Date:         Mon, 28 Jul 2003 01:23:56 -0500
Reply-To:     boroko <marokus@VOYAGER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         boroko <marokus@VOYAGER.NET>
Subject:      Electric Window regulator repair.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi All,

I just completed my second "reconditioning" of a electric window regulator and I thought some of you might be interested in my experience.

Symptoms were that the window was slow and noisy, and just generally didn't want to do what it was suppose to do.

The use of a screwdriver or fork tool will definitely aid in pulling the little plungers that hold the panel to the door without damaging the plungers.  Don't forget the double screws that hold the handle and the screw under the door opening handle (It's under the cover that is under the latch handle).  Also remember the two screws that hold the vent on the lower corner of the door. 

The regulator can be removed from the lower hole in the door with the window wedged in the up position and disconnected from the regulator and track.

To disconnect the regulator, you have to take the motor and the vertical track out as one piece.  The motor has three 10mm bolts and the track has two ( one on the bottom of the door).

The regulator track comes free from the window with two bolts that are accessible with the window in the closed position.  You will need to hold the window up with a wedge or a soft faced clamp or it will fall. 

Once the regulator is out of the door, you will need to disassemble it.  The problem with both of mine was that the bottom bearing rusted onto the shaft and caused huge drag.  

The motor comes off of the gear box with two bolts and the shaft wants to stick into the drive mechanism.  The shaft is just a round shaft with a flat, so if it is tough to remove, just get some penetrant on it and start working it slowly.  Mine were both tough to get the motor from the gearbox. but I didn't break either of them.  

Once you have the motor separated from the drive, you can remove the tye wrap holding the wires to the body and take out the two torx screws that hold the motor together.  

The brush assembly can be carefully pried out of the open end.  Be careful to go slowly and not break it, and it will come out in one piece.  

Now here is the key to the whole operation.  Since the bottom bearing is likely frozen to the shaft, you have two options.  

1) just pull the armature out and with it the bearing.
or
2) squirt some penetrant into the bottom drain holes and work the bearing free before you pull the armature.

In my case, both bearings pulled out of the spring clip before I showed enough patience to work them free.   I tried to pull the spring clip to no avail and in desperation reverted to brute force.

What I found out is that you can get the bearing back under the clip without damaging the clip or removing it.  If you turn the cleaned bearing 90 degrees to normal and set it on the clip, you can use a punch and snap it under the clip without breaking it.  Once it is under the clip, you can turn it back to normal orientation and re-grease it for assembly.  

Be advised that brass drifts and tools for turning the bearing back to normal are easier as they don't grab on the magnets and drive you nuts.  


Clean, re-lube and install the armature and put the brush assembly back on the end.  The brushes will have to be pushed back to let them slide over the commutator, but that is easy with this motor. 

Re-assemble the whole mess and re-install and have a nice day. 

This whole thing took me less than an hour a side and saved me a whole bunch that I could put towards a rebuilt on my 309,000 mile motor.

Your mileage may vary, but I wanted to show that it can be done for those who wanted to.

Mark

PS... I had to go to NOMAIL for a while, so P-mail me if you need further clarification.