I am in panic mode and hope someone can direct me to an aftermarket source for a 2001 Cherokee xj rear liftgate glass seal / moulding! I just had my xj painted and since I replaced the damaged rear hatch with a salvaged white one (my jeep is green) I thought it best to remove the lift gate glass beforehand. Plan was to use the glass from my green lift gate. the glass from the salvaged white lift gate was scratched as well, so ordered what I thought was the moulding piece from Quadratec. Had a glass guy come by and cut out the old moulding (its glued in) but when I had him return to put the glass back in after it was painted, found that the moulding strip I bought was for the front windshield. No problem I thought. I'd just order the correct one for my rear window. I was shocked to find that it has been discontinued! At least any OEM ones. Even contacted a source in Canada. They say it was discontinued in 2019!
Searching like crazy now to find a new one anywhere.
If I'd known it was going to be an issue, I would have just left in the old glass and have it taped off but was very concerned that the taping wouldn't have been good and a thin white line might have shown. Plus other paint shops I talked with, all would have removed the glass.

Bottom line is I have a nicely painted jeep but no rear glass! Anyone else run into this issue and know a source???? The original part number for this trim is 55175366AD. Might be earlier model rubber moulding parts available (up to 96?) but they supposedly don't work with the later models such as my 2001?

 

Best tutorial I've seen to create your own new rear window moulding is from Robby Layton's Youtube channel while he was restoring Matt's Offroad Recovery "Banana" Jeep XJ.
, complete with the moulding part number he used. Good luck!!

 

You could probably use one out of a wreck, I smashed my rear screen with a rock thrown up by a whipper snipper, so had to replace the glass,
the seal seemed in fairly good condition. It was an easy job I did myself in a few minutes using thin cord...bet you wish you had pulled the glass, and seal like that!

I think I got the screen, and the seal as well out of a wreck for about $50

I have a spare of everything, means I can keep my vehicle on the road at all times

 

But you have a ‘96, right? From what I understand, the ‘97 to 2001’s have the seals glued in. A ‘96 doesn’t. I watched my glass guy cut out the old molding. Not sure yet how well an old seal is going to come out and still be able to be used. Plan on trying at salvage yard. A pick and pull one about an hour away. Ordered some glass/trim tools to help.
I’ll also be calling other small shop glass guys and show them the YouTube video at the 13:50 minute that was linked.

 

I would like to know how you make with that.
Been meaning try this myself just to see.
My first thoughts are a heat gun. Maybe soften up the gunk enough. But how to use one in the boneyard.
Of course if I am not mistaken Dewalt or Milwaukee do make a cordless one.
LOL.
My other thought is the 3M stuff I use to clean up double sided tape residue.


Stuff is pricey but really good. No idea how it would work on window gunk.
Another thing if you can get away with it was thinking if you smashed the window first.
Pulling out all the glass might give you a cleaner shot at the molding.
Bottom line is not really seeing it work but.....
Also I have posted that video when guys ask about the molding.
Tough to be sure from the video but the finished product with that generic molding looked pretty good to me.

 

yes, the '96 has a "seal on lip" in the rear

The front has a glued in seal, and I was lucky to get an NOS item when I took the front out to repair all rust

If the rear windscreen is "glued to the seal" you may be able to bodge something up, like the video, (which I didnt watch all of)

The outer part of the seal is kind of just decoration, the adhesive on the front screen actually does the sealing

get busy with a razor knife and generic seal

good luck

 

I’m going to try my best to first find someone locally that will do a universal molding install. Even if I have to buy that molding myself because they don’t have. ( 75 ft. for a little over $100 plus shipping ) They all should have the sealant.
Spoke with the body/paint shop that had originally quoted doing the body and paint for the Jeep and who had said they always take the glass out before painting, and mentioned that rear molding is discontinued. Asked them what they do in cases like this. She matter of factly said the glass people they use would just use a universal seal. Gave me the name of their installer. I’ll see what they say. My gut says most glass places rarely take on something like this unless a large client of theirs makes them take it on and takes on the warranty of the work. I’ll see if I can luck out. Plan B will be doing the salvage yard thing. I can see that being a nightmare.
I will post the outcome one way or other.

 

Panic mode gone. Anyone facing a similar issue should know that there is an answer to this dilemma of the molding not being available anymore. Like they did in the posted video, that universal molding works great! And most glass people have it in stock. At least the ones I found. Exactly the brand and part number they used in that video. Cannot say enough about the guys who installed. If you are anywhere around Charlotte, I highly recommend Tandem glass in Indian Trail. Cost me $100 and worth every dime since (a) I didn’t try and spend a day down at a “pull and pay” salvage yard trying to salvage an old one and (b) they came to my house and the universal looks as good as using the discontinued molding. And I’m sure I would have made a mess trying to install myself without the common tools they use.
But for those that do want to try and install the molding and glass themselves, I grabbed some shots as they worked. The video doesn’t show a few things that would be helpful knowing.


Cleaned the edges of the glass really well, front and back, and fit universal molding around top and sides down to bottom corners. The bottom corners are too severe to just pull it around so you will need to make some angle cuts. Same with the bottom piece. Enough give in rubber to pull the cuts together in those corners when you are ready to glue.


An extra pair of hands are needed in glueing those corner. They used super glue to apply but as one held the glue in place, the other sprayed “zip kicker” which makes the super glue bind instantly.

This is what they used. I’d never seen this product and can see how handy it is in this case.

Installing a primer before the sealer material. They used a small piece of painters tape on the top corners because those two top corners of the rubber molding wanted curl in. Once glass and molding is in place on Jeep, they pull the tape out.

Putting a small blob of sealant on the backside of molding where the corners were cut.

Bead of sealant being applied all the way around. That cordless applicator gun is sweet. And here is where someone who knows what they are doing shows big time.

Here again, those glass suction handle and two people makes positioning the glass in place easy. They checked that the glass was centered evenly and moved it slightly with those handles if it was off.

Painters tape holding glass in place till sealant is cured. About an hour for this sealant. Longer if done in winter and if low humidity. High humidity actually makes this cure faster btw.