Rear liftgate remove/replace

[mntn-biker]

Anyone here ever remove and replace the rear liftgate assembly? I'm picking up a used 1 tonight and just started wondering how big of a job it is and how heavy this liftgate is. I'm hoping I can remove the lift glass to lighten the assembly up a bit.

Mike

[zbyers]

You are able to remove the glass from the rear hatch to make it easier. The hatch is fairly heavy. If you have a second or third set of hands that can give you a hand, that wouldn't be a horrible idea.

I think the biggest challenge will be disconnecting the wire harness from the grommet at the top of the hatch, and then realigning the new hatch once it is on. Otherwise, it's pretty straightforward.