also love the snap-on tools, great choice!
Power Window Motor Repair
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,322
Likes: 2
From: Dairy, OR
Power Window Motor Repair
I decided to start a new post on my window motor repair, big thx to LCAM-01XA for his original post on how to fix broken dowles in the motor. Below I have outlined his post with my own photos and comments. My windows work awesome now!
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<br>
Remove door panel and speaker.<br>
<br>
<br>
Find dimple and notch locations.<br>
<br>
<br>
Drill holes with 1/2 drill bit, I drilled a smaller pilot hole first and then notch slot with grinder.<br>
<br>
<br>
Motor disasembled... note the pile of greasy broken plastic dowles on the left.<br>
<br>
<br>
Everything cleaned up and ready to put back together.<br>
<br>
<br>
Insert 2 1/4 nuts as shown then install gear to wedge assembly in place.<br>
<br>
<br>
This shows gear assembley with first 2 nuts installed.<br>
<br>
Use a screwdriver to push the remaining 4 nuts into place.<br>
<br>
<br>
This shows all 6 nuts and gears assembled and ready to go back into motor.<br>
<br>
<br>
I packed with grease and reassembled.<br>
<br>
<br>
Motor reinstalled and working perfect, notice the piece of duct tape I used over the ground out slot to protect wires from chaffing.<br>
What Syco said. Only may I add that you don't necessarily need to buy new dowels , instead you can use just regular 1/4" hex nuts - you need 6 per motor assembly, as you stack them two-high where there was a single dowel. The plastic dowels are a safety item, if the window glass meets high resistance when going up (such as while attempting to crush someone's arm or neck) the dowels will slip and prevent causing a serious injury to the victim. When you use steel nuts you lose this feature, the motor will keep moving the window till something breaks, and from my experience with this setup my bet would be the person's limb will give before the glass or the motor or the linkage - not a concern for me as I have a regular cab truck and no children or dogs who could get trapped by the window, but for people with crew-cab trucks this may potentially become an issue...
<br>Remove door panel and speaker.<br>
<br>
<br>Find dimple and notch locations.<br>
<br>
<br>Drill holes with 1/2 drill bit, I drilled a smaller pilot hole first and then notch slot with grinder.<br>
<br>
<br>Motor disasembled... note the pile of greasy broken plastic dowles on the left.<br>
<br>
<br>Everything cleaned up and ready to put back together.<br>
<br>
<br>Insert 2 1/4 nuts as shown then install gear to wedge assembly in place.<br>
<br>
<br>This shows gear assembley with first 2 nuts installed.<br>
<br>
Use a screwdriver to push the remaining 4 nuts into place.<br>
<br>
<br>This shows all 6 nuts and gears assembled and ready to go back into motor.<br>
<br>
<br>I packed with grease and reassembled.<br>
<br>
<br>Motor reinstalled and working perfect, notice the piece of duct tape I used over the ground out slot to protect wires from chaffing.<br>
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,802
Likes: 1
Cool, cause I just put my door panels back on after running coax for the mirror-mount antennas, and only then realized I never took pics of where to drill and grind for the motors. And I should have also swapped my motor out too, oh well, some other day when it ain't raining (literally) on my parade...
New User
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Power Window Motor Repair
Hey!! Thank you WarOzz!!
The instructions were perfect.
One of the best DIY experiences from the web I've had.
I just finished repairing the motor on my 1992 F-250.
I can't thank you enough!!
-cmack110
The instructions were perfect.
One of the best DIY experiences from the web I've had.
I just finished repairing the motor on my 1992 F-250.
I can't thank you enough!!
-cmack110
Clueless spectator!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 6
From: Denver, CO
Plastic dowels
FYI guys,
I purchased replacement plastic dowels at autozone for 8 bucks. they are sold in sets of three and look like clear mini marshmellows. Windows are working great for 6 months now.
I purchased replacement plastic dowels at autozone for 8 bucks. they are sold in sets of three and look like clear mini marshmellows. Windows are working great for 6 months now.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,665
Likes: 4
From: Terre Haute, IN
I need to do this in my MIL's truck...
One thing to note, i'm told those plastic pins are a safety device to keep you from getting injured should you be stupid enough to roll the window up on your arm, leg, or neck (yea....i said stupid...). By fixing it with 1/4" nuts, you take away that safety feature, but guarantee you'll never have to replace broken plastic pins...
Your choice...
One thing to note, i'm told those plastic pins are a safety device to keep you from getting injured should you be stupid enough to roll the window up on your arm, leg, or neck (yea....i said stupid...). By fixing it with 1/4" nuts, you take away that safety feature, but guarantee you'll never have to replace broken plastic pins...
Your choice...
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 521
Likes: 6
From: Cincinnati, OH
I did the 1/4 inch nuts repair on my truck, discovering on my own to use them. Working good for near 2 years now.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 80
Likes: 2
I had to read it twice to catch the fact that you DID NOT remove the regulator assembly. I just replaced two regulators/motors on mine, and it seemed quicker to just remove the whole assembly to do this fix. Guess I was wrong. Nice DIY!!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,528
Likes: 0
From: Peterborough, Ontario
I've been doing some power window repairs lately, and have found that if needed the motor can be swapped without a lot of effort with the gear box from the opposite side too. As it stands now, I think I have 3 or 4 spare motors for windows! Helped I got some from the wreckers recently.....
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,528
Likes: 0
From: Peterborough, Ontario
If they are going up, but need help, it will either be the nylon pins have crapped out, or the motor is getting tired. Replacing the motor (if you are going new) will fix it, as the pins are part of that assembly. A used one, may have a good motor, but those pins could be not far from giving up too. I would take it apart and see if the pins are shot, if so, replace them, or replace them with the nuts, and run it a while.
I had one motor this fall that stopped all together, turned out that it was corroded between the motor housing and the gear housing and wasn't making good connection back to ground.
I'll try to expand on this thread in the next couple days and take some pics of the actual motor and gearbox guts.
I had one motor this fall that stopped all together, turned out that it was corroded between the motor housing and the gear housing and wasn't making good connection back to ground.
I'll try to expand on this thread in the next couple days and take some pics of the actual motor and gearbox guts.