DIY Rear Sliding Window Screen/Mesh Project for the 2019 Ford Ranger.

DIYAndy

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DIY Rear Sliding Window Screen/Mesh Project for the 2019 Ford Ranger.

Traveling to the "Great White North" for fishing and camping entails being around lakes, streams and
marshes which has their famous, nasty, blood sucking (female) mosquitos and pesky black flies, so I needed an insect proof screen/mesh for my rear sliding glass window on my Ranger. Also, I am using the rear window that doubles as a vent visor to remove excess heat in the summer time but I still needed a screen/mesh protection for debris, for security and for insects.

I was looking for a rear window screens for the 2019 Ford Ranger rear back window but what I found, on the Internet, was very expensive, plastic $%#@& garbage frames which really did not fit properly on my new 2019 Ford Ranger rear window. I then decided to make a DIY "quality" custom frame/screen/mesh that looks pretty and fits on my new Ranger.

Project materials and tools:
Screen Frame Kit 46 L" 5/16 H x 3/4" wide (has 0.140 splines) with extra set of corners (4) (Lowe's or Home Depot)
Gorilla clear, indoor/outdoor 1" wide, double sided tape 60" long (Lowe's or Home Depot)
JB plastic epoxy (Lowe's or Home Depot)
Black, alloy, button head hex screws #8-32 x 5/8" with nuts (Lowe's or Home Depot)
Plastic screw head pop covers for #8-32 screws. (Lowe's or Home Depot)
Utility knife for cutting splines and excess mesh (Lowe's or Home Depot)
Spline roller for rolling splines into the frame (Lowe's or Home Depot)
Screen/mesh/ material for insects (user defined) - (any small local hardware store - eg ACE/TrueValue)
Enamel black paint for frame to match your trim color. (User defined) (Lowe's or Home Depot or any hardware store)

Window screen/mesh frame construction:
I made two identical screen frames from a screen frame kit. One was fixed and was attached to
the rear window glass with clear, double sided Gorilla tape. The other frame had the fine mesh
insect screen installed. This portable/removeable screen was attached, to all four corners,
of the fixed frame with hex head button screws for security/safety. Internet tutorials for building these
mesh/screen frames are extremely DIY friendly when using the "proper" tools.
DIY skills required - metal cutting, painting and using hand tools.

Hints, tips, and project information:
#1. There are many trade-offs when choosing a proper specific screen/mesh. I chose for insect/no see-um protection. For dogs, get the dog proof heavy duty mesh. For general driving use - use the high visibility mesh. In the frame kit, you could make several different types of screen/mesh frame windows.
#2. "Blue" Loctite thread locker was applied to the threads of the 4 hex head button screw fasteners.
#3. Epoxy was added, to each corner of the "fixed frame", to hold the fasteners nut(s) in place.
#4. Be sure to wipe the rear window glass down with Isopropyl alcohol before applying the Gorilla tape.
#5. To match my Ranger trim color, I had to paint all frames flat black. You cannot buy black in the frame kits? Only white, brown and natural. Do not choose/buy "natural" aluminum because you have to prime it for painting.
#6. Removal of Gorilla double sided tape residue on the rear glass window is easy with "Goo Gone".
#7. My frame size "inside" dimensions are 8 3/8" x 12" (rail pieces) - outside dimensions are 9 7/8" x 13.5".
The frame(s) were placed over the window opening "centered" with a clearance of ~ 1/8" around the perimeter.
#8. Working with messy epoxy is NOT fun whatsoever!
#9. Don't forget to remove the rubber spline(s) BEFORE cutting the frame rails!!!!
#10. With a 46" frame kit, you can make 2 fixed and 2 removable frames. (make extra one for a buddy)
#11. You need to buy the screen/mesh material which is extra. HD or Lowe's will charge by the roll, which is way too much. To save money, just get the exact amount of "Fiberglass" mesh material from a hardware store that does screen repair.
#12. Protect the nuts and screws from the epoxy drying application by putting small paper dots with adhesive (Staples) on the nut top edge to protect the threads/nuts from the epoxy glue drying process.
#13. Approximate cost per frame pair - < ~ $15
#14. Use plastic/rubber/nitrite gloves when using nasty epoxy!
#15. Use a cutoff saw in place of a hacksaw for precision and "repeatable" frame rail cutting.
#16. This project is very dependent on the "special" Gorilla double sided, clear tape holding up to outdoors use.If this tape doesn't do the job - 3M is my old standby. Only time will tell.
#17. Two simple tools - a spline roller and a utility knife is all that is needed to make a fast DIY screen repair.
#18. Make sure you de-burr all frame pieces, after cutting, with a metal file. If not, get ready to call the EMS.
#19. Before painting the frame(s) to match your trim - use 400 grit sandpaper to "lightly" rough up the surface for proper paint adhesion.
#20. A very enterprising individual could/can make/design a better window frame and make money from manufacturing these frames for the new 2019 Ford Ranger. $$$$

Project problems (just one):
The curvature of the rear window is not perfectly flat - so putting a flat screen frame causes a small gap about 3/16" at each of the frame's four corners. One solution is to bend the frame and another solution is to fill in the gaps with clear Flexi-Seal which I did. The Gorilla double sided tape is awesome in holding power for the screen and frame on the glass substrate.

Possible future enhancements:
#1. Use high power super magnets in each corner in place/instead of epoxied nuts for quick screen/mesh frame changeout.
#2. Weep holes, for water runoff, added on the lower bottom of frame rail.
#3. Use "Alumilite Clear Cast" for the hardware nuts instead of the messy Epoxy. It's easier to work with but is more expensive.
#4. Build a small pretty "roof overhang" or eave at the frame top to produce a better water diversion when raining.

Pictures below:
No frame(s) installed - pic of the plain rear sliding glass window on 2019 Ranger.
Custom made DIY base/fixed frame with screen/mesh frame installed on the Ford Ranger.
Back corner of base/frame - epoxied nut(s)

BTW ... A bit of humor - Why do ducks fly upside down when flying in Canada? Answer - There's nothing to poop/s%$t on. The mosquito and the pesky, black fly are the "national birds" of Canada.

End of Completed Project - DIYAndy 9/26/19
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DIYAndy

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Before pic

Before.JPG
 


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DIYAndy

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For those who never open that rear window - this project is NOT for you.
For those who opens that window - it keeps the insects and debris out.;)
Also, wasps, hornets, small birds, bats to name a few.
You must love mosquitoes and black flies:crackup:
 
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DIYAndy

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How about a version 2.0 that doesn’t utilize a frame. Looks kinda tacky to be semi-permanently mounted to rear window. I was thinking maybe you could hem magnets into perimeter of your screen material, then attach to window with magnets on the inside of truck. This would allow you to just have it installed when in use and you could just roll it up and stow it in glovebox or under seat. Just a thought...
 

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I applaud diyandys inventionness. Do ducks fly right side up over OHIO. LOL
 
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DIYAndy

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How about a version 2.0 that doesn’t utilize a frame. Looks kinda tacky to be semi-permanently mounted to rear window. I was thinking maybe you could hem magnets into perimeter of your screen material, then attach to window with magnets on the inside of truck. This would allow you to just have it installed when in use and you could just roll it up and stow it in glovebox or under seat. Just a thought...
Good idea:like:
I could remove one frame with the screen with it but the fixed frame would still be there with the Gorilla tape and silicone sealant.
The super magnets, cost wise, are very expensive but it could be done with the proper choice of super magnet(s).;)
I do have to note that there would be no way, with the Gorilla tape and silicone sealant that the fixed frame would ever fall off - it's permanent.
Being tacky and being a Hillbilly engineer goes together.:LOL::LOL::LOL:
 
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DIYAndy

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I applaud diyandys inventionness. Do ducks fly right side up over OHIO. LOL
Absolutely, there is always something, in OHIO to poop/s%^t on.:LOL:
 

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We have plenty of bugs here in the SE. I close my windows.

What’s next, a bug zapper mount for your “shark fin”? Hard wire it in for a nice blue neon safety light too!

I’m sorry, but this is tacky as hell. You made a nice truck look like an episode of “Pimp my Ride”. “I heard you hate bugs dawg, so we installed a screen door, a bug zapper and built in Raid dispenser into your exhaust!”
Why do you care? It's his time, his money and his truck. No ones forcing you to put one of these on your truck. No ones forcing you to look at this thread and no one asked you to render your opinion on what he's done here. If you're triggered by what Andy has done to his truck there's an ignore function at your disposal. The internet is full of know it all jerks. This board doesn't need any.
 

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(Insert popcorn eating emoji) :LOL:
 
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DIYAndy

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