Hello everyone!

As i continue working out the bugs on my 1991 F150 (302 auto 4x4, not that it matters) Im getting to the point that i need to pay some attention to the windows.

The truck was originally equipped with power windows, power locks, though neither of those options function anymore. Option one would be to diagnose and see what i can figure out the problem to be, and then remedy whatever it needs to have functioning power windows again.

Or, looking through my parts stash, i have a set of 87 and a set of 88 doors, both crank window setups, one with the correct red high level door panels. I have done the "power to crank" conversion before, its not overly hard, but it tends to be a tedious job.

So, in your opinions, would you repair the power windows, or would you swap to crank windows? and if theres any reason why you prefer one over the other, chime in why.

Personally, I'm torn, ive got trucks both crank and power, the convenience is nice, but simplicity is bliss.

 

you could probably have the p/w diagnosed and repaired in the same , if not less, time than a conversion ... and summer isn't all that far away, right ?

 

kinda my thoughts. time will be similar between the repair vs the conversion. the truckl does have functioning AC, but i do like to roll the window down to order a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese

 

Personally I have mixed opinions about power windows. On a hot day it's nice to be able to roll down the passenger side window (and the rears in the case of a crew cab), and I can't reach the manual crank on the passenger door (let alone the rear doors), so power is a winner there.

On the other hand, simple is good, and I've had way less trouble with manual windows than power. So there's a big plus for manuals.

I guess if I had my perfect option it would be a manual crank in the driver's door and power everywhere else. Of course try to find a door panel that gives you a place for a crank and a place for the switch(es) for the other doors!

On the locks I'm all for power. They work just like manual locks too, so you aren't giving anything up, and you get the ability to lock and unlock both (all) doors at once.

 

I've had both in daily regular cabs, got spoiled by power locks and windows. Now I have manual windows, it really doesn't bother me, if no one else is in sight/
I'm stopped. I can lean over and crank down the passenger side. However the manual locks thoroughly **** me off, I really want remote locks as well. I will be changing over to power locks and windows sooner rather than later.

 

If the power window motors run, but the windows don't move, it might be the small plastic shock absorbers Ford put in the cranking mechanism.

You remove the covers right behind the drive gear and there are three plastic cylinders about the diameter of your pinky finger and half an inch long. I made my own out of Delrin rod at work but I just found somebody is actually selling them on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-F150-F2...FTkvU~&vxp=mtr
It's a two minute fix once you have the motor out.

Some later motors use nylon gears. Not positive what's in yours.

 

my window motors seem to be dead in the water, no noise, no movement. i would have guessed fuse, but that doesnt seem to be the case.

i grew up as a crank window guy. my first car ( 78 Thunderbird) and like the first 20 trucks were all crank windows. Ive never really minded them, and always enjoyed the simplicity of them. yes, my lincoln town car and my 95 F150 Lightning clone both have power windows, and it is very nice, but im also weighing in on the cost of electric motors or not.

im on the fence, i see both sides. as for power locks, i live in a small town in iowa, the doors are always unlocked and the keys stay in the truck. If i do happen to take it to the big town, i can easily manually unlock them.

 

The rollers for the window motors are for sale at your local parts store. Hanging in the "Help" section at the Oreilly's I tend to go to. About six dollars for a package to repair one motor I believe. The rollers disintegrate in everybody's sooner or later, really common issue. it's a bit of work but not that big of a deal to replace them.
When I found out the hardest part of the swap was finding correctly colored door panels, I couldn't get power windows into my old '82 fast enough.
If I had a five foot long right arm so I could roll the passenger window up and down at will, I wouldn't carer at all about power windows. I do like having power locks though, especially if you add keyless entry.