Rear defrost grid replacement (1 Viewer)

[lockd80]

Like many of you my rear defrost has not worked well for years. I have fixed the grid several times but now all I get are what look like interconnected crop circles. Worse it looks like at the center of the circles the factory tint is starting to burn. While searching for solutions on the Internet I found http://frostfighter.com/index.htm and I bought their "17 inch stick kit" http://frostfighter.com/prt2600.htm This is a complete defrost grid that works with the original wiring.

The kit comes with pretty good instructions and if you have any questions I did not have any problem just calling them direct for help.

As far as install on a 80 goes the only modification I did was to move the passenger side factory defrost wire over to the drivers side due to the fact that the new buss bars have both connections on the same side. I did not want to cut the factory wiring so i enlarged the hole in the plastic trim and unplugged the wire inside the tailgate and pulled it through the trim in one piece. then it was just a matter of cutting off the protective plastic tube and snaking the wire next to the drivers side wire down into the tailgate. Then you just need to move the wire inside the tailgate from the passenger side to the drivers side and connect them backup. Sorry for the long explanation, I took a bunch of pictures but did not find out that they did not turn out until I had finished the job.

The only other modifications I did was to reverse the buss bars that the wires connect to so that they pointed toward each other instead of away from each other. I did this because the wiring was coming from the center of window and it would attach better that way as well as I am not sure the wires are long enough to attach the other way. I modified the buss bar covers also.

Other than that it was just a case of following the directions included being very careful to 1. do not have any wrinkles when adhering the grid and 2. make suer there is at least 1/8 inch gap between the buss bars.

The finished product looks pretty busy from the inside but if you have the factory tan/mirror tint is is barely noticeable from the outside.




The instructions said to install the bus bars three inches from the outside of the window but I thought two inches looked bad enough.

All in all I am happy to have a rear defroster again, it seems to work very well on the inside fogging but it has not froze here yet to test it on ice so I will see and update later.

Mark

 

[greentruck]

Looks like it could cut the fog and ice. It's good to know there's an option out there in case the factory grid stumbles. Looking forward to how it works for you.

 

[Fosters]

Been eyeing one of these kits...your install info has sealed the deal for me...thanks for sharing

 

[Otamiway]

Nice write up on your install. I have their front kit for the wipers since the spring. I am motivated to install it now.

 

[toadshade]

I hope I can revive this thread if possible. I am thinking of doing this myself. I noticed that the instructions said a 3 inch gap too. I am assuming that is for the protection of the window (due to excessive heat?). I wanted to know how the 2 inch gap has been working and how the kit has been performing over all. Of course I would prefer to install the kit over the factory bus so I can get it as close to the edge as possible. And so far yours is the only kit I have seen with the bus tabs on the same side. But I think that has to do with odd/even defrost lines. Since we have 15 lines, it is on the same side. I am going to see if there is a way to add the 16th line and perhaps get it on the original side. It would though, get it within that crucial 3" space from the window edge.