Window regulator/winder problem

[Pete Whitstone]

Hey all, I got some replacement window regulators from LMC a number of months back. I installed the driver side back then, and it had some kind of problem that I don't remember anymore, and I patched up the original regulator and put it back in.

Fast forward to today, the original one is getting so cranky  that I need to replace it. So I got the LMC one back out and tried to install it. Got it in, and remembered the problem I had with it. When it gets near the lower end of its travel, it starts tilting the window.



So I tried to troubleshoot that out a bit. The square thing that rides in the track at the bottom of the window was oversize by about 30 thou compared to the old one, so I tried removing some material with a file. Got it down to the old one's size, and still had the problem.

I also noticed the square part was very stiff on the ball it rides on. So I pried the one off the uninstalled passenger side LMC regulator and tried it instead, it moved much more freely. In addition, that square was a lot closer to the size it should be. Got this licked now, I bet! Reinstalled it all, and... denied.

Anybody got experience with this particular problem?

Thanks!

[mat in tn]

how are the felts? are the tracks loose or have they been moved at any time?

[Pete Whitstone]

Felts are almost new, replaced about a year ago. To be clear, the problem is definitely in the regulator, or the installation of it, somewhere. I put the old regulator in, it works fine. I put the new regulator in, it does this.

[mat in tn]

I can only imagine that it's hanging up in the window mounted track and pulling the bottom of the glass forward. either it's too tight at the ball socket or the square. try the square bushing in the track through both ends and try that while holding down to see if anything can be felt while sliding it forward. this is too simple of a mechanism for it to be anything else. and don't forget to grease the track before closing up the door with something safe for plastics yet heavy enough to stay.

[Pete Whitstone]

Thanks Mat. I'm thinking the same thing, I'll see how the square slides without the regulator arm on it.

The whole thing is pretty well lubed with white lithium grease.

[Pete Whitstone]

So I took the old square and ran it through the channel, almost zero resistance. Then I ran the new square through and did feel some resistance. The old square measured 0.935" or so, while the new one measured 0.950", even after the filing I did on it yesterday. The teflon or whatever that it is made out of is curiously resistant to filing. So I got out the die grinder, and gingerly took a couple of tentative passes. Remeasured, and was somehow still at 0.950"... so I got a bit more aggressive with it, and found I had only gotten down to about 0.948". Got REALLY aggressive with it, and took it down to about 0.938". At that point it seemed to slide through the channel with about the same resistance as the old one.

Put it all back together again and no more window tilt, it functions as it should. So I guess this thread serves as a cautionary tale - if you change your window regulator, measure that square very carefully against the old one, and make sure it glides through the channel with very little effort.

[mat in tn]

gingerly with a grinder. speaking my language!