Power windows

[HeadacheGuy]

Need to know what kind of luck anyone is having with aftermarket window motors. I've dismantled, cleaned, lubed, yelled at etc.... the originals but the damn things stick at the most inconveinient times after they have been run into their over run clutches (full up or down). I am hoping new may be of a slightly stronger design. I have read posts about these being problem children by design but now that I have one (65) I get to live the fun. (I insisted the one I got had to have power windows....re-thinking that idea!!)

 

[HeadacheGuy]

Sub note> Mine has the plastic gear with the 3 HEAVY springs for over run. I see they have the newer style gear with the 3 nylon pieces for a clutch. Will they fit my housing and if so do they work better to relieve binding?

 

[HeadacheGuy]

(4 springs..typo sorry)

 

[Terry64HT]

I had the ones with the nylon pieces and they both shattered over the course of time. I thought the type with the springs were a heavier duty type used on larger windows (Lincoln?) and had a bit of trouble sourcing them. Since I installed them 2 or 3 years ago, those problems have disappeared.
I must add that I have the windows on fresh power fed by relays now, so they move quickly, but the spring type clutches have worked well. The biggest problem I have found is alignment and positioning of the window/motor housing so that the rollers don't run too high in the track. Once the roller gets right to the top, the geometry is wrong for the motor to begin to easily push the widow back up.
Terry
64HT

 

[Terry64HT]

Sorry, my fingers got ahead of my brain. I meant to say "pull the window back down" in the last sentence of my previous post.
Terry
64HT

 

[HeadacheGuy]

Thanks Terry. I used to deal with the nylon roller type yrs ago and remember the breakage issue. Probably not in my best interest to convert to them so I am glad to here you had better luck with the kind I have. So do your windows work pretty flawless or do you have an occasional "sticker"?

 

[HeadacheGuy]

Got around to installing one new motor on my right rear quarter. Jury is out on going new. It works (sorta). After hrs of cleaning relubing , adjustment, shimming, vodoo dance etc...I got it to not stick full up or down (there is the sorta thing). If Icontinue to run it up and down it will not stick. With some screwing around with unwinding the spring, the speed if fair both up and down but I was hoping for a little quicker with a new motor. Here's the er. if it sit awhile (an hr, two days or an evening with a quarter moon) it won't move. Ammeter bumps over like full power but nothing. Drive the car and hit light bumps while cycling the switch and it moves. Similar to the old problem but I had to use a long screwdriver and a hammer to relaunch the old motor so ...progress. I have seen several convertibles with pictures of their tops down but wing windows up. Now I know why. Anyone ever try to use a front motor on a wing regulator? It's a little bigger but unsure if there is clearance. Am I a minority with this problem or is this a widespread issue? Getting the feeling that this may be as good as it gets.

 

[HeadacheGuy]

Sorry for the spotty typing above...just noticed my wireless keyboard skipping

 

[Terry64HT]

I can't even guess how many times I've had the rear window assemblies out of my hardtop, but I can now do it in about 10 minutes, including seat removal.
There's a screw at the end of the motor shaft that controls the "lash" or free-play. If this is too tight (as it seems to be in all new motors), then the armature can't begin to move before the gear engages. Loosen the nut and back the screw off about 1/2 to 1 turn. That often helps.
Another problem is often a slight bit of binding in the track at the ends. Slightly loosen the track bolts on the front of the housing and run the window up and down while observing how the track moves. If either end is out of alignment, the rollers will bind.
The second photo is of the relay setup I've installed in the trunk so that the motors get full power. The switches only activate the relay coils, so there is no load through the almost non-existent contacts in the switch. Headlight, dash lights and windows have all had relays installed. It's made a big difference.
Hope this helps
Terry
64HT

 

[HeadacheGuy]

I did the end play thing. I am about 1/2 turn. New motor came with almost zero endplay which with expansion and contraction didn't make sense to me and you are right, it does help a little. I have thought about the relay idea. My voltage drop isn't too bad but I discovered that 1 volt is the difference between working and not and it does make sense to take the load off of the switches. This last time I had the quarter window out it took me about 20 minutes. Now I know what time frame I can strive to achieve.........LOL

 

[Terry64HT]

Sorry I haven’t got back about this, but it’s been several years since I did this work and I kept thinking I should research a bit to refresh my memory before I wrote and never got to it. However, if anyone is considering installing relays, take a look at an excellent article at Relays
I've put together a bit more information and thought it might be better as a topic of its own.
Terry
64HT