Window guide web replacement
 

Anyone have any advice on replacing these rear window glass vertical guide pieces? The rubber guides that cushion and seal the window have deteriorated and are falling out of one, so I might as well do both.

Looks like new parts are still available so I think I’ll go that route rather than eBay and get a part with, or about to develop the same problem.

RealOEM doesn’t show the rubber portion as separate, so I’m assuming it comes with the metal frame. Part number 51348402577

Based on realoem, I would assume that this piece would include the rubber seal, but I’m not able to find any good photos of it online. Ecs has the gloss black piece and even in those photos, I can’t tell what’s going on lol. The piece is held on by 3 screws.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...b/51348257699/

Or is it this, instead? Item 21 on the realoem diagram.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...e/51348402575/

Those pictures are zero help, you are correct. I’m not sure what part I need now. I may have to dig into the door and see if anything has a part number on it. I’ll post some pics later today of the problem.

Item 26 on RealOEM is listed as “rubber buffer”. Maybe that is the piece that is deteriorating. Although I kind of doubt it based on the fact that it’s only $1.10.

If I have time today after work, I’ll remove that trim piece and see if I can figure it out. Seems like you just roll down the back window, pull back the rubber trim, remove 3 screws and then tilt out that trim piece from the bottom since there is a tab on the top.

OK, I took things apart and P/N 51348402577 is, indeed, only the hard trim piece for the rear vertical guide. The rubber is actually two parts. For the roll down window side, it's the trim that goes all the way around the window frame (top and sides). Part number 51357020583 is what I found on Realoem for the left side. It's under the "door window lifting mechanism rear" category. For the other side of that trim piece along the edge of the fixed triangle glass, this is the part you need:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...e/51348402575/

You can see from the photo that the rubber trim around the roll down window is all one piece. Fortunately for me, this side is okay. It's the trim around the triangle piece that has deteriorated.

It was kind of a pain to remove all of this and I actually ended up pulling the door panel to re-install the window's rubber trim. I'm sure you can re-install it with the door panel in place, but since I wanted to remove and replace the door panel clips I went ahead and did it. To remove, you have to take off the triangle sunshade (if equipped). It's clipped in at the top and bottom and all I really needed to do was pry at the top and it came off without much fuss. Then there are three screws holding the metal trim piece on from the inside of the car. The top screw holds a retainer piece for the window shade, so keep track of its position before removing it. Then you can pull the metal trim out from the outside (Slide it down a bit first so the top tab is removed) and gain access to the rubber below it. I didn't go any further until I get the part, but from here, you have to remove the remainder of the door trim, including the piece under the window and along the rear angled edge of the door.

https://i.imgur.com/5IBStBS.jpg?1

Thanks LA02Max, I really appreciate it the help. Us Louisiana E53 guys are few and far between!

On closer inspection it is the triangular trim piece on my car too that is falling apart so I ordered both sides this am. I think some chunks of it may be binding the window too, which is why I thought it was the main window trim, or more likely the stupid regulator is about to give out again. I replaced my front right a few months ago and I heard it pop last week! Weaker men would give up on these cars just because of the regulators. I did go with a cheap aftermarket regulator so, my fault I think.

Hopefully that triangular trim will come out easily.

Update - My two triangular plastic pieces for the rear (small triangular) windows came in. They look to be the right parts as they have a rubber seal molded into the plastic that, I presume, seal the small windows. They look like they clip into the door frame with some push type clips, also molded into the parts.

Unfortunately I think I'll need to pull the glass out as it seems to sit inside of the part and the rubber seal. The rubber part is what has deteriorated and cracked off around the glass. I'm surprised I haven't seen leaks in the car. Of course it could be leaking down into the door cavity.

This will need to wait until I have some time. Hopefully later this month. Today I've got a few hours and am going to add some parts to my 4.6 motor, specifically knock sensors and the the valley coolant plumbing/rear coolant manifold.

I was hoping the window wouldn't have to be removed. I thought it would be held in by windshield glue...I can't imagine that flimsy rubber seal being the only thing to seal those windows in place, but I could be wrong!

Good luck with the install and keep us posted. As you can see in my photo above, mine also needs replacement. But first: motor mounts and valve stem seals :saad:

update
 

I had the inside of my doors apart today to work on regulators and clips and it seems to me that the triangular plastic piece I ordered is what holds the window in. I can see a rubber seal on the interior (which is thankfully intact on my car) and I think that the pieces I ordered sandwich the glass in on the exterior. More to follow.