Does anyone have an idea of where I can source the rubber gasket that goes around the liftgate glass or if they can be re-used. Some clown hit a golfball through my rear glass about 2 months ago and I have yet to find a replacement. Had a shop scheduled to do it and they couldn't find the rubber either so now I'm at a loss. I know on the earlier models they are available but can't find one for 97-01 style liftgate.

 

Been N/A for years and best I can tell there is no aftermarket support.
Have you contacted a glass company to see how they would handle it?
You can gunk in the glass without the seal and guys have been using some generic molding to clean up the look.

 

I'm going with the generic molding idea. I did have a shop ready to install glass but they didn't know the gasket was not available. I'll see if they will sell me just the glass.

 

Is the later gasket a different "style" than the earlier one ?

The early one is a simple lip seal, and does not need replacing, simply remove glass, and using thin poly cord, ease the replacement glass into the groove in the rubber

No chemicals or even assistant needed when I did my 96

I just left the rubber seal on the metal channel and re-used it

 

In my experience those seals go rock hard, there is no way you could refit glass into them nor, for that matter remove the seal without using extreme violence.

Any self-respecting glass shop shouldn't be surprised that seals for vehicles of this age aren't available & simply use a generic one they should have by the mile on a drum.

Must admit, I just taken the easy way out & replace the liftgate.

 

Might try these guys. They have a catalog you can see the rubber profiles too.
https://www.mcmaster.com/

 

'96 was he last year that it was more like the cargo area glass and could do that.
The OEM molding has a channel in it that the glass goes in.
I always assumed the hatch channel was gunked, the glass place in the molding, then placed in the hatch as one piece.