Which sliding rear window to get

Thinking about replacing the solid window with a slider on my 2001 xtra-cab.

I had a Toyota 1988 pickup that I owned for 23 years but it was stolen and I replaced with with the 2001. The 1988 had a 4 panel slider and it was handy. I could carry real long stuff by sticking it through the slider and then the passenger window. The 1988 did not have a/c so during the summer I would open the slider. The slider on the 1988 was a 4 panel. When you opened it it was wide. The glass on the 1988 was not factory tinted.

When I bought the 2001 the previous owner had tinted the rear and quarter windows. I had to remove the film tint because it was hard to see. So I want a non tinted slider for the 2001, but I want a 4 panel. The opening in a 3 panel seems to be too small to be useful.

In the first pic my 2001 is on the right. Same color Tacoma is on the left with a 3 panel slider - it is a 2003 or 2004 because it had the drivers side grab handle. Second pic is a close-up of the 3 panel. Third pic is a pre 2001 Tacoma with a 4 panel, but it is factory tinted.

From looking at other Tacomas and pictures it seems that Toyota switched from a 4 panel to a 3 in 2001-2004. 1995-2000 were 4 panel. 2001 was a facelift year so the 4 panel window from an older Tacoma should fit because the cab did not change. So I thought I would get a factory 4 panel slider for a 1995-2000, but all I have seen are tinted aka privacy glass, which I don't want.

Does anyone know if Toyota sells a 4 panel that is clear? If not then I will probably go with aftermarket as CR Laurence has a 4 panel in clear. Does anyone know of some advantage of a 3 panel vs. 4 panel. I know the 4 panel was easy to break into by popping the latch from the outside, but I don't care. My 1988 was not broken into - it was stolen. A glass guy told me truck companies switched to 3 panel only because it could be motorized. I am willing to take the 4 panel break in risk with the 2001. One glass company told me they only install factory Toyota because aftermarket does not fit. I could have been told this because they do the installs at my local dealership - which means they buy the glass from that dealership.

Another subject. Does anyone know what company made the glass for our 1st generation Tacomas?

 

You guys are slow. Way slower than the mobile glass installer I spoke to yesterday afternoon. He said yesterday that he had two 4 panel sliders. I told him to give me a call if they were clear.

He called this morning to say they were in his truck and was at the warehouse a few minutes away from my office. I told him to come by and show me what he had. He came by alright, but he expected to install something right then and there in the office parking lot. He had a used 4 panel factory glass but it was tinted. He had a NIB CR Laurence 4 panel in clear.

$200 for the CRL including installation. Talk about a fast sell. He said it would take about 20 minutes. He and his helper worked so fast that they had my solid window out before I could even take a picture of them doing it. He reused the gasket as my 2001 was still supple.

He said aftermarket might leak where the aluminum channels meet each other so he seals those small gaps with silicon which you can see him doing in the 6th picture. Last pics are in the afternoon at my house. Made in the USA.

I kept the original solid glass and put it in the CRL box.

 

Looks good! Almost identical to mine I tried to find some information on mine but it was installed 14 years ago...

 

Further review 1 week later.

After the install I took it home and blasted it with the garden hose on full pressure. There were some droplets on the inside. Pics 1 and 2. Then I read a slider was not designed to withstand this type of horizontal blast, or even an automatic carwash.

Next day I took the nozzle off and pretended the water came from the sky. No Leaks. Pic 3.

We have been a drought. Then about 3 days ago it started to rain hard off and on. No leaks. Pics 4 and 5.

Last pic shows the difference between the factory tinted 3 panel and my aftermarket clear 4 panel. Also notice the size difference of the window opening. The 3 panel reminds me of a cat door....

Pilkington was the glass supplier for Toyota at the NUMMI factory to answer my original question.

 

How did you find out about this? I'm thinking about buying a 2002 Tacoma regular cab and want to switch out the glass with a sliding window

 

Thanks for posting. I've been wishing my back window opened - it never occurred to me I could simply replace it. I had no idea there was a 4 panel option for trucks. I've got some more shopping to do. THANKS!

 

Go for the three panel. The four is nowhere near as user-friendly based on my 3 panel in my 2nd gen and the 4 panel in my 98.

 

The 4 panel can be a bear to open if your are sitting down, but I leave mine unlocked so if (and when on multiple occasions) I lock my keys in y truck in can slip through the back window into my truck

 

Hide a spare in a magnet box under the truck. I have one hidden on top of my frame

 

Damn, I want a solid glass window. Was gonna offer a swap

 

I had one, it got ripped off on a trail some where. Now I just ziptied one to the top of my frame

 

i put a 4 panel oem used tinted slider off ebay in my standard cab & love it. the handle pin has fallen out once but is easy to put back in. it seems easy enough to open & close to me but i haven't tried the 3 panel. mine doesn't leak in car washes or rain. I did read that the aftermarket windows were louder on the road than then oem - not sure about that though. It was super easy to replace myself with a bucket of soapy water & a rope.

 

I've got a 3pc slider on my '02 that I'd like to trade for the earlier 4pc slider if anyone is interested...

I've got a camper shell and want a larger access than my 3pc allows.

Not too concerned with latches and sealing, although my 3pc is in excellent condition.


Located in the LA/SoCal area

 

3 panel is better imo. That what my truck has, i have a 4 panel on the camper shell it’s annoying to open and doesn’t seal right anymore

 

I can open my 4 panel while seated and still buckled in. Y'all must be short

 

I have the 3-panel on my 2003. It says Pilkington on the lower right corner and I always assumed it was an aftermarket install. It's easy enough to pop open while at a red light, and I often use it for cross-ventilation in lieu of running the AC. I wish it wasn't tinted so dark, though, especially when I'm running a camper shell on the back.