bad window motor??

AlaskaTy

AlaskaTy

New member
I've been seeing a lot of people selling window motors and I thought nothing of it. Well, yesterday my driver's side window got stuck down, and if I'd let it sit for a couple minutes the motor could move the window up or down for a couple seconds...but only after a break. Well, I finally got it up, but I've never had a window motor go out? I'm thinking this is what's happening, but couldn't really figure out the "recharging" it was doing.

If I fix one thing another brakes...these trucks are such a pain in the ass. The massively swollen hemroid kind of pain.
 
SY2932

SY2932

Administrator
Yup, time for a new window motor :(. Autozone has 'em for under $50 with a lifetime warranty. Helped my buddy swap his out last week. Took less than an hour to do it after we got all the parts that we needed. The big thing was getting backup plates for the rivets that hold the motor/regulator assembly to the door panel. Because without them, the rivet wouldn't expand large enough to hold it on place-the rivet would just pull through the door. Another person makes attaching the new assembly SO much easier because you have to hold the motor/regulator in place, work the pop rivet gun and hold the back up plate against the side of the rivet that is *inside* the door. Very hard to do unless you have three hands... BTW, be prepared to get cut at least once during this operation as the sheet metal is VERY sharp in places in the door and on the regulator itself.

Had to get some new trim panel clips too as a few of the old ones busted pulling the trim panel off. Autozone had those in the "help" section as well. Be sure to get the big pack. It should go without saying but, you don't have a trim panel tool GET one (about $5). It looks kinda like a bent flat head screwdriver that has a "fork" on the end. The "fork" allows you to slide the trim panel clip in between it to pull if from the door panel without breaking it. This it to keep from breaking the *trim panel* itself rather than the clips that hold it to the door panel. Even with this tool, some of the clips will break as they are old and brittle.

Ed O. has a nice write up on how to do it here: http://www.tyclone.com/windowmotor/index.htm Drilling a hole in the regulator assembly isn't really necessary but you MUST secure the regulator arm somehow before you remove the old window motor. Once you feel how heavy the window is and see how big the spring is that moves the window up, you'll understand why ;). My bud and I used three large cable ties to secure his rather than drilling holes into it and it worked great. HTH's
 
AlaskaTy

AlaskaTy

New member
Thanks for the info guys! I already have a door trim panel remover, so I just need to go buy a new motor on my day off. So I need a pop rivet gun too? Is there any way around having to buy one of those (don't know how expensive they are)? Thanks.
 
SY2932

SY2932

Administrator
You *can* get away with good old fashioned nuts and bolts but, it will be VERY difficult to do. I know because I did the window in my mom's olds achieva about a year ago and it was a bitch. The problem is everything is very tight in there and you have very limited access. The other problem that crops up with regular fastners is clearance issues as everything has to be able to move past other things when the window goes up and down. When you tear into it, you'll understand :wink: .

Pop rivet guns don't cost all that much. Expect to shell out around $20ish for a good one. Just make sure that it has 3/16" rivet capability as that is what you will need. Get the short rivets and a pack of those back up plates/washers that I mentioned earlier and you will be set. Also, pick up a can of white lithium grease and hose down all the tracks and the gear on the new window motor. Your new motor won't have to work as hard and will last longer. HTH's
 
TYRODD

TYRODD

My ass. Look at it.
I just replaced my drivers side motor about a month ago, I thought it was super easy, I even used nuts and bolts (teeny ones) Remember to grease the mechanisms really well too.

One thing that gave me some trouble was the door panel fasteners. It was not hard to get them out, as I had the tool, but I could not find good replacement fasteners, the ones I used from auto idiots were more brittle than the old ones, I think I managed to get a single new fastener to work, and I bought 6, I had to use the old ones (they worked better than I thought they would).
 
S

sy112

New member
Rodd,

your ty looks awesome in the pic, always wanted a white/white. one day, just wait, one day. white/white daily driver and 112 will be a 9 sec street machine, just wait 8) :wink:
 
L

Lynn D. Brown

New member
Window motor.

Window motor.

Replacing the window motor is a real PITA. But Ur in luck - it is covered real well in the Forum posts. I copied the one that was published and added a few tricks to it myself. If U can't find these in the archives, let me know as I have copied it and have the dates.
 
TYRODD

TYRODD

My ass. Look at it.
Rodd,

your ty looks awesome in the pic, always wanted a white/white. one day, just wait, one day. white/white daily driver and 112 will be a 9 sec street machine, just wait
Click to expand...

Thanks man! Ive had hell trying to get pics of it, hopefully soon Ill get some real good ones to show off here!
 
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