Looking for a Window Regulator Wheel/Roller 3D Print or Cheap Fix

[tedwardd]

I've been on the hunt for a couple days now for a print file for the little nylon roller wheel that guides the window regulator on its track. One of them on my driver's window shattered and the scissor mechanism jumps the track every so often requiring that I pull the door card to roll up my window (a bit inconvenient when it starts raining). I've not had any luck locating a model for this part and was hoping someone here might have one. I've tried searching Thingiverse extensively and have come up with a LOT of J80 parts but not this specific one. I also tried searching the forums but the search here is... less than useful?

Alternatively, if you've got a cheap/free fix for this to help me keep my sanity while I work on figuring out a more permanent fix, I'm all ears. Right now I just make sure I'm applying some pressure up and down on the window with my hand to prevent the pin the wheel mounts on from jumping the track and it seems to work... ok-ish but I'm still losing the window track every couple of actuations.

 

[PIP]

Choose acetal instead of nylon and machine it on a lathe. 5 minute job and it'll actually be round and ID/OD concentric.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Send me the dims and your addy.
I turned one up for mine, but didn't keep the dimensions.

 

[tedwardd]

Send me the dims and your addy.
I turned one up for mine, but didn't keep the dimensions.

Life saver! Next time I pull the door card I’ll measure the good one and DM you the info. I also have a 3D resin printer if you’d rather just share the STL. I’m sure it would make a great addition to the info repository.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

There's no STL. I made on a manual machine

Thread 'Yes, it is possible to rebuild a Window Regulator'

Dec 29, 2024

Took the wife to CVS this AM and as the window gets to the bottom of its travel it makes this horrible crunching noise and falls forward into the door.
Pulled off to the side in the pouring rain, because when else would a window regulator die, and jimmied around with the window and the controls until it stayed up enough to get home dry.

Set up the pop-up and pulled the door apart.
The labeled bracket was mangled and the roller was, well, not so much a roller anymore.

Hammered the bracket back into shape, got it straight and square, deburred the gouged spots and...

• Rusty Marlin
• Replies: 6
• Forum: 80-Series Tech

• 

 

[PIP]

Life saver! Next time I pull the door card I’ll measure the good one and DM you the info. I also have a 3D resin printer if you’d rather just share the STL. I’m sure it would make a great addition to the info repository.

As a machinist, folks' obsession with 3d printing is disturbing.

 

[tedwardd]

As a machinist, folks' obsession with 3d printing is disturbing.

Both have their place. In this case, a plastic/nylon bushing is appropriate for 3D printing. I’m better equipped to fire and forget a print for this part, and print several if needed/desired. If my shop was properly set back up (I moved not too long ago) then I’d probably pursue machining a something because, yes, it could probably be made stronger from a single block of material but for this, it’s fine.
I’ve seen some clowns printing real load-bearing parts…. that’s a whole different level of NOPE.

 

[Marvelicious]

I would think a 3d printed part here would be more likely to slide rather than roll and the lifespan would be shorter. How much shorter? It might work fine, even for several years, but it's enough of a hassle to swap out a regulator that I'd prefer not to do it more times than necessary.

They definitely both have their place, and I love my printer for certain things (and my lathe for others). 3d printing is actually superior for certain use cases (see Perryparts bump stops for example), but my gut says this isn't one of them.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

My bet is a printed roller will crumble shortly with the loads on it. For best performance ensure the print pattern is circular around the hub, but I still think the layers will split. Might try soaking it with Black Max. Its a softer form of super glue that will provide some resilience.
If you can get one printed with an HP multi jet fusion it might hold up as printed, but you'll need to polish the rolling surfaces.