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  1. #1
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Default Wagon Rear Wiper Transfer to non-wiper Tailgate hatch

    This is my second time doing this. I was almost done installing the original hatch when up came a huge gust of wind and blew the hatch up over the roof. Bent the window frame into history. The glass wasn't installed and I was installing the lifts. I kept that gate while I found another from a local yard, and then heaved it into the scrap heap.

    This time, that second gate was too rusted to patch with my limited skills, but I'll get a body shop to patch it properly and store it.

    Meanwhile, I scored a tailgate from Nebraska, and now I have to drill it out to reinstall my rear wiper, so I thought I'd prep y'all for the upcoming. I'll show you how I measured and made a paper template for the mounting holes, and the exterior hole.

    The rear one is all in its own light blue tape wrapper, front to back.

    The only part of this job that I don't like is getting the wires down into the hatch's window frame, Man that's a tight spot.

    I'll post step-by-step pictures tomorrow.
    Last edited by Stormin' Norman; 06-21-2016 at 05:26 PM. Reason: Typos
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  2. #2
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    I got it done already!

    No measuring tape needed. Since its a small area and curved, AND since the mounting bracket is gently flexible, I chose to use the caveman type - actual dimensions.

    I didn't install it, because I'd have to remove the license plate/back up light frame, AND remove it again to feed the wires into the hatch, which takes me a bit of time. Now if, in your junk yard escapes, you see a harness with a light blue factory tape and 3 wires, its probably the rear wiper harness.

    So here's about 17 pics at 5 per post:


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    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  3. #3
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    T only did a 1/4 inch pilot hole for the outside hole. I used a punch to mark my paper holes using masking tape to hold the sheets in their correct position:

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    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  4. #4
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    These bits do cut thin sheet metal, up to and including our frames. I bought a package of 3 different sizes, under the Bosch name - titanium coated, and performs like a track star.

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    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  5. #5
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    There's locator stub, about 1/8" wide at the top of the hole that needs a touch with a jigsaw. Keep it at less than 3/16" WIDE, and 1/8" or LESS high. I covered the area with masking tape where I'd be sawing to protect the paint:


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    I used an old, tapered grinding stone to clean up the hole and enlarge 1/32"" all around, and a flat file to deburr the slot and round hole.

    I did push the wiper nose in to see if it had enough room. Perfect fit.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  6. #6

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    Stormin',

    Thank you for sharing how you installed the wagon rear wiper. Could you do me a BIG favor and tell me the diameter of the wiper shaft hole in the lift gate and how far the bottom edge of thee hole is from the edge of the license plate/back-up light bucket? Also, if a line is drawn from the left edge of the key slot on top of the wiper shaft hole perpendicular to the bottom edge of the lift gate, what is the distance from that line to the inner edge of the divider between the license plate well and the LH back-up light lens?

    Long ago I had harvested the entire rear wiper assembly including the entire wire harness intact (no cutting!) but failed to make any measurements on placing the holes. I still have to remember where the reservoir filler neck and spray nozzles is located.

    One thing I did notice is the lift gate has an inner metal reinforcement bracket above the license plate/back-up light bucket and in the exact area the wiper arm shaft is located the reinforcement is cut out. This feature is on the '85 LTD lift gate I had harvested too. Thank Ford for being too lazy to change their stamping patterns!
    Proud owner of the one and only Friggin' Futura

  7. #7

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    Stormin',

    Thank you for sharing how you installed the wagon rear wiper. Could you do me a BIG favor and tell me the diameter of the wiper shaft hole in the lift gate and how far the bottom edge of the hole is from the edge of the license plate/back-up light bucket? Also, if a line is drawn from the left edge of the key slot on top of the wiper shaft hole perpendicular to the bottom edge of the lift gate, what is the distance from that line to the inner edge of the divider between the license plate well and the LH back-up light lens?

    Long ago I had harvested the entire rear wiper assembly including the entire wire harness intact (no cutting!) but failed to make any measurements on placing the holes. I still have to remember where the reservoir filler neck and spray nozzles are located (I know general area but don't want to screw up and punch a hole in the wrong spot).

    One thing I did notice is the lift gate has an inner metal reinforcement bracket above the license plate/back-up light bucket and in the exact area the wiper arm shaft is located the reinforcement is cut out. This feature is on the '85 LTD lift gate I had harvested too. Thank Ford for being too lazy to change their stamping patterns!
    Last edited by Dean_T; 06-22-2016 at 10:35 PM.
    Proud owner of the one and only Friggin' Futura

  8. #8
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    I'll get those Dean. The hole is 3/4", the notch is 1/8" X 1/16". Yes that inner bracket supports the wiper's nose.

    I'll take a measurement and pic, for the Nozzle and filler locations.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  9. #9
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dean_T View Post
    Stormin',

    Thank you for sharing how you installed the wagon rear wiper. Could you do me a BIG favor and tell me the diameter of the wiper shaft hole in the lift gate and how far the bottom edge of the hole is from the edge of the license plate/back-up light bucket? Also, if a line is drawn from the left edge of the key slot on top of the wiper shaft hole perpendicular to the bottom edge of the lift gate, what is the distance from that line to the inner edge of the divider between the license plate well and the LH back-up light lens?

    Long ago I had harvested the entire rear wiper assembly including the entire wire harness intact (no cutting!) but failed to make any measurements on placing the holes. I still have to remember where the reservoir filler neck and spray nozzles are located (I know general area but don't want to screw up and punch a hole in the wrong spot).

    One thing I did notice is the lift gate has an inner metal reinforcement bracket above the license plate/back-up light bucket and in the exact area the wiper arm shaft is located the reinforcement is cut out. This feature is on the '85 LTD lift gate I had harvested too. Thank Ford for being too lazy to change their stamping patterns!
    I took pics (not good at that ).

    Diameter is 3/4", but a round file or a small grinding stone on a drill would need to enlarge maybe a 1/32" to clear the threads (wiggle room) The key is 1/8" wide and 1/16 to 1/8" high - the trim covers nicely.


    ... how far the bottom edge of the hole is from the edge of the license plate/back-up light bucket?
    I measured that off at 1/2", no pic, but I also measured from the top of the hole:

    From hole top to WELL edge is: 1-3/16"

    From Key slot top to edge is: 1-5/16"


    Also, if a line is drawn from the left edge of the key slot on top of the wiper shaft hole perpendicular to the bottom edge of the lift gate, what is the distance from that line to the inner edge of the divider between the license plate well and the LH back-up light lens?
    These pics shows what I think you mean.


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    ... but failed to make any measurements on placing the holes. I still have to remember where the reservoir filler neck and spray nozzles are located (I know general area but don't want to screw up and punch a hole in the wrong spot).
    This is for the Filler neck:

    I measured from the filler's vertical 'Centre-Line' to the bottom of the hatch gate (13" +- a thin hair) and to the base of the angular curve (2-7/16") It does sit tucked in by about 1/2 of its diameter, under the seal.


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    The Nozzle pics and dimensions in the next post.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  10. #10
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    If you've got the shop manual (Electrical) it shows the range that the nozzle should cover.

    The nozzle is 23-5/8" from the TOP of the nozzle, to the LENSE notch of the hatch and centered on the pillar face:

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    Its the white tape, not the green. I had to bend to take it.
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    I've fed that harness into the tailgate frame a few times, and haven't come up with any bright ideas to get them in. Pull them in before installing the wiper motor assembly is about all I come up with.

    Let me know if you need more info?
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  11. #11

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    Thanks! I'll have to see if the nozzle range is in the '78 Fairmont electrical manual. I don't think rear wiper was an option by the time the '82 Cougar wagon rolled out. I think I see a circular flat spot on the lift gate jamb where the filler neck is located.

    I may need the measurements to locate the wiper motor's two threaded studs on the rear side of the lift gate. I don't recall seeing dimples or anything.

    Thanks!
    Proud owner of the one and only Friggin' Futura

  12. #12
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dean_T View Post
    Thanks! I'll have to see if the nozzle range is in the '78 Fairmont electrical manual. I don't think rear wiper was an option by the time the '82 Cougar wagon rolled out. I think I see a circular flat spot on the lift gate jamb where the filler neck is located.

    I may need the measurements to locate the wiper motor's two threaded studs on the rear side of the lift gate. I don't recall seeing dimples or anything.

    Thanks!
    No there are no dimples for the 2 rear studs, but my sketch should be good. The tailgate I have is from a 1984 LTD.

    Here's the adjustment instruction Figure from the Shop manual - Electrical, for our rear wiper/washer:


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    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  13. #13
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Default Feeding the Wiper Harness into the hatch lid

    Its one of those YUK jobs, but I used an electrician's trick to make it easier.

    They use a tool called a wire feed to pull the cables through joists and floors. I used a length of bare 14 gauge (15 AMP service ground in house wiring) about 40 inches long.

    There's a drain hole in the base of the hatch that you can feed it through and up inside the frame. I gave it a short 'U' bend 1/4" X 1/8" wide, so the end wouldn't jam on the weldment for the lift pivot (you have to remove it - I used a 6.5 foot fence board to hold up the hatch, meanwhile) and a loop on the outside end so it would slide into the hatch.

    My 1979 EVTM and the one for 1981 both show the harness going on the driver's side, and the connector for the motor going in from the passenger side. It is the passenger side of the hatch, not the Driver's side.

    Since I also have the heated rear glass, I left it out until the others were in. Too cramped to wiggle the harness until those are in.

    Once you feel it bottom out, stop! Drop the hatch, pull off the copper 'pull-through' and gently pull on the harness, long enough so you can lift the hatch and wiggle the wire from the top, as you pull down. (The license/backup frame has to be off.)

    The connectors on the harness have to be off. They come off easily with a small screw driver to release the socket hold-clip. Tape the metal sockets together. I used two layers of 1.5" masking tape. Black electrical tape will stretch and maybe break off, with too much tension.

    There's another difference between the 1979 and the 1983 LTD hatch that I got to replace my old one. The 1983 uses a 3 wire connector instead of the 2-wire on the 1979 for the licence plate(BR)/backup lights(BK-P). The 3rd wire (BK) is the ground. On the 1979, the wiper harness has a ground wire that leads back up to the roof and screws to the same ground that the 1983 harness does. You may need a new connector for the short harness into the license/backup frame lights..

    Here's the pics:


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    Last edited by Stormin' Norman; 07-21-2016 at 12:45 PM. Reason: typos
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  14. #14
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    Nice post Norm.

  15. #15

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    what I found during my tailgate repairs was an engineering flaw ...as the glass shock is always pushing hard on the glass over time this stresses the glass hinge causing it to open and finally fail.I removed the shock to save my very hard to find hinge

  16. #16
    FEP Member Stormin' Norman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fairmont city View Post
    what I found during my tailgate repairs was an engineering flaw ...as the glass shock is always pushing hard on the glass over time this stresses the glass hinge causing it to open and finally fail.I removed the shock to save my very hard to find hinge
    So you've got a hinged glass in the hatch? On a Fairmont? Nice.
    1979 Ford Fairmont 4-Eyed Squire (Mexican-Built) 3.3 I6 (200 CID) 4-Speed SROD Trans, Tri-Power

  17. #17
    FEP Senior Member waggin's Avatar
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    If anyone needs any info. on the hatch with factory wiper, I have one sitting in my shop.
    '78 Fairmont Box Top w/Straight 6/3-spd Manual Everything
    '81 Zephyr Wagon 4/4-spd
    '84 Mustang SVO 5.0 Swapped semi-junker (I didn't do it!)
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