Non S Series R Defroster Electrical Leads Broken

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:39 pm

I know, I know that it is not GM but, you guys have guided me to repairing everything from an underground water leak to working on hot breaker boxes. This problem is on my Rubicon.

f9k9 wrote:Performed several searches but, couldn't dial in an answer on this one.

Had some strong winds here during the this past warm season and my hard top was flipped over off of its blocks. I saw it and was relieved that I had no major damage but, both defroster wires were separated from the back glass. I righted the top and took measures to not have a repeat and then forgot all about the wires. Tonight with darkness falling and a break in the weather, I reinstalled the hard top and remembered the broken wires. Soldering seems to be the easy answer but, I have tried soldering on and off for 30 years and all I do is make a mess of it. Yes, I know all the basics and had to do some training when I took a technical investigative equipment class years ago.

What type of commercial facility should I look for to have the wires reattached to the glass? A good body shop? A good replacement glass shop? My local school for the blind? My local school for the blonde?

Post by **HenryJ** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:54 pm

Soldering them does not usually work. There is a repair kit available at the auto parts stores for repairing the defroster grid. It is sort of an epoxy that is conductive IIRC.
I am not saying this brand is the best, but it is an example: Permatex Rear Window Defogger Repair Kit $10.99

Quickly and easily bonds defogger tab to grid on rear window. Provides a low-cost, high-quality repair for damaged rear window defogger tabs. Complete kit for a quick repair.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:58 pm

More details please. Where are the leads broken? at the ends of the run or along the grid on the glass itself?
There are Defroster Grid Repair Kits that might work.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:11 pm

That was easy. I should enroll in the school for the blonde.

This is what happens when you narrow your searches and forget to search outside the box. I actually hesitated posting here but, reasoning prevailed. Thanks, Brule!!!!

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:17 pm

04crewvt wrote:More details please. Where are the leads broken? at the ends of the run or along the grid on the glass itself?
There are Defroster Grid Repair Kits that might work.

You posted while I was looking at the different kits. Lemme run out to grab a photo or two.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:26 pm

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:33 pm

Oh sure you couldn't break it in a way that's easy to fix

I don't think the repair kits will work it needs a new piece soldered on the old fashioned way. I would check with any of your Ham radio people in the area they will have more experience in soldering than most.

Post by **HenryJ** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:41 pm

The kit comes with a new male spade and even a female terminal, IIRC. That is an easy fix , with the kit.
Use some pliers to pull the broken spade from that terminal and you will be able to plug it right into the kits tab.

roadrunner · Post by **roadrunner** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:41 pm

Geez Reed, not wishing you any bad luck or anything but I'm sure glad you didn't leave any of them ducks here when you went through this area!

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:43 pm

04crewvt wrote:Oh sure you couldn't break it in a way that's easy to fix.........

Does this mean that my usual friendly waterfowl, who spared me on the excellent Moab trip, have now begun to circle and are determined to find a way to die??

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:48 pm

HenryJ wrote:..........That is an easy fix........

OK, I am just gonna research and report back any findings. I don't know what happened during the storm that broke them but usually the struts prevent the wires from being stretched taut.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:49 pm

You just drove faster than they could fly so they gave up and went home to see what mischief they could get into.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:47 pm

Okay, I tried the permatex kit and it didn't work. No connectors were with the kit. It was set up to replace a connector that came off of the grid and it wouldn't hold since the connector was broke in half.

Post by **HenryJ** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:00 pm

so it did not have a male terminal in the kit?
If it did not, make one. A small strip of metal cut to form a spade terminal for your wire to attach.

One of those add a connection tabs for a fuse block would work too. A little time browsing the terminal book at the parts store should yield lots of choices that will work if you don't have the material to make your own.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:47 pm

The kit has changed a little from that write up. No male tabs came with the kit and the glass vial break and shake has changed to. Even if I got the male tabs to stick, I would have broken tabs reattaching the connector anyway. Daimler Chrysler connectors are famous for being puzzles and I had to use vise grips and really work them out. The Permatex adhesive didn't impress me and the kit is shot now anyway. I am looking at a Frost Fighter solution, I like that you can build up the conductive adhesive because my attachment surface is so uneven. Warm weather or keeping it warm is the key with their stuff.

Post by **HenryJ** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 5:04 pm

That looks like a good solution. Let us know how it works out.
Cost and availability would be good too.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 5:54 pm

This is from the manufacturer but, lower prices may be found using Google.

Frost Fighter wrote:Frost Fighter Items
Qty.....SKU.......Description...........Price.........Total
1......2000.......Tab Repair Kit.......$28.95......$28.95
1......2300.......Uni-Clip Kit............$5.95.......$5.95

Sub-Total..........$34.90
Shipping:......Frost Fighter ESTIMATED TOTAL $39.52

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:12 am

OK, the tab repair kit is good! Service is fast and it works better than they give themselves credit for! I will always lean towards a company that is conservative on what a product actually does. The "glue" is very good. They recommend warm heat over night and installation be performed above 72* or 50* with heat overnight. Skip the heat, it will just cause it to become soft and the tab to fall off. Skip their uni clip/tab kit unless you are like me and did not have anything locally to buy tabs from. $6 for 2 spade-spade connectors is to much. $30 and you have a rear defroster again. That is a hard concept to sell the Jeep crowd but, then who can explain anything to them?