4runner rear window options

[officersdr]

Hey guys I've been lurking for some time around here. I'm getting a 93 4runner in January and the rear window is toast ( for the 3rd time ). The gear keep getting stripped....I don't want to keep pissing around with this window so we have been looking into other manual options.

The 2 options I have found to suit are:

Replace the rear window with a piece of lexan and make it up like a rear window on a truck canopy......So it swings up with shcoks on either side.

Or to replace the rear window with a canvas "window" just on the rear section and have it snapped to the body.

Does anyone have have any other option to get rid of the crappy power rear window.....I would love to see pics too if you have them.

[kjp1969]

The cheapest, cleanest and easiest option would be to replace the entire hatch with one from a parts car, making sure that the window works first, of course.

[officersdr]

Thanks but that unfortunately still leaves a crappy motor'n'stuff......I'm looking for a way to completely eliminate the original rear window and hopefully be water tight too

[J-man]

Weld it shut or get a different rig then. U post a question, someone answers with a legit response, then u shoot it down. ???

Thanks but that unfortunately still leaves a crappy motor'n'stuff......I'm looking for a way to completely eliminate the original rear window and hopefully be water tight too

[john101477]

As was stated above I would look to either replace the tail gate or just replace the window motor. some issues with your other options
1- canvas is easy to cut and get into.
2- just a piece of lexan will not do the trick, it would need to be custom fitted and framed which would cost a good bit.

there are a ton of different window motors on the market, far better to have something that fits properly than to rig it and have it fail.

[officersdr]

Weld it shut or get a different rig then. U post a question, someone answers with a legit response, then u shoot it down. ???

I appriecate the repsonse but I wanted to explain that I know the easiest way is to replace it, but I don't want to keep doing that every so often. I'm looking for a replacement option for the entire rear window

[98roamer]

Instead of lexan, you could just use the glass and keep/secure it permanently in the up position. This would remove the motor issue but it does also remove the ability to open it independence from the hatch.

[nely]

I dunno how much work is involved, but you could replace the 4runner tailgate with one from a truck. And frame in your lexan popup idea.

Maybe try to use glass instead of lexan, although i dunno what a custome cut piece of glass will cost.

Also if you have to keep replacing the motor, either it isnt a factory piece and its crap or theres a problem with your regulator/widnow track causing the motor to work harder and strip gears.

[kjp1969]

Thanks but that unfortunately still leaves a crappy motor'n'stuff......I'm looking for a way to completely eliminate the original rear window and hopefully be water tight too

Water tight plus locking plus operable will be a challange for anyone. Look at all the pickup cap tops, factory engineered, that don't tick all of those boxes very well.

Unless this is a known and unfixable problem with 4runners, its likely that something in your hatch is broken or bent leading to binding and ruined gears. I'd try a hatch swap before investing a ton of money or time into a jerry-rigged solution. If that doesn't work, I'd weep while I glued the window glass to the weatherstrip and made it sealed, but non-op.

I have a Bronco and Sequoia and the roll-down back window is a feature I wouldn't want to give up.

[Martinjmpr]

Instead of lexan, you could just use the glass and keep/secure it permanently in the up position. This would remove the motor issue but it does also remove the ability to open it independence from the hatch.

That won't work for him because this is a 2nd gen 4runner. The 1st and 2nd gen 4runners had a drop-down tailgate with a rolldown window. If the window isn't in the fully lowered position, the tailgate will not open at all.

If it was a 3rd gen, then it would be easy - put the window up and leave it up. Heck, most vehicles with 1 piece lift-gates don't have a roll down rear window so you wouldn't be losing much.

But with the 1st or 2nd gen, losing that rear window means losing the entire rear hatch.

To the OP: Realistically I think your options are limited. Possibly you could modify the tailgate with one from a pickup but that would probably be costly and require a lot of work. A canvas flap with a window would be the cheapest way to go but obviously you would have no "security." Still, it would work. I would say hit up a company that manufactures boat canopies or covers, they are used to fabricating canvas or vinyl tops, and should be able to come up with something that snaps shut and is weather tight (well, as weather tight as you can get.)

Or, just get a more reliable motor. Honestly, I see lots and lots of 2nd gen 4runners around here (CO) and I imagine if the tailgates were a problem I'd see a lot fewer of them on the road. You may live in a wetter climate that is harder on the components.

One final thought - it would require some fabrication, but how about seeing if you could put a manual crank on the window regulator? Maybe find something off of an old station wagon or wagon-type SUV. I'll bet it could be done you would just need to do a lot of fabricating of gears, etc.

Have to say, I feel your pain. Way back when, I owned a 1967 or 68 International Harvester Travelall, and it had the same kind of drop-tailgate with an electric roll down window. My window didn't work and until I got it fixed my truck was useless for hauling anything but passengers. The good news was that they also made manual crank versions so I eventually just swapped out my electric-crank tailgate for a manual crank one. AFAIK Toyota never offered a manual crank tailgate window for the 4runner, so finding a factory solution will not work for you.