So my 1996 is really minty and only has 73k actual miles. I try and really keep up with replacing what it needs. The rear window started acting up and wouldn't go all the way down without "help", and finally quit working altogether. I ordered a new motor, arms and both inside/outside window felts. I replaced the motor and the arms (the old arms were bent and the old motor was tired) and tried it out with the old felts in place. Worked great. I did have to do a number on the ground wire that was attached to the driver side brake light. When I replaced the old felts, the motor wasn't strong enough to go all the way up or down. Bummer. The replacement stuff was from LMC and the motor and arms were made in Korea. I ordered a Ford replacement motor and when it arrived, the motor armature was twice the size of the original and the Korean. I figured I was home free. I replaced the Korean with the Ford, replaced the new felts and the darn Ford motor would pull the window as far as the Korean motor. So off went the new felts and on with the old ones. The new Ford motor still didn't do the up/down with authority, so off went the Ford motor and on went the Korean. That's the best so far with me using the old felts. I hate to use the old outside felt as it is cracked, but the new one has just a little too much pressure on the window to keep it from working right. Anyone have a suggestion?

 

I had the same problem with the LMC felts. Just give it time, the felts will eventually loosen up and won't press so hard against the glass. After a few weeks, the window works just fine.

 

Did you replace the felt in the side tracks as well?
Have the glides in the tracks at the bottom of the glass been cleaned and re-lubed? (I use a mixture of 3-in-1 oil with powdered graphite suspended in it. White lithium grease gets gummy and collects dirt so badly that the mechanism slows things down terribly).

If both of these have been dealt with, loosen the bolts that hold the side tracks in place. There should be four total (two per side). This will allow the side tracks to shift as the window moves which basically allows the tracks to self-align with the movement of the new regulator arms. After you have run the window up and down a few times, you should be able to lock the bolts back down and not lose the smooth operation of the window.

 

Thanks, I will try that.