Help with replacing the rear door....

[Kev]

Hi guys,
I've just managed to pick up a replacement rear door in great condition to replace the one that was badly caved in by a truck tow bar reversing into it (and of course as he didn't stop, I have to do this repair myself as economically as possible). The door came as a shell with nothing inside, and only the quarter glass so I'll have to transplant all the innards from my door.

So far the job looks quite straight forward and I think I'd have finished it today but I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to get the glass out. Here's what I did so far....

1) Remove the door panel
2) Wind down the window to reveal the 8mm nut retaining the glass
3) Disconnected the battery just to be sure I don't set off the airbag light.
4) Remove the airbag
5) Remove the trim at bottom of the window opening to create more space
6) Release the glass...

... and that's where I got stuck. Whichever way I try to rotate the glass to get it out of the door it wouldn't turn enough to come out.

Should I remove the regulator and all the rest of the stuff that I need to transplant to the donor door anyway? I didn't want to go any further in case I have missed something fundamental (like removing the quarter glass or something?), so put it all back together for now and its fine.

I've not been able to locate a write-up or video of this so far, only ones I found so far are changing the regulator and keeping the glass in the car.

Any help would be really really appreciated as I'd like to have another go at this tomorrow if poss..

Thanks in advance. Kev

[Quicksilver]

What no Insurance? Thats as economically as possible as it gets!!!

[Kev]

Insurance is a bit of a sore subject

A bit off-topic but just to explain....I moved from UK to Italy last year and my 15 years No-claims-bonus was completely wiped to zero (just to dispell the myth in America that Europe is 'one' country )

I went from paying £500 per year fully comprehensive to €1500 third part fire/theft. Kasko (fully comprehensive) adds another €1000 to the policy (and has a €500 excess) . Of course I could have just got a Fiat 500 and paid the extra insurance

Solved the insurance problem now, but the fact remains I have a door that will go straight on, no painting needed and cost me only £150 on ebay.

Has anyone ever watched autoglass etc. when one of these glass are replaced just to know how they did it (ie. rotate the glass) - I guess normally in this case there would just be shattered glass, and the problem would be how to get the new one in ' which would be just as helpful to me

Thanks for any help on the glass topic. Cheers, Kev.

[upallnight]

Here's a Youtube video on removing the glass but it's for a front door. I assume the rear door is similar except for the fix glass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA_xpjGpyFc&list=PLB443A0D6D1338F84

[Kev]

Thanks mate. I watched this one a few times (some good tips also for transplanting the internals), but the rearglass is more squared and it feels very tight when I try to rotate it in the same way.
I'll call my bodyshop tomorrow and hopefully get the answer - will update the thread when I get the answer. Cheers, Kev

[Kev]

Cracked it !!!... Not the glass , how to get the glass out

Door card off,

1) Wind the window right down.
2) Remove lower horizontal velvet/rubber strip (just unclips)
3) Prize the velvet/rubber strip from the edge next to the quarter glass and leave it loose.
4) Remove 3 black screw behind it to release the gloss black trim that divides the main/quarter glass. Remove the strip completely.
5) Wind up the window to the point where you can release the 8mm glass retaining nut.

Glass can then be removed (without rotating it).

In my case I was changing the whole door, and had lots of other fun with removing handles, wiring loom etc. - but in the end the job came good.

I'll do a proper write up later.

Cheers, Kev.

[davintosh]

Well done! Way to figure it out!