Inop drivers' power window

[MAKG]

Hi folks.

Been gone a while trying to do three jobs at once.

The Exploder has generated a problem with the driver's side power window. For a few weeks, it made a nice squeal when moving. Now, it won't move, and the motor makes a ratcheting sound. I thought it stripped a gear (and maybe it has, but I think it just doesn't have the "oomph" to push this window), so I took the door panel off. The window is quite difficult to move by hand, but I can "help" out the power window motor and get the window to open. It seems to have an easier time closing.

I could replace the power window motor and/or the regulator; Rock Auto has these for cheap. But I think a window channel is bent or somesuch. Ranger and Exploder front doors appear to be significantly different, so I'm getting a bit confused over all the shop manual details.

I tried blasting the regulator tracks with WD-40 (as a temporary measure) to see if it would make any difference. It didn't.

Any ideas what could be causing the binding? I'm dreading removing the window glass as it sounds kinda easy to break.

Simultaneously, the passenger power window switch went out. I don't think this is related; it's a clear failure on the "down" side. The switch stays in the same configuration with the down button pushed as with neither button pushed. The up button works as expected. All this tested with an ohmmeter. And the passenger side window works fine when commanded from the drivers' side.

 

[skippy]

Welcome back and happy Fathers Day!

 

[wrecking-crew]

holy shit its makg. you have a thread dedicated to you.

i think either a gear or bent guide.... best thing to do is fix it

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

holy crap man i miss arguing with you, but sounds like the regulator is bad.

 

[RobbieD]

Hi MAKG; it's good to see you here again, and glad that you are well.

On your window, the most common failure is the 3 roller links breaking, that go between the motor and regulator. Your symptoms could be caused by this. You might want to pull the motor and check them; at least it's a cheap fix if they're toast.

 

[red85]

Is the window tilting fore or aft in the tracks? How are the mount clips for the glass? I would have a look at the regulator assembly. If it's making that ratcheting sound the cable may have jumped off the drive pulley and it is getting stuck between the pulley and the housing.

 

[MAKG]

So, it sounds like the consensus is to disassemble the door and see what's eaten?

Any gotchas? Drilling out rivets through glass sounds kinda frightening.

The window does indeed rock fore and aft when partially down. But I didn't think there was any "cable" in there. The regulator looks like a scissors. Of course, I didn't get a good look at the drive motor (and I won't without killing some rivets).

Thanks a bunch.

 

[Will]

I know when you crunch in a door and bind the window it does not make any sound, it just won't move. And after you take off the door panel and beat the door back out and the window track is sorta back in place but still binding some, you can pull up on the glass and help the window up, but still no sound like you are describing. I think you must have a plastic gear or something that is jumping.

 

[red85]

Don't worry about drilling those rivets out. Get a pilot point drill bit (DeWalt makes them) and use slow speed on a drill and they'll come right out.

Nice to see you back here, too.

Phil

 

[MAKG]

Thanks guys.

I got the door panel and vapor barrier out and felt around really well. The regulator feels nice. Worn and a bit rusty, but not stripped. Which leaves the motor and/or gear. Rock Auto has both for less than $40, so I ordered them.

It looks to me to be substantially easier to remove this than the shop manual says. I believe the two bolts that hold the motor to the regulator are accessible through holes in the inner door frame, with a 1/4 inch nut driver. But the shop manual says to remove the glass, then regulator/motor assembly, and separate them outside the door. Is this really necessary? Or will I pop out a nice clock spring if I try the obvious? Sounds not-fun.

Can the pop rivets that hold the window into the regulator be replaced with nuts and bolts (and washers), or to I get to buy a pop riveter?

 

[red85]

Thanks guys.

I got the door panel and vapor barrier out and felt around really well. The regulator feels nice. Worn and a bit rusty, but not stripped. Which leaves the motor and/or gear. Rock Auto has both for less than $40, so I ordered them.

It looks to me to be substantially easier to remove this than the shop manual says. I believe the two bolts that hold the motor to the regulator are accessible through holes in the inner door frame, with a 1/4 inch nut driver. But the shop manual says to remove the glass, then regulator/motor assembly, and separate them outside the door. Is this really necessary? Or will I pop out a nice clock spring if I try the obvious? Sounds not-fun.

Can the pop rivets that hold the window into the regulator be replaced with nuts and bolts (and washers), or to I get to buy a pop riveter?

The rivets can be replace with nuts and bolts. Just put some blue Loctite on them. Just lift the glass from the fully lowered position (or wherever its convenient to remoe the rivets etc.) and break out the duct tape to hold the glass in place while you change the motor.

Phil

 

[Ozwynn]

welcome back dude. now where the hell ya been

 

[MAKG]

welcome back dude. now where the hell ya been

Doing the job of three people.

It would be nice to get paid three times, but it doesn't work that way....

 

[RobbieD]

Hey Mike, it's been a good while since I repaired the windows in the B2, so I'm working from hazy memory here. I do believe that you can unbolt, and remove the motor "assembly" from the door; seems like that's what I did when I replaced the roller link pins. The motor assembly is the motor, bolted to a housing containing the small drive gear; the roller pins (that commonly break) are inside the assembly, and are the link between the motor and small gear. Pull the assembly, not just the motor itself; you'd never get the roller links in place trying to work in the door. Good luck!

 

[Mark_88]

Holy Heat Waves Batman!~~



Welcome back Mike...hope you got the window fixed...I worked on a Grand Am that had both of them shot...turned out to be the scissor arms were binding in the rails and bent both of them...only problem I've had with Ranger windows is they took out the no-draft and made the stupid window too wobbly by doing that...