Window Regulator question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 242
Likes: 7
From: Fair Oaks, CA
Window Regulator question
I am a DYI kind of guy. My passenger side window reg stopped working and just clicks when you hit the switch. I purchased a new reg, but I have been lazy at getting to it. So today I tore into it. After disassembling the panel, I went to pull out the glass (which has been up all along), but you need to get the window down to get at the two bolts for glass removal. An old trick of tapping on the door panel at the motor mounting raised hump while the switch is activated sometimes sends the window down. Well, it did. The window went down just like a new one. Regulator works just fine. Up, down, up down. Can't make it stop working. Now I don't want to replace a perfectly good reg. I checked all wiring cleaned terminals, and it keeps going up and down, I wish the regulator was broken and making noise, that would be simple.
My question is.....has anybody gotten to this point and reassembled without replacing the reg and had problems? Most of you will say..."while it's apart just put the new one in...". Before I do, I wanted to pose the question. Thanks for your thoughts.
My question is.....has anybody gotten to this point and reassembled without replacing the reg and had problems? Most of you will say..."while it's apart just put the new one in...". Before I do, I wanted to pose the question. Thanks for your thoughts.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 7
From: california
St. Jude Donor '15
I am a DYI kind of guy. My passenger side window reg stopped working and just clicks when you hit the switch. I purchased a new reg, but I have been lazy at getting to it. So today I tore into it. After disassembling the panel, I went to pull out the glass (which has been up all along), but you need to get the window down to get at the two bolts for glass removal. An old trick of tapping on the door panel at the motor mounting raised hump while the switch is activated sometimes sends the window down. Well, it did. The window went down just like a new one. Regulator works just fine. Up, down, up down. Can't make it stop working. Now I don't want to replace a perfectly good reg. I checked all wiring cleaned terminals, and it keeps going up and down, I wish the regulator was broken and making noise, that would be simple.
My question is.....has anybody gotten to this point and reassembled without replacing the reg and had problems? Most of you will say..."while it's apart just put the new one in...". Before I do, I wanted to pose the question. Thanks for your thoughts.
My question is.....has anybody gotten to this point and reassembled without replacing the reg and had problems? Most of you will say..."while it's apart just put the new one in...". Before I do, I wanted to pose the question. Thanks for your thoughts.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 265
Likes: 5
If I had to hazard a guess, the problem is probably with the motor's brushes. A sharp strike will often reseat them well enough to work again for a while. They'll probably go again, but you bought yourself some time if you want it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 242
Likes: 7
From: Fair Oaks, CA
That makes total sense, Tuscanycircle. The motor actually gets very hot when running the window up and down. So hot you can't hold your hand on it. That kind of confirms your prognosis. Does anyone know if you can rebuild just the motor on these units? I just finished rebuilding my juicer motor with a new stator. LOL. Not kidding. I rebuild everything I can. I hate controlled obsolescence. We have created a world where everyone has their own. Then when it breaks, we throw it in a landfill. I fight to eliminate as much as possible.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 265
Likes: 5
I opened my motor up when my regulator went bad, hoping to do what you suggest. In my case, the problem wasn't the motor, unfortunately. It's a simple setup and should be relatively straightforward to rebuild or refurbish if you can find or fabricate any needed parts. You pretty much have to remove the entire system, though, which means you're stuck having to align everything just right when reinstalling. (Mark the alignment before removal, and you'll save a little time later.)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Since there are no limit switches to turn the motor off, it just runs up against the stops until it stalls, which tends to put the drive gears in a bind.
I started bumping my window down just a fraction of an inch, just enough to unload the drive gears...and I have not had a window stick again.
If you hit the down and up buttons quickly, the glass will only drop about 1/16 of an inch, so it still seals.
I started bumping my window down just a fraction of an inch, just enough to unload the drive gears...and I have not had a window stick again.
If you hit the down and up buttons quickly, the glass will only drop about 1/16 of an inch, so it still seals.
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Cruising
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Pa
I have an 87 driver's side window that will not go up or down. The regulator is running fine. Is there any linkage that might have broke or become disconeccted? I have the door panal off but I still cant see or reach anything inside. Not sure if there are any other panels I would have to remove to get access to the problem.