Mangonesailor

I have done all three fixes for back there:

-I had the hatch "re-laminated." A local window/glass repair shop did it for me. Weather-tested it in a car wash, no leaks but I think the alignment is off a smidge.

-Installed this kit.

-I also installed a new hatch seal.

With the factory sunroof in (I say this for a reason) I hear no noise from back there anymore. It's wonderful. The saratoga roof gives you 0 noise attenuation, and also sits a little higher than it should. So you'll have some noise... but not alot. (That has also been "weather-tested"... no leaks)

V2Rocket

Anybody installing the only944 hatch seal have to trim theirs at all for final fitment? I might want the "cut-offs"...

Mangonesailor

Mine didn't require any trimming. Not sure if anybody's will.

catamount

Mine didn't either. But I have discovered that the hatch doesn't seal around the top corners. I don't know if that was a installation mistake on my part or what. But, it's something I need to investigate further.

PEvans

Yes, please do. I have two hatches here, one on the car and one spare. I hoard the rare hatches with no wiper hole button because I like the clean look. Plus the hatch on the car has been repaired once and I figured it might be one per. I don't know the procedure at all.

Tom M'Guinn

I ordered a set when I saw this post, as my hatch was creaking over curbs, etc. The creak is now all gone -- yippee! Getting the latches out to install these bushings was easier than expected -- I can pull one out in about 1 minute now (no exaggeration) after doing it many times. I ended up filing the delrin bushings some as shown in the video so the pin would fit all the way in and the latch. I concluded filing was needed after removing both the latch and pin from the car and confirming the pin just didn't have enough room for the latch to shut around it -- no amount of alignment/adjusting was going to help. After filing the delrin down a bit, it latched like a champ, and no creaking anymore!

I also put the pin in my drill (lightly so as not to screw up the threads) and cleaned/smoothed/de-rusted it with emory paper.

V2Rocket

anybody else notice even closing the hatch sounds more..solid..now?
i put mine in yesterday and it took a little while to align the pins (also because i swapped hatches yesterday) but it works nicely now. don't drive very often so might be a while before i get real review in but i am pleased so far.

monteolsen1

Wow, this would be great. I own a 968 and ordered the pin seat just now. I look forward to your writeup on the relamination procedure. Does anyone know of the firewall brace that only944 carries will work in the 968? I would think so but am not sure. Thanks all.

V2Rocket

Can anything be done to a hatch that is only starting to delaminate (one 6" area next to the center brake light)...injecting 3m urethane into the gap..?

Aivar88

Ordered those pin seats too, will see how these work out for me. Also have to relaminate rear hatch window, getting water in drunk somewhere from hatch pin lock area right side.

aglaes

Can someone describe what the hatch delamination looks like - or better yet have a picture?. I think mine has started to delaminate as well. Had the windows tinted last year and it looked worse afterwards, I guess because of all the pressure they put on the glass.

PEvans

Start a new thread on this topic. Maybe we can prompt Dougs951S to post his writeup.

You can tell by water getting on the underside of the glass when you wash your car. If you are really lucky you can see the edge of the glass under the top of the frame. It is not subtle.

Bill

Can anyone post pictures? I would be interested in what the inserts look like installed?

Tom M'Guinn

Well, long-term update time.... I ended up replacing the clasps with new factory units. The delrin inserts are a cheaper and are way better than old dried out factory inserts -- worth a try for sure -- but I found myself regularly readjusting the pins/clasps. Seemed like every time the weather changed, the hatch would become too tight or too loose and start making noise or sticking shut. The factory clasps are more forgiving (spongier bushings) and appears to have fixed all that...

PEvans

I also decided to change out the latches and pins with OEM replacements. My hatch had stopped opening entirely.

I released the hatch from inside the car and actually found that the rod for the right latch had come out of the retainer in the lever at the center of the car. Maybe that pin was adjusted too short. The rubber or plastic in the latches was basically goo.

Pelican Parts has a good tutorial on how to disconnect the rods from the latches here. You would have to follow this to get the latches out.

I had ordered new pins (they call them strikers). My old ones were the nice stainless steel replacements sharky47 used to offer, and I wish I had left them alone. The OEM pins are not as nice. I had to use a vice grip to get them out so they got somewhat trashed. I also had to work the threads in and out with PB Blaster then oil to get them to work easily.

Good advice to leave the pins a little long and to close the hatch with the latches a little loose (then tighten from the inside) so they self-align.

I don't know if my hatch will be completely silent, but it certainly opens and closes much nicer.