Posted: 7/4/2012 6:09:09 PM EDT
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Yes, it's old, a 1993 Explorer with electric windows.
No, I'm not buying a new $50k truck just because some of the windows on this one won't go up or down. So, first off, what's wrong. When I push the button, you can hear the motor turn on and the window tries to go up/down. If you boost it with your hand it actually moves. I removed the trim panel and plastic sheet lining from the front right passenger's door. The motor and lift mechanism are completely hidden behind sheet metal. Do I need to buy a new (old) door to repair this? |
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I'm not familiar with Exploders, but I am familiar with working on power windows in general.
First, I doubt that the door is completely sealed with sheet metal. There are most likely a few holes in that inner sheet metal that you will have to peak through and do a lot of blind feel work. Welcome to the world of working on window regulators and window motors. You are in for a world of tedious work and a lot of " How the hell did this go in here." There are a few possibilities of what is wrong based on your description. The motor might just be flat out worn out. The gear that engages the window regulator might be stripped. The gear on the window regulator might be stripped. Or, being a 1993 it might be a combination of all three. |
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You need a new window motor.There are 3 plastic plugs inside the motor that have been ground up.
Pull the door panel off and you can see 2 of the bolts that hold the motor onto the regulator.The 3rd will not be visible but if you look at the 9 o'clock position(drivers side) or 3 o'clock position (passengers side) of the other two you will see a small dimple in the sheet metal.If you drill a hole at the dimple big enough for an 8 mm socket then it can be removed without removing the regulator.Otherwise you will need a big 1/4 inch rivet gun to replace the regulator. |
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Thank you, gentlemen.
I looked for the dimple but didn't see one. I check it all out and get it repaired in the next day or two, thanks to you guys. Do you think anyone sells the parts? It's an old truck. One more question - is there any sort of lubrication I can/should use on the guides for the windows? They surely seem dry and squeaky. |
| Rockauto.com for parts. Just did both front windows on my great uncles freestar cost 113 bucks with shipping for both sides window motor and new regulator. As for grease the new parts come with the grease on em they're was a Ford factory stuff for the guides on the door but most people complained when we used it as it made the window glass dirty. |
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Thanks for all the info so far.
I have the drive motor out of the door. It seems to be fully functional, including having a fair amount of torque on the output shaft. There's no sign of grinding gears or looseness (beyond the backlash normal for a worm drive gear train.It runs smoothly, quietly and powerfully in both directions. It's actually a nice gear motor. Is it possible that there's just too much friction in the regulator mechanism and between the window and the door frame - more friction than this motor can overcome? If you assist the window, you can raise and lower it, it just needs help. It goes down (gravity assist) more easily than up (fighting gravity). I shot some lithium grease onto the rails/slides of the regulator. Can I/should I use silicone spray lube on the felt-covered window guides? If not, what? After lubing the mechanism, I am going to put it back together and test it. I'm not too hopeful, so any additional help would be appreciated. P.S. - a small mirror is immensely helpful for seeing what's inside the door. P.P.S. - How the heck do they put these together? Is the interior sheet metal of the door welded in place after everything is assembled onto it? |
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Well, I put it all back together and it still doesn't work. I think the stripped gears hypothesis is a good one. They are probably just cracked but not totally gone. They spin the output shaft under no load or light load conditions but under the heavy load of the friction-loaded window, the worm drive teeth override each other, hence, no movement on output.
It's time for some new parts. |
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P.P.S. - How the heck do they put these together? Is the interior sheet metal of the door welded in place after everything is assembled onto it?
I have to think some doors are done this way. I had to replace the window motor in an '02 Mazda B3000, and there was flat out no way to get to one of the mounting bolts without drilling a hole through the panel. |
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P.P.S. - How the heck do they put these together? Is the interior sheet metal of the door welded in place after everything is assembled onto it?
I have to think some doors are done this way. I had to replace the window motor in an '02 Mazda B3000, and there was flat out no way to get to one of the mounting bolts without drilling a hole through the panel. Yes, that is exactly right for this vehicle, too. They even put a punch mark ("dimple") where you need to drill to get it out. While I was messing around with this, I also fixed my blower. The contacts on the power relay had gone bad. The relay coil would energize and the contacts would flip but the contact resistance was too high, so the blower would not turn on. |
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It looks like you got your problem solved but I came here to post up that I usually get parts from Rock Auto. Most of the time they are the same parts you get locally but cheaper, even after shipping. And their customer service is great. |
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Let me praise the virtues of buying locally.
First off, it's "use it or lose it". That is, if you ever want the option to buy locally, you need to buy locally to keep your local merchant in business. That way, he'll be there when you need him. Secondly, they had everything I needed in stock with the option to buy either new or remanufactured. Thirdly, I bought the window motor and I bought both a blower relay and a blower motor. I wasn't sure which of these two items was needed but bought them while I was there, so I'd have both on hand if I needed them. As it turns out, I needed only the relay - a 10 second repair. I returned the blower motor when I returned the broken window drive motor to get my "core charge" returned to me. They accepted it as a return without question. Lastly, the parts all came with a lifetime warranty. If it ever breaks again, I get the new part for free. Okay, having said all that, ROCK AUTO prices ROCK! <–– I'm putting them in my "Favorites" Next time, if I have the lead time, I'll have to order some parts from them. |
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You need a new window motor.There are 3 plastic plugs inside the motor that have been ground up. Pull the door panel off and you can see 2 of the bolts that hold the motor onto the regulator.The 3rd will not be visible but if you look at the 9 o'clock position(drivers side) or 3 o'clock position (passengers side) of the other two you will see a small dimple in the sheet metal.If you drill a hole at the dimple big enough for an 8 mm socket then it can be removed without removing the regulator.Otherwise you will need a big 1/4 inch rivet gun to replace the regulator. This is your problem, but not how I would fix it. Go to Autozone or Advanced, look in the "help" section, which is mostly Dorman parts, they sell the white bushings there. Chances are that there is nothing at all wrong with the motor, the plastic bushings have disintegrated. I have done this repair many, many times. Also, if you are replacing the rivets, make sure to use steel rivets not aluminum. |
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Also, if you are replacing the rivets, make sure to use steel rivets not aluminum. I don't have a rivet gun. If I'd had to remove the regulator mechanism, I would have used machine screws and self-locking nuts to reinstall it. Does that sound okay? As an Former Certified Ford Tech, not it isn't. In reality, when I was fixing the disintegrated bushings in three of my old Town Cars windows, I used bolts and lock nuts. When drilling the rivets out what I did was take a set of vice-grips and clamp them down on the outside of the rivet and hold the vice-grips still, then hit the center of the rivet with a drill bit, no spinning, and once you get the hang of it it takes seconds. You don't have to drill the entire rivet out, use a larger bit, and it will cut the rivet off at the top. |
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Also, if you are replacing the rivets, make sure to use steel rivets not aluminum. I don't have a rivet gun. If I'd had to remove the regulator mechanism, I would have used machine screws and self-locking nuts to reinstall it. Does that sound okay? As an Former Certified Ford Tech, not it isn't. In reality, when I was fixing the disintegrated bushings in three of my old Town Cars windows, I used bolts and lock nuts. When drilling the rivets out what I did was take a set of vice-grips and clamp them down on the outside of the rivet and hold the vice-grips still, then hit the center of the rivet with a drill bit, no spinning, and once you get the hang of it it takes seconds. You don't have to drill the entire rivet out, use a larger bit, and it will cut the rivet off at the top. Getting the old rivet out is not a problem. I just don't have a riveter to put them back in. They are big rivets. I thought I could manage nuts and bolts. |