Anyone know where one could buy just the rear window & hinge? I kinda wanna play around with some ideas, but I'd like some room for error...

 

I would like to get the rear windows powered. I like having them open, and it is a pain to close the passenger side one while driving. Plus I think it would be a neat add on feature.

I talked to a guy at a car audio shop in town and he wasnt too sure it would work. I agreed, the travel on different motors would take a while to figure out which one/type would work the best.

 

Well, as soon as I get a weekend that isn't chock-full of crap to do I'm going to experiment with some things. Hopefully I'll get some results that will give the more experienced fabricators here a place to start.

All I know is that the first person to pull this off could made a damn killing selling it to everyone on these boards...

 

Well, since I just got finished replacing my rear driver door, I can tell you from experience that there are no airbags in it, and that it is fairly open inside to mount a small motor. I am sure an Expedition motor would be about the right travel as well...

 

imo, the motor travel distance would be negligible and any motor would work. the gap looks about the same as any generic chrysler minivan. im pretty sure you could easily install one of those motors in the place of the current opener-thing-y. :P

the only real problem i see would be the wiring. i think someone's best bet is to wire it behind the rear seats and through the center console. probably mount the buttons in that empty button array near the coin holder on the left side.

 

LMAO This is a funny

 

i opened the little window on the drivers side for the first time in 5 months yesterday.

 

it will be cool if you could put the windows down.....

 

I keep my back windows open all year. When it rains then I reach back and close them. I like them open. It makes the car look dif. But having them power would be cool. That and a power trunk like the caddys!

 

Well, I did some experimenting and I learned some neat things.

Somthing that I found to be interesting was where the hinge "defaults" the possition of the rear window. When you disconnect the elbow joint that lets you open and close the window, don't be suprized if it flings open as if it were trying to escape from the rest of the vehicle. When disconnected, the rear window will open about 50-60 degrees before you feel any resistance.

Getting a small motor or actuator to mount in place of the stock elbow joint is simple - the stock support is pretty thick and sturdy...



...however, finding a place to run the damn wire is proving to be more than my *** can fabricate a solution for

 

Thats what I was thinking. Where the hell would you run the wire? I looks like *** when its showing.

 

you'd have to take off the door panels and run it through the rubber wire holder thing. if there is one. i dunno if the back doors have them. i dont know if they have any electronics. if they do, you're in luck. then run it under the back seats to the center console. and under that. then under the dash to the empty button next to the DSC button.

maybe its possible to simply tap a power source and control it remotely?

 

ok i have a question. my friend has an 04 330ci and the rear windows are like ours but they are power. im not sure, but with the right configuration, it shouldn't b TOO hard to get the motor, actuator, wiring, and even the buttons on the windows from a totaled one or sumtin and install them on ours. i mean i dont kno a damn thing about customizing, but BMW has the setup we are "asking" for, just need sumone to put sum time in it.

 

Bump... it's been years since anyone has commented on this. Any success?