Rear heated Window Wires

1972_911T · 01-23-2008, 01:12 PM

On the rear window seal there is two internal chanels, one is for the glass to fit in and the other to conceal the wire's how should the wires move from one to the other where they connect to the window? should there be cutouts between the two chanels at this point to allow the wires to go through?

Steve

john walker's workshop · 01-23-2008, 01:18 PM

cut holes for the wires. royal pain. i'd rather have a glass shop do it any day. a lot of them are wise to the issue and they won't do it either.

Superman · 01-23-2008, 01:44 PM

I've seen this expression before, and I keep thinking "how hard can it be?"

I guess I will find out.

Ron.G · 01-23-2008, 02:41 PM

I've done it and it was NOT a fun project. Keeping the wires in the rubber gasket where they belong , before and during the window install is a PITA.

Even the small hole in the package tray where the wires pass through to the engine compartment can be a challenge. It's a tight fit.

You just have to take you time and when it gets ugly, walk away for a while and come back to it in a better frame of mind.

Good luck. You will get it done.

plain fan · 01-23-2008, 03:09 PM

Not fun at all.

RoninLB · 01-23-2008, 03:15 PM

I had to improvise on the wire install.

Once you're looking at the glass, seal, and wires get creative.

Brian 162 · 01-23-2008, 05:07 PM

There's a great thread on this topic from last year. Look under targa glass replacement ( I think).
It shows step by step in regards to the wiring.

joefrantz · 01-23-2008, 08:29 PM

As everyone else said, it's a tedious process. You want to cut the holes slightly offset from the contacts so the fasteners and wires remain reasonably parallel to the glass. Once everythig is connected, and tucked into the seal, pull the slack out of the wires so they run in the channel and around the corners without slacking. Too much slack is what causes problems with keeping the wires in the channel. Also, take care to avoid twisting the wires around each other. If they sit parallele in the channel there is less bulk. There will be some crossings where they pass through to the other channel, but other than that, keep them parallel.

Superman · 01-24-2008, 07:06 AM

I've seen this expression before, and I keep thinking "how hard can it be?"

I guess I will find out.

RoninLB · 01-24-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superman

I've seen this expression before, and I keep thinking "how hard can it be?"

on rethinking the install.. the frustration was on the wires not leaving enough slack for me to maneuver the glass++. Any time I tried to position the glass wires would pop out of the seal. It was a BFH waiting to happen.

what I did was splice in some new wires to add more room and then in the engine compartment I removed the extra wire and added the connectors.

my ride's not stock anyway so I was just as happy to trash some old wires.

the rest of glass install is routine

kfosburg · kfosburg's Garage

I used an exacto to cut out little notches in the flap between the two channels - about 3/16" - for the wires to transition from the glass channel to the wire channel. I made the cut about a 1/2" past where the connector ends. Be careful to not bend the tabs too much because they fatigue break easily - that turned out to be difficult part of my install after one broke and wouldn't take solder very well to repair...

Keeping the stupid outer trim piece from popping out of the channel upon install was much more difficult that running the wires in my case!

Karl
Tangerine 71E

haileypcar · haileypcar's Garage

Question sort of on topic here: My rear window defrost works fully in 50% of the window (upper) and
about 10% on lower 50% of glass. Any one have any thoughts on a repair. 85 Targa
Thanks

LM3929 · 01-24-2008, 09:34 AM

M

Gertvr · Gertvr's Garage

Just finished my window install last night and it was by far the biggest PITA of the whole restoration, be prepared to be frustrated....

between the aluminum trim and wires it took the whole evening 5hrs..

Rgrds

Gert

kiwiokie · 09-12-2009, 05:36 PM

Sorry for awakening an old thread but that is what you get for using the Search function.

I just removed my old seal and I assume I need to salvage the old wiring loom but the wires enter the seal through what look like tight fitting holes at the window base so do all of the connectors need to be cut off to remove and new ones crimped on once the old loom has been threaded into the new seal?

ossiblue · 09-13-2009, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwiokie

Sorry for awakening an old thread but that is what you get for using the Search function.

I just removed my old seal and I assume I need to salvage the old wiring loom but the wires enter the seal through what look like tight fitting holes at the window base so do all of the connectors need to be cut off to remove and new ones crimped on once the old loom has been threaded into the new seal?

No one should take a beating for using the search button, even if it's yourself giving the beating

.
You do not have to cut off the connectors. You will have to make your own holes in the new seal, and the rubber will be plyable enough to allow the connectors to slip through, one at a time. My old seal had elongated holes, not round, and that's probably the way to go.