Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:13:17 -0500
Reply-To: Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: power window regulators
In-Reply-To: <4253a4a60702261854w71b7f88et61b42dcdc6a05cb7@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Replacing the stock regulator is the easiest way to go. The Bentley gives a
decent proceedure for this. You remove the window and remove the bolts
holding the regulator and motor in place. Unplug the motor from the
electric plug and be sure that all of the tie wraps are cut. Then you give
the thing a half twist and snake it out through a hole in the bottom of the
door. Swap the motor over to the new regulator and snake the new one back
in.
I have aftermarket regulators with motors for around $159. There are a few
differences however. They use a regualtor that is like the manual regulator
(screw jack type) which is stiff and you will need to install it through the
slot where the window slides up and down (you need to open this slot a
little with some wooden wedges but it is not a big deal). The motor is a
Bosch unit but it sits behind where the stock speaker would normally sit in
the door. If you have the stock speaker you should be OK but if you have a
deeper one it will interfere with the motor. The different design of the
regulator should be more reliable than the stock one. I have sold many of
these over the years and so far I have never had anyone come back saying
that one failed.
Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
http://www.vanagain.com
http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
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Phone: (856)-327-4936
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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Rob Campbell
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 9:54 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: power window regulators
Hello:
For the second time (other door), my power window regulator has collapsed.
Same situation: midway through raising/lowering, it started making noise
and acting up, and shortly after, the sound of plastic bits falling was
heard and then the window would not raise fully. To temporarily "close" it,
I had to pop off the panel and do some creative ziptie placement.
When this last happened 2 years ago, I remember looking into it and deciding
it was mechanically too complex for me to replace alone. I think I spent
about $250 having it done (I was on a roadtrip at the time). Now that I
have a -little- more time, I am wondering how involved it is. I see that
the regulator mechanism without hte motor is $150. What is the complexity
of this job? Does the whole door need to come off? is it documented
anywhere? I am a mechanical novice but willing to give it a try if its
possible. I worry about things like the need to tension cables, deal with
the wiring harnesses, or get myself screwed to a point where I can't even
drive to a mechanic.
Also: is it possible to convert to manual handles? I like not having to
reach over to the passenger side, but I really don't want this to keep
happening. The plastic cam/pulley thing seems like a huge liability, why
isn't it metal? I really don't want this happening in the middle of nowhere
again.
Thanks for any general words about this operation.
Rob Campbell
87 Westy GL
Los Angeles (formerly Long Beach, for those playing along at home)
