Classic Rear tailgate glass.

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locket

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Top tailgate was getting very hard to close lately and today it decided to crack from top to bottom.

Has anybody claimed on their glass policy for the rear tailgate and what do they replace just glass or complete tailgate?
 
Top tailgate was getting very hard to close lately and today it decided to crack from top to bottom.

Has anybody claimed on their glass policy for the rear tailgate and what do they replace just glass or complete tailgate?
The last one I claimed for,many years ago was the complete tailgate.unscrewed from the hinges. Auto glass said the frames where usually rusted so quicker to replace the lot.I inadvertently backed into a tree ;) With the tailgate open.:D They were charging the insurance over £750 my excess was £70 .
 
The last one I claimed for,many years ago was the complete tailgate.unscrewed from the hinges. Auto glass said the frames where usually rusted so quicker to replace the lot.I inadvertently backed into a tree ;) With the tailgate open.:D They were charging the insurance over £750 my excess was £70 .

Not your fault, silly place to leave a tree ;)
 
Bit late, but safer to close the top tailgate by pressing on the lower corners not the centre handle esp if you have an ally framed one.
They can bow slightly in the centre which makes them harder to close.
Latch mechanisms benefit from periodical clean & lube - I do mine with a good blast of Plus-gas
 
Well, this is interesting. I have contacted 5 glass company's and none of them have ever replaced the tailgate glass on a Classic and don't know how to.
I contacted my insurers and they have told me to buy a complete tailgate and either have it fitted by a reputable company or I can fit it and they will knock off £100 from my excess of £200.
 
Don't think it is as quite simple as that.
1. Taking the glass out of the frame is not going to be very easy at all.
2. It has to be a heated replacement.
 
Well, this is interesting. I have contacted 5 glass company's and none of them have ever replaced the tailgate glass on a Classic and don't know how to.
I contacted my insurers and they have told me to buy a complete tailgate and either have it fitted by a reputable company or I can fit it and they will knock off £100 from my excess of £200.
4 big Phillips screws hold the hinges on and a couple hold the handle assembly I think the side locking mechanisms come with the frame.
 
What condition is the frame in?
Long time ago but I replaced the rotten frame on mine with the Famous Four ally kit. Still fine, so happy to suggest them.
Might be an idea to have a look at their website, they list the upper one with ally frame fitted with various glass types. You would need to transfer various bits from your old one.
http://www.rangerovertailgates.com/upper_tailgates
 
A while ago... I changed my back hatch
Got three of the screws to break loose..
The last would not give ... got creative and really bogered up ... then I found it only has a long bolt and nut that hold on the henges
For me much easier to deal with ..,
 
A while ago... I changed my back hatch
Got three of the screws to break loose..
The last would not give ... got creative and really bogered up ... then I found it only has a long bolt and nut that hold on the henges
For me much easier to deal with ..,
Yup, long bolt holds the top of the hinge to the body, couldn't you just drill off the fourth screwhead? Saves trying to realign the hinges.
 
Yup, long bolt holds the top of the hinge to the body, couldn't you just drill off the fourth screwhead? Saves trying to realign the hinges.

Yes I suppose I could have drilled it out...
But my solution at that time was to dremel
It into a flat head...
I had gotten another hatch at the junk yard that was in much better shape... and at the junk yard this hatch unscrewed very easily
From the hinges... it wasn’t till I was installing it I discovered I had made a huge mistake... the learning curve kinda thing...
So when I say a while ago . It was a long
While ago...
 
I’m supprised that tailgates are still available.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-RA1423ASSY
My 1987 3.5 started pealing after seven years as it was voted in a plastic style of paint and soon got worse, painting the pealing areas with Hammerite didn’t look good so I went out purchase a new replacement and found one a a local independent parts supplier that had just opened in my area it was the main dealer normally.
So I got a new genuine parts tailgate complete with heated glass, with the element pattern of the newer RRC of early 1990s, all for £82.00.
A direct swap fitted in 30 minutes of which 20mins was having fun readjust the latch rods so it tailgate identically locked on both sides.
Those were the days :)
 

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I’m supprised that tailgates are still available.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-RA1423ASSY
My 1987 3.5 started pealing after seven years as it was voted in a plastic style of paint and soon got worse

Mine is an '87 & the tailgate (flap) is still on it after eleven years of my ownership, no idea how much of the 21 years of previous ownership it had been in place.
Admittedly the flap has been refreshed a couple of times & repainted by my local body-shop, the last attention included removal of the rotten metal strip holding the big bottom rubber, lashings of rust-converter then sticking the original (still in good order) rubber in place with industrial bonding material. Now the LH bottom corner of the frame has lifting paint so here we go again !

nb. This particular rubber seal has been totally unobtainable, but I think FF are doing it now @ £148 :eek:
 
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