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TJ hardtop rear window leak - solution?

27K views 27 replies 19 participants last post by  IslandTJ 
#1 ·
My rear window in my '03 TJ leaks. I've repositioned the window to see if I can tighten it up but to no avail. I get water seemingly leaking in at the bottom corners and (this is where it gets weird) seemingly defying gravity and running back up and over the rear lip at each bottom corner of the window and back into the outside back corners of the tub. Essentially, I think I need new seals on the whole roof. But this isn't an option right now. I need another type of temp. fix.

It's not a huge deal. Nothing's getting wrecked because I'm putting towels down in the back corners that soak the water up. But after a rainy night, I have to wring every bit of water out of a large bathroom sized hand towel. And I live in Wetcouver. Literally a rain forest, so this is a common occurrence. I know at this point people are probably reading this and saying "use the search function". Yep...tried that. Lots of threads with the words "leak", "water", "hardtop", etc., but none seem to address my problem specifically.

So here's what I'm thinking may be a solution. I was going to lay a bead of caulk from about 3 inches forward along each side of the tub, back towards the inside of the tub, then back in a line to the rear window. Each bead would come back to meet at the rear corner where the window meets the tub. Picture an upside down and backwards L for the drivers side and just an upside down L for the pass. side. This way, I'm covering about 8-10 sq. inches of surface that the towels usually cover that rain could collect and not flow anywhere because of the bead of caulk. Then, I was planning on drilling a small hole through the tub to have an area that the water can drain from.

The "drain hole" is where my question really lays for you informed folk. Is there anything directly beneath the rear corners that would prevent me from drilling a small hole through the tub so that water would drain? If the hole would be fine, would the water be draining on anything I don't want it draining onto? I know the EVAP canister is on the pass. side, but water hits that all the time with just regular driving. Tail light wiring? Other? I've looked the best I can and it seems ok, but is there anything hidden that I may be missing?

Thoughts? Ideas? Personal experience?
 
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#2 ·
I think you're on the wrong track.
First, assuming your top window weatherseal and tailgate weatherstrips (A and B in the pic) are in good shape.
Look closely at the hardtop the end of the rear window weatherseal, at the bottom on each side, where the top meets the tub and seal ends. (C in the pic)
Notice how the top has a little 'ledge' molded in, and the seal stops at the ledge.
Water runs off around the window seal, down to that ledge, and puddles. It then finds its way in where the seal is snapped in place.
A very small bit of silicone - sealing the weatherseal to the 'ledge' - forces the water to run out the back rather than seeping through the crack.

here's the pic - PA181446comp.JPG - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage
 
#25 ·
I have a '97 and just installed a hard top from a 2001. Your picture shows the clips for your soft top still screwed in. This is the clip that you slide the plastic fins under when you have the soft plastic window in. Does your rear glass close with the clip still there? Mine did not close so I had to unscrew and remove the clip so the rear glass can close all the way. I wonder if the '97 and '01 have different shape clips?
 
#3 ·
The Jeep's in the shop getting my rear shocks outboarded, but as soon as it's back, I'll take a look at A, B and C to see what the condition is.

If it makes any difference to your thoughts, this doesn't happen when I have the soft-top on. Only the hard-top. So I think you may be onto something about the seals.

P.S. - Interesting file/pic sharing program. I've never seen it before. I kinda like it!
 
#4 ·
same thing happens to mine. i realized it with all the rain we're getting in new england. i think my problem is with the seals. also, water seems to be leaking in at one of the bolts that holds the hardtop to the tub. it seems like the water is going between the tub and the hardtop and getting thru.
 
#9 ·
#13 ·
I am interested, but can't figure how they'd work by looking at the eBay pics. Could you photoshop some Vette pics and post them for us all to see?

But the other questions: is there anything directly under the tub corners to interfere with a small hole being drilled (besides the evap. canister on the pass. side)?

Any autoparts store . Aerosol can that says "silicone" on it. Most shops use it to lubricate window tracks. Helps sticky windows and weak motors!
Thanks! Wanna get in touch and go wheelin' one day? PM me.

I know your pain too well. Being just across the channel I face the same weather and all winter my back window leaks. I'm interested to see how you fix yours, I just parked my jeep facing uphill all winter till I put the soft top on, and that is clearly not a solution.
Uphill parking is no worse or better for me if that says anything for my problem. :(

Park it inside
Not an option. Too tall a ride. The Kargo Master rack puts me at 7'8" with 26 Psi in the tires.
 
#12 ·
Park it inside
 
#14 ·
follow the arrows on the pictures. from the furthest out picture you can see how the natural lines of the car lead to water pooling up in that corner. i dont drive it in the rain, so thats not the problem. the problem happens when i wash it. all of the water pools up right there and then as soon as you think the whole car is dry...dribble dribble dribble, the water slides down the side of the car and its just frustrating. i drilled a hole, dropped the tube right in and now all of that water drips out of the car. i would get some pictures from underneath but you get the idea- dont hit anything with the drill and make sure its not leaking onto anything essential.



 
#18 ·
VanBCguy,
This is exactly what I have been dealing with for the past 2 years... obviously, I picked up my TJ used. I love it, but the water and wringing out of towels every time it rains is a pain. The water gets on those ledges, then I find it under the back seat and in the floor board of the rear passenger seat.... crazy! We have already replaced the seal that goes around the entire hard top to find this did not solve the problem. I will check back after we try the silicone.

Thanks for the tips!
 
#23 ·
This is my fix of the day. I noticed a little leakage on the window, water marks running down it after a windex cleaning. That was last winter. I first tried to pull the molding out a bit. We had heavy rains in denver over a few days and the problem seems worse, maybe I pulled the molding out too far from the housing track along the hardtop. So I pushed it in a far as I could all the way around. Well, a week ago we has haevy rains overnight, and in the AM my car smelled something fierce. I had a puddle of water on my trunk carpet, I could literally splash water when hitting it. I looked at the window from inside and noticed large gaps all over between window and molding, so I pushed it out some to remve the gaps.

So now I am going to grab some silicone spray and hopefully finish the job for good. After I apply the spray I will hit the car wash to see the results. Hopefully this will work, but does this issue sound familiar to anyone and do you think I am going down the wrong path? Maybe I should put something tacky under the molding? After all it is a 98 with about 225k miles, all from me.
 
#26 ·
Been lurking for a while and have gotten some good stuff from these forums. Just wanted to respond to this one as I did not see the solution I used anywhere. I purchase a second hand hard top for my 03 TJ. Found out the rear window was leaking and it was coming from the bottom seal and the rear gate. The seal is in tact, and on fine, just not a tight fit to the gate. I purchased a clip on weather strip form Pep Boys and it is working great. Gives a tighter fit on the window(holds it in place better) and dry as bone. Here at the pics, hopes this helps someone else.
 

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