FJ Freedom window install

[Gumby]

I was pretty damn excited to hear about the new FJ Freedom windows. There's a lot about the FJC that I like, but some things I just can't tolerate. The lack of windows in the back is one of the biggest.

I called up Southeast Overland and ordered up a set. Got the Mud shipping discount and got them on the way.

A few days later they showed up well packaged, although I am starting to really dislike packaging peanuts now that most folks have gone to the bags. The box got knocked off a cart in the shop and I think I'm gonna be finding peanuts for weeks.

The instructions are OK. There is a video and I probably should've watched it. There was really nothing confusing about the written instructions. A lot of products come with instructions that have been printed off lately.

The web site suggests having someone remove your windows for you. I was all for this, especially when I read the price should be about $30. I called a place I'd dealt with before. They estimated $90 each. That's not very close. Had I not cancelled the appointment, they were going to re-estimate once they saw the truck, but we were so far off I just cancelled the appointment.

I bought a couple of tools and I made a tool that got the windows out fine.

First pull the trim off the inside of the door. The gray piece at the top has a button fastener that you pull the inside up and then the whole thing out. Then you can pull the christmas tree fasteners out by pulling on the door. There is two bolts at the bottom by the seat belt. You can pull those once you pull off the black part. Theres a screw in the cup holder and then that one is on xmas tree fasteners as well. I have a set of panel release pliers that work great for this but you can just pull it off carefully.

I used a utility blade in a piece of conduit with a slight bend in it to do a lot of the cutting on the first window. I ended up using a Milwalkee undercut saw to finish up that window and do a lot of the second window. You have to be very careful of the saw blade cutting into the paint on the outside of the door it you use this tool. I taped the crap out of the frame on the second door. I'll be repainting the first one.

Taking the bottom rubber trim off the outside isn't necessary, but helpful. You will probably need at least a couple of new clips. You can repair where the rubber is coming off while it's off.

Some tools I used, the masked off pass door and a student using the utility blade on a stick to clean up the eurethane.

 

[Gumby]

Once I had the window cut enough that I could get the handle through I used a PCV saw to cut out the rest of the eurethane. A window tool works better for this since you don't have to get the handle through, but the closest place that had one was a half hour away and the tool had bad reviews from HF. ACE had a PCV saw. I could have cut off one loop, pushed it through and clamped on it with some vise grips, but the other tools were working good.

Once the window was out I cleaned up the rest of the eurethane. To be honest I left a bit on the passenger side rather than scrape the paint like on the DS.

There's a painted aluminum trim ring that goes on next. The directions say to mark the holes, then take the ring off and drill them. I just put the ring on and drilled the holes through the trim. You are supposed to prep the area with some alcohol swabs, but the kit only came with two swabs for four places you need to use it. I used some prep-solve for the other places. There is sticky tape on the trim ring that holds it in place.

Drill out the holes with a 9/32 bit, but be careful not to go more than just the outer panel. There is one place where there is an inner panel you dont want to drill though.

The hinges are riveted through the trim ring and the outer skin of the truck. They go forward and down. That's pretty important. look at the pics in the instructions.

The latch goes on with #8 allen head bolts. This was my first real problem with the kit. There were no allen head bolts. There were two phillips head bolts and nuts for four holes. I had to go the hardware store to get the other two. The rubber trim that goes around the pinch weld of the window frame will interfere with the latch. You have to figure out how you want to trim it to fit.

The weatherstripping looks good, goes on easy and is self adhesive. You are supposed to use the swabs to prep the surface, but you already used those to prep the trim rings, so have something else handy.

 

[Gumby]

Two little buttons are supplied to fill the holes where the plastic clips were that held the windows in. They don't fit. You'll need a dab of RTV or something on them. Once in they look lice though.

There are two rivets on the corners that need to be installed too. Now you're mostly done.

The windows are flexible plastic. I though they should have figured out a way to make the stock windows work. Hell, TOYOTA should have made the stock windows work. But the window does have to flex to get it on the hinges. That is the hardest part of taking them on and off. The hinges are tiny, hard to see and really hard to line up. You will scratch the paint on the trim where the window hits when you are trying to get the hinge on. In the sunlight you can look through the plastic and see where to position the hinges. Even when it was just overcast later in the day I couldn't.

The latches are very well designed. There was nothing I could see that told you how they worked, but once you figure it out they are cool. The two tabs in the middle of the latch pinch together to release the pins.

 

[Gumby]

The windows look pretty stock from a casual inspection. They stick out a bit from the side of the truck, but not that you would call excessive or distracting. They look to be of higher quality than they are. You can't hardly tell they are plastic. We'll see how well they stand up to scratching.

They work well as vents. They are easy to use. They reduce the buffeting that drives me crazy when you use the front windows. They provide nice fresh air when the front windows are up. There is simple no excuse Toyota didn't do this in the first place.

When they are out they don't look as finished, but I suspect the dogs will love them. They came with a nice bag to put the windows in when they are out of the truck. As I said they are a pain to re-install. I tweaked the upper hinge a little to make is easier and to try to keep the window off the paint, but it's still hard.

Overall this is a pretty good product that could use a little packaging quality control and some refinement. It fits a need, that's for sure. Hopefully, FJ Freedom windows will improve it a little or someone will come up with a way to use the stock windows.

When I was pulling out of the parking lot after installing them I had them popped as vents. A TT edition pulled up behind me. I thought "If I was that dude I would chase down that guy with the vent windows and ask him where he got them." He didn't, but man, I sure would have.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Well done, thanks for the right up. I never did mine, sold the FJC with them still in the box. And, I completely agree, a HUGE issue solved with this mod...

 

[Gumby]

Just got back from the dog park. The first time driving with the windows out and the first time with the dogs in the truck with the windows out.

Worth every penny. The dogs love it. The wife bought the truck for the dogs and it was just a cave back there. The shepard would lean on my shoulder and I'd be covered in drool.

Now they just hang their heads out.

 

[Southeast Overland]

Gumby - glad you like the windows and glad the dogs seem to like them too!

On the packaging - they come to Southeast Overland without any packing peanuts. We inset the peanuts to do the best we can to avoid any damage in shipment to our customers. We do have the inflated bags but they don't fit as well as the peanuts. I hate the mess peanuts cause too but we have a ton of them from our shipments and we try to reuse everything we can. Imagine the mess opening a tall skinny box with a PowerTank and a ton of peanuts causes!

 

[NorCalBorn]

Cool post! Bonus is (if I read into it right) I never knew you were an AT Instructor.

FWIW I tell people out here who've done the windows to always add in this one step..

Before you put the frame on, grab some really light sand paper or a green scotchbrite and scuff around the spot where the frame goes and hit it with some satin black spray paint.

This way when the window is off it still show's as an almost factory finish.
See where the silver peeks through?

~I love them, when/if I ever get a FJ-C finally they are the first things on my short list.