks like I'll be scouring the junkyards. Thanks! TG

My X threw a Mickey's 40 threw my rear window one time. I'm not sure exactly how you would have to replace it with your runner, but good advice is to do it right. I thought I could just go to pick 'n' pull and shove the piece of shit in. As soon as the rainy season started it leaked like crazy. I heard you have to use a string or something? That same X is replacing a front window in his Chevy he took wheeling and smashed the window on a tree. Has anyone ever heard of this string trick? :confused:

I have heard of that, but I'm not 100% on how it works. I think you put the string into the window trim and install the window, and when you pull the string out, it pulls the trim out with it creating a better seal. :confused:

On the 4Runner, though, I don't know how to install the piece the window sits in. It's about as wide as the tailgate, and there is no way to get it in there w/o cutting something.

Ya, I had an '84 runner. Does yours have the electric back window that rolls down? That would be hard to get out. Was it rolled all the way up when the bottle hit it? There has got to be a way you can replace the window without replacing the whole tailgate.

Also, this may help: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299775

Yup, the window was rolled up when it hit. It is the electric kind that rolls up & down. The replacing of the window wouldn't be a problem, but the railing the window fit into (inside the tailgate itself) was rusted to shit and broke when I was cleaning it out. That's the part I think would be too much of a hassle to replace.

That other thread had an idea though. Make a flip up window. I might just bag it and wait 'till I can get/make a soft top. :D