Need advice - rear defroster repair for roll down window

[Daveo91Burb]

My first attempt was a fail....

When I converted to tailgate several years ago for the first one or two years rear defrost worked great. (Barn door windows also had defrost). But, I must not have routed everything perfect because eventually there was a strain failure and the positive side connection to the glass broke. I lived without since then, but last weekend I pulled the glass out and started messing around.

A google search brought me to this stuff:

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I thought it was the ticket and followed instructions to a T, including bringing window into our basement vs my shop to get it up to the right temp. Ended up with this:

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But tonight I got the window installed in the gate and went to attach the pig tail to my new connector and it broke right off. Glad it broke there instead of after a few cycles when everything was put back together, but now I gotta figure out what to do. Soldering seems the only way to go (ground side is soldered), but I’m nervous about cracking the glass. Do I need to be?

I’m thinking about using this stuff combined with my pinpoint butane torch. Any other better ideas?

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Here’s what the ground side looks like:

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[eskimomann209]

Can you solder it?

 

[Matt69olds]

I have used solder to reattach those tabs to the glass. Be quick with it, use a big soldering gun to melt the solder as quickly as possible. Let it cool slowly.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

I have used solder to reattach those tabs to the glass. Be quick with it, use a big soldering gun to melt the solder as quickly as possible. Let it cool slowly.

Cool. So you think electric soldering gun vs pinpoint butane torch? My thought was it would be even quicker with the torch, but maybe too quick would increase my risk of cracking it?

 

[crpntr78]

Is it possible for you to slide a putty knife between the glass and part to be soldered to create a type of heat sink so you don't heat the glass up at all?

 

[bucket]

Is it possible for you to slide a putty knife between the glass and part to be soldered to create a type of heat sink so you don't heat the glass up at all?

Nope, it's sort of like it's embedded into the glass somehow.

 

[Matt69olds]

Keep the torch away from the glass!! The tip of the soldering iron is maybe 500-600 degrees, I’m betting any torch would be well above. Not to mention it would be nearly impossible to contain the heat on the connector without overheating the glass

 

[Craig 85]

I had this issue come up recently with a 2010 Denali XL. The glass shop said they had not had a lot of success soldering these tabs back on and said a glass replacement was the only realistic option. I passed.

Good luck on this. I'm interested to see if it will work.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

I had this issue come up recently with a 2010 Denali XL. The glass shop said they had not had a lot of success soldering these tabs back on and said a glass replacement was the only realistic option. I passed.

Good luck on this. I'm interested to see if it will work.

Yeah, I’m afraid that’s what I heard from a glass shop too. I stopped by a shop yesterday and the guy wasn’t super helpful, but he said basically the same thing and that they wouldn’t even try it.

However, some more Google and Amazon searching yielded this.

https://frostfighter.com/defroster-repair-tab-bonding-kit-2000.htm

Just purchased it on Amazon, should be here in a few days. $43 is the upper limit of what I wanted to spend on this repair. If this kit doesn’t work, I’m done and my truck will go on in life rear defroster-less.

I’m just too nervous about applying heat to the back glass for a solder-type repair. I have nightmares about having to replace that glass.

 

[Matt69olds]

I have repaired dozens of S style blazer rear defrost windows with the broken solder tabs with a soldering iron. It really isn’t that big a deal. Use a big iron, heat the tab quickly, let it air cool, problem solved

 

[rt66paul]

I guess I could be a smartass and tell you what everyone on gun blogs tell Californians - move! to a state where it isn't a problem.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

I guess I could be a smartass and tell you what everyone on gun blogs tell Californians - move! to a state where it isn't a problem.

yep, agreed. Pacific NW, esp. west of Cascades, rear defrost is a key option for any vehicle if you have any hope of seeing out the back in the winter. When I converted to tailgate from barn doors I found rear visibility was one of the best benefits. But w/o working rear defrost it was worth nothing.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

$43 rear defrost kit worked! I should have rear defrost again next winter. This time I took great care to make sure strain relief for both connections installed correctly and routed/secured wires correctly.

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