Replacing Electric Window Mechanism

[marojojoem]

Apologies if this question has been answered many times but is there a knack or method to getting the electric window regulator mechanism out of and back into the door? I've looked in the obvious places and haven't found the magic method. Any help very gratefully received.
Thanks, Mark

 

[bmnelsc]

Did mine a couple of years ago...no magic method I learned...but if you keep carefully twisting and moving slightly fore and aft it will slip out of or into the door opening...as if by magic. Seriously - I struggled for quite a while both getting the old one out and the replacement in and I can't tell you the specifics of the maneuver - but when you least expect it - it will slip in or out of the cavity with little effort and no scrapes, etc to the body work. Seems to me I had the regulator fully collapsed (e.g. window fully down) but can't swear to that. IIRC the motor end comes out last on removal and goes in first on install.

 

[marojojoem]

Thanks for your response Bruce so persistence is the answer. I will try again tomorrow.

 

[MJL944]

Try this>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPgYC7XtZ7k
It's a job I need to do shortly too so good luck.

 

[Monkeythree]

It’s like one of those annoying little puzzles you get in Christmas crackers. There seems to be no feasible solution and then just when you’re not thinking too hard about it, it will birth! Then because you weren’t paying attention, you won’t know how to get it back in again! But as Bruce said, there is a way.

 

[zcacogp]

... it will birth!

I think this is the first time I have seen reference to giving birth on the PCGB 944 forum. Between your earlier pineapples comments and now this I'm wondering whether we need to be worried about you Tom.


Oli.

 

[vitesse]

Well he did break a pregnant silence!
I've done both front windows on the red track day car & the drivers on my wife's car.Agree with all the comments but there is a sequence which you discover as you do it-it has to be fully down but you need to remove the motor bolts to collapse it if the motor refuses to move .
I think you have to ease the longest arm out 1st which lets you slide the unit about a bit more& orientate the unit correctly to get the rest out-but don't quote me-there is a bolt that lets you remove the mechanism rollers from the slideways which again has to be done in the correct order.
If the motors are seized ,don't despair -use a suitable multifacet socket on the motor gear-loads of GT85 /WD40 etc to free the shaft in the bearing housing.You have to take the motor off the gearbox 1st as the output gear won't backdrive as it's a wormgear set.
One of mine had to be replaced with a S/H motor,but the other I free'd up & still works OK.

If you get stuck with an open window ,just prop the glass up with a piece of wood overnight!

 

[Monkeythree]

Otherwise known as "the miracle of window regulator extraction” Oli.

BTW I used a length of gaffer tape over the top of the door frame with either end taped to the inside and outside of the door glass to hold the glass up out of the way during the "procedure”.

 

[scam75]

This puzzle is of the same ilk as removing an alternator on a turbo, without dropping the coolant. After changing 8 alternators I can now do this like a ninja. Not much use to a window regulator thread but thought I would share anyway!

Stuart

 

[marojojoem]

Thanks all for the advice and sympathy!
The good news is its out. I pushed the motor / gearbox end up as high towards the door mirror as I could get it and fed the arms our of the lower slot first then managed to get the motor / gearbox out with a bit of effort, just got to overhaul and get back in now!
The bad news is (there is always bad news) my door card is shot, its obviously been busily absorbing rain and snow for a while and looks a bit like Weetabix held together by the vinyl - oh well!

 

[marojojoem]

Try this>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPgYC7XtZ7k
It's a job I need to do shortly too so good luck.

Thanks for the link, I don't think this works on my 86 Turbo, seem to have a central locking actuator and other stuff in the way

 

[marojojoem]

Thought I'd share this, might explain slow operation!

 

[Waylander]

Ohh that’s nasty

 

[scam75]

Oh dear. Yes definitely an issue!

 

[Waylander]

I know these cars are getting old but that looks like a fossil

i have one or two of those gearbox casings somewhere

 

[marojojoem]

Cleaned up okay thankfully and moving quite freely now, any idea which grease to use for the worm gear, the wheel looks to be plastic.
Cheers for the help and sympathy

 

[Waylander]

it was just LM grease at a guess, nothing to special

Most plastics are not affected by normal grease, and you have some metal to metal in there as well

 

[vitesse]

it was just LM grease at a guess, nothing to special

Most plastics are not affected by normal grease, and you have some metal to metal in there as well

The grease in the ones I took out & opened was just a yellow LM type grease -looked to be more to stop rusting internally than lubricate particularly as nylon running with metal is self lubricating-some grease was probably intended to lubricate the plain bearings.
I used some open gear aerosol spray I had acquired for free some time ago containing molyslip-it's great stuff-works a treat on my garage door rollers.

 

[marojojoem]

it was just LM grease at a guess, nothing to special

Most plastics are not affected by normal grease, and you have some metal to metal in there as well

The grease in the ones I took out & opened was just a yellow LM type grease -looked to be more to stop rusting internally than lubricate particularly as nylon running with metal is self lubricating-some grease was probably intended to lubricate the plain bearings.
I used some open gear aerosol spray I had acquired for free some time ago containing molyslip-it's great stuff-works a treat on my garage door rollers.
Great thanks I'll crack on and rebuild it.