rear washer tube replacement

[Micah]

I have tired the search but do not really know the best way to search for this. The tube that the water goes through from the bag to the window has broke at the hinge from the hatch and the body. I was wondering if anyone has replace this before and what is the best way to go about replacing the tube.

I dont have a picture of this but can get one if I need to.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Von Hayek]

This is actually a backburner issue that I have with my truck. I don't know where those hose is broken, but I get blue liquid shot from the headliner when I hit the cleaner button

I haven't tackled it yet because I imagine that the headliner is going to be a bear.

 

[Micah]

Yeah I am hoping that someone will stay that you dont have to mess with the headliner and you can just slide the new tube through.

 

[slcfj62]

I replaced mine with a continuous piece of rubber hose from Napa. The clear plastic aquarium style tubing is in multiple pieces. Mine got brittle and came apart at the passenger side hinge of the rear hatch. The rubber tubing I got from Napa has the same inner diameter, but thicker wall. I started at the rear window washer bag and connected the new rubber tubing to the old plastic tubing. Then I took the headliner loose across the back. I worked the new tubing up the rear post and across the back by pulling on the old stuff. I lubed it with silicon to get it through the rubber grommet on the passenger side and into the hatch. As I recall the most difficult part was getting it up the rear post. Don't pull too hard on the plastic hose because it is joined in a couple of places and can come apart. If this happens, use an electricians fish tape to pull the new tubing through the access routes. It took me a couple of hours to get it done, so be patient. I was not able to get it done without taking the headliner loose. It went back OK.

 

[Micah]

Bump.

 

[Ropeman]

I don't think anyone is going to say you can do it easily without messing with the headliner.

slcfj62 has given pretty much the comprehensive method though I'd be tempted to start with the fish wire/tape as there seem to be lots of places that the OEM tube gets stuck.

 

[vasellers]

I changed mine without messing with the headliner, lucky I guess.

First take the outside driver's side vent off and remove the insides, this will give you access to the tubing and the little connection that holds two pieces of the tubing together.

Now open the rear hatch and remove the upper and lower cover plates to gain access to the rest of the tubing. Duct tape a string or your new tubing onto the end of the tubing through the outside vent, grab the tubing at the top of the hatch, where it comes out of the little rubber sleeve connecting the hatch to the rest of the headliner area and pull, work it until it moves. Mine was stuck and took some time to free up. Luckily I had something fastened to the tubing on the other end so I didn't lose it.

After it was all freed up, I pulled the old tubing out with the new tubing attached to it, came right on through, knocked the rubber channel off but it was easy to replace and didn't fall apart.

 

[Micah]

Thanks for the help guys, greatly appreciated.

 

[Freewheel]

X2 on Vaseliers post. I was able to do it without messing with the headliner. However mine broke right at the spot where the hose bridges between the door and the body so it was easy to pull back to the hosebag (especially with the left side vent removed) and also pull through the rear door by taping the new tube to the old.
If it breaks inside the headliner it will be a bit of a pain. You can however, carefully peel back the headliner adhesive under the plastic edging and it will come off, and even restick when you are done. They obviously use some magic adhesive that doesn't lose its stickyness easily.
good luck.

 

[STUDLY 60]

I didn't mess with the head liner either. I remved the rear light panel as well as the two side pillar covers (in the corners) Then removed the old which was stuck pretty good. Then I fished the new hose above the headliner and inside a channel along the rear of roof panel. the use of the tape method works well in the corners.

 

[thenative1]

Thanks to this thread, I tackled this easy-ish but slightly finicky repair today. Here are my observations in no particular order:

• Trickiest part for me was manipulating the approximately 5" long rubber gasket that bridges the rear body to the tailgate. The tubing and electrical wires run through this. Needed to disconnect the wires in the tailgate, pull the assembly out the door (at the top of the door) and cut the electrical tape that was wrapped around approx. 18" of the tubing and wiring. Once I had run everything back through (I had left a drag line when pulling it initially), getting the rubber gasket back into the holes in the body and tailgate was tricky. Not so much that it's a difficult task, but you have no room and less angle to work it in. I got it done but there might have been some spicy language involved;
• I did not need to mess with the headliner. I was prepared to do so but emboldened by the posts here, I disconnected the tubing at the wiper-fluid bag, pulled it out through the driver's side D-pillar vent (quick shout out to Rust Farmers - www.therustfarmers.com - for their replacement exterior vent that I think looks as good - slightly better?! - than OEM), electrical taped it to the new tubing, and then using my left hand to push it up through the D pillar and right hand to pull from the right-hand side hole in the body, navigated it through without pulling the headliner. It started to get stuck once or twice but gently twisted and manipulated it and was able to pull it through;
• Note: there was a connection in the tubing in the tailgate. I decided to ignore it and ran the tubing uninterrupted from the fluid bag all the way to the nozzle. My guess is that it was approx. 15' of tubing;
• The tubing I used was clear from Home Depot, Everbuilt brand, 1/4" Outer Diameter, .17" Interior Diameter. Works great.

I think that's it for now. It was a good repair and I love restoring small things on the truck so they work they way they did in 1989!

Good luck if you take this one on.