need advice: rebuilding front door window (1 Viewer)

[jb welda]

i think ive mentioned before that i was bugged that my front door window was loose and when you tried to close it at speed it pinched the wind lacing felt stuff and made a whistling sound.

also the window crank has been getting progressively tighter and tighter, and increasingly creaking when rolling it.

so today i took apart the door to see if i could lube it and to see what was up with the window regulator.

it was readily apparent what was up with the window regulator: it is toast. the handle fits on the shaft just fine but the shaft itself is very loose and wobbly. so i figure that is junk.

the window channels are spread apart and the glass is sort of floating in there, free to wobble probably at least an eighth of an inch, maybe more.

so i pulled out the factory service manual. a good drawing appears on page BO-5.

so, some questions:

this all looks pretty simple. ive had the door panel off and been in there, and even have some mega expensive plastic clips for the door panel in case some of them break or need replacement.

is it really as simple as the FSM seems to make it out to be? are there any "gotchas" with pulling the regulator out of the holes in the inner door? any things i should mark before disassembly? is it likely that the fasteners will come off easily? it is clean inside the door and the stuff probably hasnt been messed with since new.

anyway my main concern about the regulator is the cost. anyone have any idea where i can get one (and it has to be a very good condition or new one, i *got* a used one! )? i am thinking cruiser dan? anyone got one just lying around?

any estimates of cost for this? i can only imagine what a dealer wants for it even if it is available...

now for the loose window problem, can i just reline the channel with some felt channel stuff (i have some already i think i got from spector when i originally got the car), or is replacement of these parts necessary too, for a tight fit?

again if anyone has an idea where i can get like-new pieces for those, please let me know.

i really appreciate any tips here, it sure looks simple enough but it looks also like it could get complicated so it would be nice to hear from someone who has refurbished their doors...

one love
jah bill

 

[johnbill]

Just did it myself. The "new" regulator was a present, though it was got cheap from cruiserparts.net. Can't remember a number, but cheap enough.

The bolts should come out easy...there really shouldn't be too much junk getting inside the door to gum them up, nor too much load on them to lock up over time.

Hints. DON"T DO IT ON A HOT DAY. The only day off I had to get mine dome was close to 100 degrees F, and that door is basically just a still air pocket. I gave myself an almost second degree burn on the ol forearm. The exterior is hot as hell.

You do have to get shoulder-deep in the door, so get comfortable. Maybe a little shop stool or something will help. Replace the rubber and go for it.

 

[Tinker]

You'll know when you've been working inside a door because your forearms will look like you've been wrestling a weasel.

Use new everything if you can get it: regulator, channel run, & fasteners. Lube the regulator with white spray grease: lithium if you can get it.

PM me if you have trouble. You shouldn't have to remove the glass except maybe to change the channel run, & there are tricks for that.

 

[jb welda]

thanks for the advice folks, im gonna call up cruiserparts.net and see what he can do for parts!

one love
jah bill

 

[chukardog]

sounds like you need new window guides

 

[jb welda]

>sounds like you need new window guides

yeah thats what it sounds like to me too. im going to try to find some better condition replacements if i can, otherwise i should be able to tighten them up a bit with some gentle bending.

i have to go to the dealer tomorrow for something else i ordered, maybe i will see if they have window channels in a warehouse somewhere, and just for laughs ask how much they sell for.

anyway cruiserparts.net are setting me up in the near future, he says those window regulators are "coveted" parts...figures!

one love
jah bill

 

[roscoFJ73]

I put a new aftermarket regulator in my 73 series recently. The shop told me to use some graphite powder on the runners and it does make a big difference.

I used a Pan Asia brand regulator,less than half OEM cost. The shop was selling both OEM and aftermarket so I was able to compare them.
The Pan Asia brand was every bit as good and weighed the same.
Last time I bought an aftermarket it was noticeably lighter and the metal parts were shaped to make them stronger to make up for lack of metal. However it didnt work too well and the arms used to flex as you wound the window.