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window woes

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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 01:17 PM
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Default window woes

Was driving down the highway the other afternoon when I tried to roll up my passenger window and about 3/4 of the way up, it stayed in the same spot and just started to tick violently. The window goes up and form just fine until 3/4 of the way up, then craps out. Any ideas? I'm thinking if fell off the track but I could be completely wrong...
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 01:33 PM
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85 had ribbon style regulators. Probably stripped the ribbon.

Repair or upgrade to the newer style.

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corvette-window-ribbon-repair-kit-1984-1986early.html
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Matatk
85 had ribbon style regulators. Probably stripped the ribbon.

Repair or upgrade to the newer style.

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1986early.html
My '87 had the ribbon style. I upgraded to the new version. It does require you to drill 2 small holes in the bottom of the door. You also have to change the stud in the middle of the window (new stud is supplied with the kit). If you have an electric disc sander or grinder with an adjustable wrench for changing the discs, that wrench works perfectly for removing the inner nut from the window stud. Save the plastic washers. They don't come with the regulator.
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Matatk
85 had ribbon style regulators. Probably stripped the ribbon.

Repair or upgrade to the newer style.

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corvette-window-ribbon-repair-kit-1984-1986early.html
Previous owner have me a replacement window motor, should I go ahead and replace the whole thing?
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike1985
Previous owner have me a replacement window motor, should I go ahead and replace the whole thing?
New regulators come with a new motor. It would be cheaper just to replace the ribbon but depending on how long you want to keep the car, I think the new version will last longer and it works a lot better. Rolling up the window doesn't take 20 minutes any more
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 02:15 PM
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The ribbon spit up a tooth. They are available at the parts store for about 18 dollars. Google this a little bit.

I have original ribbon regulators in my '86 coupe. The windows were slow. After I took the door panels off, cleaned and lubed the ribbon and other sliding surfaces with lithium grease, and readjusted and assembled, they are fast enough that it does not bother me. Not blazing but not painful either.
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by DinoBob
I have original ribbon regulators in my '86 coupe. The windows were slow. After I took the door panels off, cleaned and lubed the ribbon and other sliding surfaces with lithium grease, and readjusted and assembled, they are fast enough that it does not bother me. Not blazing but not painful either.
When I pulled my regulators out they were caked with gunk. I'm sure a thorough cleaning and lube would make a noticeable difference.
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 09:07 PM
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It's not to bad doing the ribbon, after you get it back in and before you put the door card back on, run the window up and down a few times in case anything needs to be adjusted. I wound up with a metal scraping noise that turned out to be the stop fork and I had to pull that card off to adjust it.
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Old Apr 3, 2015 | 09:19 PM
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I bought a pair of regulators out of a '96 (off eBay, $150 total) and put them in my '84. Actually. I lied, I put the passenger one in, which would roll up most of the way and then begin to "tick violently".

Now I'll probably have to put in the driver side one, as the difference between the two windows is night and day. I've heard people say things like "you have to plan a mile early if you want to have your window rolled up by the time you get home" and it's not THAT bad, but I have to admit, it's close.

It wasn't that hard replacing the whole unit, and honestly the amount of work you have to go through to just get the assembly out, you might as well save yourself some grief and just put in a new one.
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