mdeslyper

1976 coupe - manual windows

I need some help adjusting my regulator spring. I completely disassembled, cleaned and replaced the rollers and slides on my door/window assembly. It is all back together and moves better. Problem is when I have the window all the way up the regulator spring has no tension at all and wants to fall off when I close the door. The window also goes down extremely easy (almost by itself). In the window down position it has quite a bit of tension. Not sure what to adjust - help is appreciated.

Mike

DUB

There is no adjustment on it . By your comment....I think or pretty much know you have it on backwards. The spring is there to AID in lifting the weight of the door glass. SO...you will know you have it on correctly when you begin to pull the regulator arm back into position and it is under pressure and IF you let it go...it would raise up the arm that lifts up the glass.

DUB

0Willcox Corvette

Possibly he doesn't have the spring wound enough???

If you look at the regulator below it will show you the orientation of the spring and the correct position. You can also see the tension and the orientation of both the spring hook and the flat spot on the spring that hooks to the regulator.

Willcox

drwet

I have power windows, but I had the same problem the first time I put mine together. I installed the spring with it under load, but it wasn't enough. The window wouldn't stay up, so I pulled everything apart again and reinstalled the spring with another half turn of preload. Much better. The window still tends to drop about 1/4" from the full up position, so I'm not sure if it needs more preload or not. I'm trying to find some information on exactly how much tension the spring should be under. I'm not sure I can get another half turn of preload. In any case, I want more information before I pull the door apart again. Its not my favorite job.

0Willcox Corvette

You know... good food for thought... I think the next time we take a power window regulator apart and fix it... I'll post you some pictures on the tech site....

Willcox.

Rescue Rogers

Please do. I have some PW regulators i need to rebuild before I swap over from manual.

Thanks
Scott

mdeslyper

Here are a few pics of the regulator spring position in the up and down position..


Maybe I need to pull the regulator back out and spin it around 1 time to preload???

DUB

Your spring is positioned in the correct way. But on the two cars I have in the shop with manual window regulators. When the window is all the way down. The spring is coiled tight. Even tighter than the spring in PHOTO 1 in your above post. There is barely any space in between the coils when the window is all the way down.

DUB

0Willcox Corvette

From my standpoint, you don't have the spring wound enough... take it another turn and then give it a try. Look at the picture I posted above and see how tight it is on the top side.

Willcox

mdeslyper

Wish there was a tool or something to safely wind the spring without removing the regulator.

mdeslyper

Took everything back out this past weekend and gave the regulator another 180deg turn. Everything is back in and working great now. Thanks!

DUB

DUB

dmaxx3500

and how are we turning/re-tensioning the spring?

mdeslyper

Remove regulator assembly and spring from car. Wind regulator with spring in position until preloaded with tension. It takes some good effort/force - no way to hold it in the proper position to install, but there is a hole in both the gear piece and regulator piece. They line up so you can place a bolt through both holes to hold the tension. When you get it installed in the door, remove the bolt.

You can see the two holes in the Willcox pic (above) that line up when regulator is rotated.

Mike