I'm looking for some step-by-step instructions on rebuilding my power windows. I have the roller kit now and want to take everything apart, fix it, and then put it all back properly adjusted. Right now, the driver's window is sloppy in the tracks, comes up uneven to the point I have to pull it forward by hand to help it, and won't go all the way up unless I open the door and pull it up the last few inches (which is really annoying in the rain). I've already replaced the felts and the adjustable blocks at the top of the door so now I've ready to bite the bullet and dig into it.

Help?

 

You really need to get an AIM or service manual, it explains it all. This is the short and skinny of it and once you get in there and start looking around you will understand some of the things I am saying.

1. Remove the window bumpers
2. remove the bolts at the top of the door panel that hold the channels
3. put window all the way up and remove the two bolts that hold the window to the channels
4. Tilt the window in towards the car to get the bolts out of the channel and remove the glass
5. Undo the 3 bolts that hold the motor in, If it is still riveted in, you will have to drill those out.
6. undo the 2 bolts that hold the long horizontal channel in. You will have to move this forward and aft to get the wheels out that connect to the regulator
7. pull the window regulator and motor out all at the same time out of the hole at the bottom of the door. It actually does come out, similar to giving birth.
8. both of the vertical channels will come out of the top
9. BEFORE YOU SEPARATE THE REGULATOR FROM THE MOTOR, PUT A BOLT AND NUT THROUGH THE FLAT PIECES OF THE REGULATOR AND TIGHTEN IT DOWN. There is a whole already there. There is a lot of tension on the spring and if you pull the motor without putting this bolt in, you will hurt yourself.
10. willcox sells a kit that has all the plastic wheels in it for the window, 56 bucks a window I think.
11. Take the top of the motor off and clean out all the old grease and put in some new stuff.
12. To get the old wheels off of the regulator, I just drilled them off like a rivet.
13. To put the old wheels back on the regulator, be careful, you can crack the wheels very easy. Use a 1/4 inch socket on the wheel (keep the socket on the metal part) put the wheel stud through the regulator and smash it down with a hammer.

Reverse the process to put it back in. Just did mine last month and it was truly a pain in the rear especially adjusting the window. If you have very small hands it will be easy.

Hopefully someone will chime in with some pictures.

 

I have the AIM for my car and it helps to see (usually) where parts go together. However, I was looking more for the procedures. Your reply covers a lot of territory for me so that I have a better idea of what to do and the order to do it. Thanks!

And if anyone has additions or pictures I would appreciate it.

 

CasyJones,
Have worked many hours on these unfortunately you have to just start looking at how it goes together pictures help and start taking things apart,I know it sounds lame but it is true unless you have someone who has done these before right next to you. Two things I would suggest is do not close the door after you have the window together with the window up and the T-top on before adjusting as you just may be taking it apart again to replace the window you just shattered, second is make sure you buy the insulator for the door panel as it quiets the door down substantially when closing. I have not gone through mine in about four years but if I can I will try to remember and assist if possible.

 

I'm just about to do this myself....I have all the new wheels etc....
I have 1 door completely apart and left the other for a reference.....
I'm gonna follow this thread....I'll post pix and questions too as I go !

 

The most important part of the job is to take a Can of Spray Paint and mark all the Bolts that hold the Tracks in place before you remove them. This way You can see where they were ajusted when You put it back togeather. Ajusting the Window can be confusing and frustrating, but if its all marked you can alway put it back where it was and then make small ajustments. By the sounds of it when You take it apart You are going to find something wrong or broken and when You fix that it will all be good with out any ajustments. This is why You want them Clearly marked. Its temping to look in there and find whats wrong and do a quik fix and call it good enough. You really should take the time to pull the Tracks all the way out and clean all the old Grease out of there cause its rock hard by now. This may or may not speed up a slow working window, if not then you will need to replace the motor. Today all the motors are made in China so you can figure the new one you are installing will work worse than the one you are removing and will have a short life span. Use the search at the top of the page to find lots more info. Mark those bolts!

 

Does anyone make or sell a GOOD motor?????

 

I got mine from rock auto. No problems in 8 years

Half the battle of the window motors is understanding how it works.
The other half is cleaning and lubing everything and they'll last a long time.

Also a weak or bad regulator spring will kill a motor real quick

 

A wobble window is usually caused by play at the scissor point of the regulator. The rivit in the middle wears out. The rollers don't usually go, regardless a new regulator will have new rollers.

Jim

 

a new regulator is the ultimate fix. i rebuilt mine, but didnt help much. new regulators work great........

 

I tried the new roller approach too. Lots of work and a waste of time.

 

I am fixing to dig into this also. Here's a few articles I found that look like they may be helpful.

http://www.corvettefever.com/techart...n/viewall.html

http://tech.corvettecentral.com/2011...glass-service/

I haven't even started tearing mine apart yet, so I don't know what I will need.
Here is a question: how do you know if you need a new motor? Mine are kinda like yours, they wobble, don't roll up all the way, (have to pull them up by hand the rest of the way) the drivers side is like its on speed (very fast going up or down) passenger side sounds like its straining.
Please keep me posted on your progress!

 

I re-did the rollers on mine and cleaned all the tracks and re-greased the motor. It did help some but it will not get it up that last half inch. Maybe I should have done the regulators also.......lesson learned.

 

I have lots of pictures of it on page 29 of my build thread

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ourney-29.html

Together with the comments above and AIM it may help.



Craig

 

When I rebuilt my power window mechanisms I found the hardest part for me was the adjustment. I read an article "somewhere" that the factory performed their initial door window adjustment by leaving all the adjustments loose and window in the up position. From inside the car with the door shut the installer used two suction cups on the glass and placed it in position (in the T-top weatherstripping and touching the front and rear weatherstripping). The installer then tightened all the adjustment bolts.

I did this and found that I needed very little fine tuning the make the glass fit just right and go up and down perfectly.

 

"initial door window adjustment by leaving all the adjustments loose and window in the up position. From inside the car with the door shut the installer used two suction cups on the glass and placed it in position (in the T-top weatherstripping and touching the front and rear weatherstripping). The installer then tightened all the adjustment bolts"""

this is exactly how i did my window adjustments, bought two, dual suction cup holders from harbor freight, put window in position and had my son tighten all the adjustment bolts.