Window regulator repair

[PT81Jan]

Window regulator repair

 

While enjoying an early spring ride with my PT81 two days ago, the driver side window one third open, I wanted to move the window a bit down. Klonk, the crank lever blocked. Cranked it to the opposite direction, the window moved up easily. Down, klonk. Three attempts later the window was completely closed …

It ended that I had to remove the regulator unit out of the door.

For those who had not yet had the opportunity to work on a regulator: essentially that thing is a simple mechanical device. No need to get afraid of it.

When inspecting the unit, I did not see anything that was unusual worn or any dirt that was sticking in the mechanics. First tried it with oiling, but it still moved only into one direction, not into the other one – klonk. That klonk let me assume that there must be something in that pot [1] where the crankshaft comes out.

 

Unfortunately that pot is spot welded to the unit`s main plate [2].
What shall I say, at the risk to damage more, I had to open that pot in any case …

I carefully drilled the spot welds off and detached the pot with a small steel wedge [3]. I really was surprised how many pieces were inside [4]! After cleaning the parts I became aware that that what first appeared to be a fine thread [5] was a spring [6]. I also found that tiny piece of wire [7] … that is the end piece of the spring.

The repair was pretty simple: Bended a hook to the broken end of the spring [8], greased everything and put all pieces back into the pot [9]. The two ends have to be hooked into the mechanism. The picture shows one of the spring`s end unhooked [10]. The green arrow shows where it has to be, when ready installed (spring loaded).

Instead of trying to weld the pan back onto the main plate (I feared to damage the pan since it has got a thin wall thickness) I first tried to solder it [11] and it worked.

Two hours after removing the regulator unit out of the car I had a perfect working unit.

 

Hope this post helps in case someone of you will have an issue with the window regulator, too.

 

By the way: Althogh I was a little disappointed that the mechanism already has gone broken after 78 years - I am really again and again impressed what great solutions the guys developed, even at so minor things like a window regulator !

 

Edited April 1, 2017 by PT81Jan

[Eneto-55]

My son's 75 Dodge Dart window regulator wouldn't crank up, and same thing, had to drill out the spot welds.  But I was able to thread the hole with a 6-62 tap, and used small stainless screws to fasten it back together.  I have a document some place about what the problem was (don't recall now), but it's off topic here anyway.  

But speaking of the window regulator, has anyone found a way to source (or make) the special springs the keep the windows rollers pushing out into the tracks?  (I may not have described this really well, because I'm going by memory, from back in 82 or so.  After I married in 83, we lived overseas for 18 years, and my 46 is still over 900 miles from where we live now.)  This is something I will need to work with once I get my project started again.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Eneto-55

[PT81Jan]

Simple but great idea to fasten it back together with small screws! I am curious how you did that in detail. I think if I head this in mind before, I would have made some small metall sheet angles (hope this is the right word) to attach the pot to the main plate. Advantage is that it is much easier to maintain the mechanism,  if needed ! Simply open the screws,  remove the pot,  grease it for example and fasten it back. Thumbs up for your idea and complement! 

Edited April 1, 2017 by PT81Jan

[Eneto-55]

12 hours ago, PT81Jan said:

Simple but great idea to fasten it back together with small screws! I am curious how you did that in detail. I think if I head this in mind before, I would have made some small metall sheet angles (hope this is the right word) to attach the pot to the main plate. Advantage is that it is much easier to maintain the mechanism,  if needed ! Simply open the screws,  remove the pot,  grease it for example and fasten it back. Thumbs up for your idea and complement! 

Thanks.  I looked for my repair description and finally found it.  That was back in 2009, so I didn't recall it all correctly.  I stated that I had threaded the hole, but actually had countersunk the holes where a pan head screw would stick out too far, and used stainless self-locking nuts on the other side.  This was for a 75 Dodge Dart, so this approach might not work for one of our cars.  I do have pictures, and a PDF with the pictures and process description, but it is off topic here, because it's for a car from 30 years later.....