Neophyte Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 our 96 legacy outback (2.5) had its rear windshield broken. with no comprehensive coverage from insurance, i need to repair it myself. i've searched, but the closest i've come to finding a tutorial on this is http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/131861-rear-hatch-window-97-outback/ which suggests that replacing the entire gate / hatch / rear door is easier than just the glass so, in the absence of any DIY writeup on swapping out the gates, I have some questions: compatible donor models: any 1995-1999 Legacy Outback? pulling the part from a salvage yard: if i can pull it, how should i go about it? where should i unplug or cut wires? any tricky parts of separating gate from car? if they pull it, anything I should keep an eye out for to ensure the gate and wiring isn't damaged? what tools should be on hand for both removal and install? any hints or things to be aware of from anyone who's had the pleasure of such a repair? thanks in advance, and if successful i'll post a 'how to' on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yes, swapping out the entire rear gate will be much easier, and more than likely cheaper, than trying to get just the glass replaced. I have done it on both an older GL model, and my 90 Legacy... not sure about compatible models for yours - hopefully someone will chime in on that. wiring connectors are hidden up behind the ceiling panel - usually a good foot or so in, and can be a little bit of a pain to get to - the rear ceiling trim will need to be poppped off, and the ceiling panel dropped/pulled down enough to get to the connectors. May have to remove the cargo area light cover/housing to drop the panel enough to remove the gate, you may want a helper to help support the gate when unbolting - they are kind of heavy. unbolt the support struts from the car body, then 4 bolts that hold the hinges in place (2 for each hinge) - not a lot to it really - pretty straight forward. installation is in reverse order If the junkyard pulls the gate - make sure they didnt just cut the wires. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 i'd just buy a used color matched rear hatch too. www.car-parts.com 95-99 OBW's should interchange - is there a difference between "stepped roofs"....? even wagons may be the same, probably interchangeable but paint/trim may not be the same. you can always swap interior trim to match. the wiring is tucked up in the car, pull it all out and ideally cut it on the body side so you have the connector obviously to plug into yours. if it has a squirter on the back there will be an associated hose too. don't forget to swap out your key cylinders to match your key Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 There are companies that replace windshields, but unsure if they replace the hatch glass. Prolly worth a call to inquire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregB Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Had the rear window replaced by Safelite at my house on my wifes 2008 Outback. A light fixture chain came loose and swung it into the glass shattering it. They did a good professional job, not cheap though. Hers was a bonded glass to steel seal, not sure I'd want to try that, after watching him. Quick car-part.com, shows $100-300. Is there a pick your own nearby, that's probably cheapest, and lets you practice on someone elses car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neophyte Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Thanks all for the replies. I found a compatible one ~30 min away. They pull the part. Hopefully they'll cut on the body side of the connector, I mentioned it during our conversation. Headed there tomorrow, we'll see. And yes, quote for glass replacement was $548 from safelite, gave up after a few others quoted in the same neighborhood - entirely cost prohibitive. Will reply as things develop to keep the thread as informative as possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neophyte Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Repair near complete! It took a lot longer than anticipated because a) I'm a slow poke with this stuff, and the salvage yard didn't cut the connectors on the body side (despite my request...) So I had to remove/reuse the wiring, tried to avoid breaking too many tabs. All sun-baked and rusty. Everything is pretty much back together now, just need another tab or two and figure out how to remove the rear wiper (the new gate didn't come with one). The wiring wasn't in the ceiling panel IIRC, looked about 2 feet in. I was able to unplug all wiring on the side panel IIRC at the passenger rear brake light. Thanks again for all the help, very much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Remove the rear wiper arm Remove the cover and large nut Pull in inner panel Remove the Electrical connector Remove the 3 10mm bolts, I think it only 3. Reinstall in reverse order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neophyte Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 So, with the repair complete, it's time to get the old/original gate out of our garage. Is there much point in yanking out the lock/latch, lights, and wiper motor to sell for a few bucks on ebay or some forum, and then recycle the frame? Or take the whole thing to a junk yard? Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks again, you all have been a huge help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 not really much point in pulling that stuff, unless you want the practice doing so. about the only thing really worth bothering with would be the wiper motor assembly, but those dont fail all that often, so your call... did you swap out the key cylinder so your key matches? if not, you may want to do that...pretty easy to do - disconnect the rod(s), remove the retaining clip, and out it comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neophyte Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 (edited) no intrinsic desire to get good at pulling these parts (!), though wiper motor is already out along with key cylinder (key matched). so if it were you, you'd just take it all to a scrap metal recycler? Edited September 17, 2013 by Neophyte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 so if it were you, you'd just take it all to a scrap metal recycler? yup, just haul it away, take what you can get for it, and call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 the rear latch assembly, with all handles, plates, bracket, lights, are nice to hold onto or provide for someone in the rust belt because they do this all the time: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/attachments/problems-maintenance/9430d1109317358-tail-gate-handle-subie-033.jpg some/all of those parts are interchangeable across a wide array of Subarus too...i think the 95-99 and 00-04's are the same, they are prime sellers in rust country. i forget price though, i think they're relatively inexpensive parts, but it's nice to have a complete set/assembly with lights, hardware, and all too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neophyte Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 How about this - anybody that wants a part(s) is welcome to pick it up (S.E. Phoenix), or I'll ship whatever is wanted for cost of shipping. I'll hang onto it all for a week or two and then junk it all otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 you should post that stuff in the "for sale/trade" section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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