Chevy's S10 Blazer may have been something of a Frankenstein at the time, but it's proven itself over and over again in the marketplace. While the Blazer itself may have gone out of production in 2005, there's no denying that it helped to set the template for mid-sized SUVs from either side of the Pacific. GM offered the Blazer with several different kinds of rear hatch -- one- and two-part swing-out and liftgate included -- but the simple glass hatch was the cheapest, lightest and most popular. Replacing the glass is very easy, requiring only a few minutes and basic hand tools.
Instructions
- 1
Open the glass hatch -- or what's left of it -- and look upward at the hinges that secure the hatch to the body. On the glass-side of the hinge you'll see three Torx-head screws. Have your assistant support the glass while you remove the screws, and then carefully pull the glass out of the hinge clamps. Pull the gas struts out of the strut studs on the glass before you remove the glass. You can do it afterward, but you risk damaging the struts.
2Reinstall the new glass as you remove the old, but be careful to reinsert the plastic washers that fit in between the hinge and the glass. Without them, the hinges will break the new glass when you torque the fasteners. For now, just reinstall the gas struts on the new glass' strut studs, and lightly tighten the fasteners. Close the glass slowly, and check for alignment.
3Adjust the glass as need be. You may need to loosen and re-check fitment several times before you get it right. Once you have the alignment down, tighten the Torx screws to 70 inch-pounds, or about 6 foot-pounds.
