Rear Wiper Motor Doesn't Fit Replacement 03-06 Hardtop Rear Glass

[Hyperion505]

First time posting so, Hello!

Been asking around on the Jeep related forums.

After scouring different forums for any similar symptoms to my issue, I can't seem to come to any conclusion.

I have an 2005 Wrangler LJ I bought used; I busted my hardtops' rear glass because I wasn't careful in reinstalling my rear wiper motor.
Got Safelite out to replace it, the replacement fit great, but the issue was the holes for the rear wiper motor shaft and passenger side hinge are too close together on the new glass, which was for a 03-06 (part # 5096143AD)

The distance between the rear wiper motor shaft and mounting holes are about 7.5in apart, while the holes in the glass are about 6.5in.
So Safelite shrugged their shoulders and said "i dunno" so I'm stuck with no glass.

My hardtop doesn't have the side vents (would be really interesting if it did considering its an LJ top)
The wiper motor and sprayer all worked with the currently shattered old glass. The glass was the Smoke color with defrosters.
Could it be possible that my rear glass was at some point replaced with the 97-02 (part # 4883306AB) style rear glass?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If anyone needs more info, let me know.

 

[deadbeat son]

I just measured my '05 rear window, and from the center of the wiper motor shaft to the center of the passenger hinge near the bottom edge was about 7.5". Is that the measurement you're referring to? If so, sounds like Safelite has a bad pattern.

 

[Hyperion505]

I just measured my '05 rear window, and from the center of the wiper motor shaft to the center of the passenger hinge near the bottom edge was about 7.5". Is that the measurement you're referring to? If so, sounds like Safelite has a bad pattern.

Yeah! Thanks for confirming about the spacing.
Apparently Safelite just ordered this glass and says all of them are like the one that wasnt right. Im going to stop at Safelite after work tomorrow and see where I can get with this info.

 

[deadbeat son]

Yeah! Thanks for confirming about the spacing.
Apparently Safelite just ordered this glass and says all of them are like the one that wasnt right. Im going to stop at Safelite after work tomorrow and see where I can get with this info.

Mine is a TJ, and not an LJ, but I doubt that would make a difference?

 

[Hyperion505]

I would imagine theres no difference. Safelite doesnt have any option for LJ specifics so they must have brought a TJ glass, i bet you they got a 97-02 one considering the space was smaller and I think the older wranglers had smaller rear wiper motors, but for some reason it was labeled as a 03-06.

 

[deadbeat son]

I assumed it would be the same too, but didn't verify until now. '05 TJ also shows part # 5096143AD for privacy glass rear window.

 

[Hyperion505]

They must have just got the wrong one sent to them, then decided to not think that possibly they got the incorrect one.
Ill post and update after I go tomorrow. See what happens. Thanks again for the info!

 

[Hyperion505]

So I went to an actual brick and mortar Safelite and told them my plight, they ordered some more glass and said they would get back to me.
Got a call about how the wiper motor spacing is still the same short distance, and that my Wrangler came with a soft top off the lot (according to vin history). But my hardtop has the Chrysler logo along with the part #
5JR94TRMAA C
64472L >UP<
So now im waiting for a call back if they can find anything about glass for that hardtop number, but i cant find anything via google-fu.
Im wondering if it would be better to just get the glass and get the old style wiper motor, im getting really tired of having plastic wrap for my rear window. Question is, are the wiper motor electrical connectors the same?

 

[Daryl]

So I went to an actual brick and mortar Safelite and told them my plight, they ordered some more glass and said they would get back to me.
Got a call about how the wiper motor spacing is still the same short distance, and that my Wrangler came with a soft top off the lot (according to vin history). But my hardtop has the Chrysler logo along with the part #
5JR94TRMAA C
64472L >UP<
So now im waiting for a call back if they can find anything about glass for that hardtop number, but i cant find anything via google-fu.
Im wondering if it would be better to just get the glass and get the old style wiper motor, im getting really tired of having plastic wrap for my rear window. Question is, are the wiper motor electrical connectors the same?

I would buy one from a Jeep wrecking yard.

 

[Hyperion505]

I would buy one from a Jeep wrecking yard.

Sad thing is, im not seeing anything around Pittsburgh, and the yards we do have don't have any hardtop wranglers.

 

[txbemis69]

i’d check with other glass shops in your area. the wife had safelite do a mobile windshield install and first hard rain she had a pretty decent leak. had hell getting them to act right and redo the job. took getting insurance involved since it was on a claim.

 

[Hyperion505]

Update

So imagine my shock when I had them order another back glass and guess what, it actually fit the wiper motor this time.
Even after them telling me when I showed up for my appointment that my hardtop had to be an aftermarket hard top.

Thanks to the people who posted their suggestions and details of their back glass. Helped me to feel confident in knowing Safelite was giving me the run around all because they ordered the wrong part.

 

[Andy-WhiteTJ]

It pays to be tenacious. Service these days is lacking in most industries. No one seems to care. Glad it worked out.

 

[deadbeat son]

Update

So imagine my shock when I had them order another back glass and guess what, it actually fit the wiper motor this time.
Even after them telling me when I showed up for my appointment that my hardtop had to be an aftermarket hard top.

Thanks to the people who posted their suggestions and details of their back glass. Helped me to feel confident in knowing Safelite was giving me the run around all because they ordered the wrong part.

Funny how that works, isn't it?

 

[gandre01]

I have the opposite problem. My wiper shafts are 6.5" apart and Safelite arrived with glass that has 7.5" spacing. Anyone know where I can source the strut mounting brackets that mount through the glass?