Manual windows - what methods can improve their operation? (1 Viewer)

[sunrk]

Yeah I know - real windows are manual not poofy electric motor controlled. My 80's had manual windows since the day it was made. Just recently the 'knob' bit of the winder for my drivers front door window fell off and went missing. I can get a new handle assy as they're plentiful from suppliers. but for anyone with manual windows specifically what sort of things have you done to improve their operation?

Normally if/when I pull a door skin off I will always look at the window mechanism and lube it. I renewed all four door's worth of the bailey channel rubbers with genuine's a few years ago. Some people say to use silicone spray in them to make the glass move up/down easier.

Do you do anything else or different with your manual windowed 80 or lx450?

 

[Pascoscout]

My assumption is the same things that improve electric windows apply to manuals. Sounds like you've done a couple good things. Did you replace the belt moldings?

 

[sunrk]

Not sure what you mean by belt mouldings (sorry I'm Aussie re spelling). My 80 lives permanently outdoors so it gets green mould due to continually being in the weather (which for the last 12 months has been quite wet) and I've even found lichen starting to grow on one of the barn doors a few days ago.

I don't know what the condition of the mechanisms is in the front doors as they haven't been taken apart for a few years. Could be rusted. Need to get rid of the existing door trims to fit some nice aluminium chequerplate ones so can look then. I'm trying to source replacements for all the doors as well because all of them have some damage.

 

[Augustiron]

Belt moldings are the rubber tracks the windows slide up and down in and the window frame.

They are still available from Toyota, not exactly cheap, but they harden over time and offer too much resistance to the glass sliding up and down.
Silicone lube and things like that can temporarily fix the old ones, but the best thing to do is replace that rubber track entirely which can be done without removing the door panel or the glass.

Just roll the window down all the way, pull out the old rubber, noting it's orientation for which side is inside and versus outside, I spray some WD-40 on the inside and outside of the new rubber and slide it down into the door in the window frame and then install it all in the frame.

 

[Augustiron]

Since it seems like you will be taking your door panels off anyway, you can do the belt moldings then and also while you have access to the inside of the door spray everything that moves with silicone or teflon-based lubricant really well.

If you want to go to the next step you can unbolt the window regulator and inspect it as sometimes they do wear out. I've had to do this on 60 series with roll up windows and it made a big difference and the ease of rolling up the window.

 

[sunrk]

Belt moldings are the rubber tracks the windows slide up and down in and the window frame.

They are still available from Toyota, not exactly cheap, but they harden over time and offer too much resistance to the glass sliding up and down.
Silicone lube and things like that can temporarily fix the old ones, but the best thing to do is replace that rubber track entirely which can be done without removing the door panel or the glass.

Just roll the window down all the way, pull out the old rubber, noting it's orientation for which side is inside and versus outside, I spray some WD-40 on the inside and outside of the new rubber and slide it down into the door in the window frame and then install it all in the frame.

Ah ok they're called 'bailey channel' rubbers here, and yes I replaced all of them on all four doors a few years back. A key problem with the front ones is where the obtuse angle is at the front, the rubber 'folds over' eventually.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I didn't think any 80 series anywhere in tue world came with manual windows. I am super jealous.

This has me wondering how hard it would be to convert a US spec 80 to manual windows.