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1997 E150. My driver side front window goes down but will only go up half way.
I removed the door panel and weather seal to observe. It appears that there is a lead ball in the middle of the regulator cable which protrudes into the slot, stopping the window from going any further. Absent a complete diagram, I can't determine if this ball is out of place. Maybe a bit of grease will make it go past the slot?
Okay, I had another look and that lead slug is out of place. Looks like I need a new regulator. Of course, the first step in window removal is to raise the window. That's not gonna happen.
You can remove the rivets holding the regulator assembly to the door shell so it doesn't hinder raising the glass far enough to drill through the rivet bodies freeing the glass. This can be a bit tricky as you have to smartly rap the rivet mandrels to remove them before drilling into the rivet bodies; you need to support the rivet flange so hammer blows to the mandrels is not transmitted into the glass. I use a smaller center punch for this.
Once the glass is free secure it all the way up in the door opening while you replace the regulator. A few pieces of Gorilla tape along the sides or across the bottom of the door opening tend to work well. I suggest using 1/4-20 bolts about 3/4" long and Nylok nuts to hold the regulator to the door shell. (I have the proper rivet tool for this job but its part of my work tool collection, most people will not have one of these.) Once the regulator is secured in place lower the glass into the regulator's receiver flange and use the same 1/4-20 bolts to hold the glass to the regulator.
Do be careful handling the glass as its tempered and will shatter if mishandled, pinched while you're working inside the door shell. As I say the only real challenge is removing the rivets holding the glass to the regulator.
Thanks,
I got the rivets out and the two nuts at the top, but the window still wouldn't go to the top. I was able to remove those two through the holes near the bottom of the door. I used a wood block behind the rivets to avoid stress to the glass.
The window is now at the top, secured with duct tape in true Red Green fashion.
I was able to get the cable back in place using hemostats, but that won't last. Just need a new regulator.
Done and done, I got the new regulator in. I didn't wish to buy a big rivet gun so I just used 1/2" long 1/4-20 bolts with locking nuts. Of course, the aftermarket regulator is wired backward, up is now down and vise versa.
Note to others, the tape will not hold the window at the top while waiting for parts to arrive, you should probably do this job in one day.
BTW: What do y'all use to reattach the plastic seal, cement or some sort of double stick tape?
Note to others, the tape will not hold the window at the top while waiting for parts to arrive, you should probably do this job in one day.
BTW: What do y'all use to reattach the plastic seal, cement or some sort of double stick tape?
What plastic seal are you asking about?
Had you used Gorilla brand tape as I suggested it will hold, almost too well in fact---its not easy to remove after a day or so.
The plastic liner around the entire door which must be peeled away to gain access to the regulator. I'll try some 3M spray adhesive.
The duct tape I originally used to hold the window up let go after a couple of days and left goo on the glass. The painters tape I used to hold it up while installing the regulator held fine for long enough to do the job.
FYI.. The gearbox design used in the power window assembly for these trucks contains a set of plastic rollers that eventually degrade and break up, you can buy replacement rollers for a couple dollars and make it good as new.
What the inside of a broken gearbox may look like...
FYI.. The gearbox design used in the power window assembly for these trucks contains a set of plastic rollers that eventually degrade and break up, you can buy replacement rollers for a couple dollars and make it good as new.
What the inside of a broken gearbox may look like...
That motor and gear box seems to be from a year preceding the cable-driven window regulators OP has----my own 1997 E-250 used that system along with the years after 1997 as well. I "think" the third-arm sector gear regulators were last used in 1991 or so.
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