anyone drive around much w/out rear quarter windows?

[Howardpowered]

as i replace some b pillar weatherstrip im thinking of replacing the cotter pin with a set screw so i can more easily remove the rear quarter glass for summer cruising. 

 

just checking to see if anyone’s driven around without the glass enough to know it sucks for some reason…like, i dont know, rear glass blows out at 50mph or something weird like that?

[dlacey]

I had a 2002 on a flatbed transporter driving on 237 in Mountain View California  back in 2001 when the rear window blew out, went ~30ft up in the air before smashing on the highway. That car had front & rear screens but no side windows at all... The transporter was driving ~55ish.

[Mike Self]

5 hours ago, dlacey said:

I had a 2002 on a flatbed transporter driving on 237 in Mountain View California  back in 2001 when the rear window blew out,

That's why NASCAR race cars have vertical straps to retain the back windows.  Like dlacey said--no side windows in a NASCAR car--and drivers don't like to dodge other people's backlights flying through the air.  Racing is dangerous enough without flying backlights.

 

Pop those quarter windows open--and adjust the latches so they stay open--and you'll get plenty of flow through ventilation.  Remember that opening the passenger's quarter window will put a breeze on the driver's neck--and vice-versa.  

 

mike

[Dave919]

Mike- you have an article on adjusting those latches?  I'm about to replace the gaskets and b pillar.  Have seen a lot of 02s using wine corks to prop them open!  

[jimk]

16 minutes ago, Dave919 said:

Have seen a lot of 02s using wine corks to prop them open!  

If you don't use corks, you're missing all the wine.  Depending your taste, champagne corks work great.

[Mike Self]

1 hour ago, Dave919 said:

Mike- you have an article on adjusting those latches? 

Yeah, it's part of a larger column, so here's the Cliff Notes:

There are two distinctly different quarter window latches used on 2002s—early cars have an all chrome latch (up to about VIN 2588500); later ones have a black plastic knurled knob atop the hinge pin versus the chrome one.  Both knobs serve to tension the hinge:  the chrome knob has a slot for a wide, thin screwdriver blade.  Open the window, tighten the screw, and the window will stay open.  Turning the plastic knob serves the same function.  Eventually they’ll loosen up, so this falls into the periodic maintenance category rather than a one-time fix.  Regardless, no more startling slams as you pass that semi on the interstate.  

If tightening the plastic knob used on later cars doesn't help, remove the knob altogether and insert a wave washer underneath it.  That'll help reestablish the tension on the hinge--but you're still gonna have to re-tighten it periodically...

 

mike

[Howardpowered]

7 hours ago, dlacey said:

I had a 2002 on a flatbed transporter driving on 237 in Mountain View California  back in 2001 when the rear window blew out, went ~30ft up in the air before smashing on the highway. That car had front & rear screens but no side windows at all... The transporter was driving ~55ish.

ha! ok then, all windows will stay in at all times.