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atlanta318ti · 11-05-2004, 08:13 PM

Sounds like everyone has gone through the same trials and tribulation that I faced. After fixing and refixing my driver's window, I finally concluded as stated in an earlier thread that the front channel seems to be the primary culprit. It seems to me that the guide channel isn't engineered properly, so as the window is manuevered up and down, if there is any variance the window may pop out of that track which then causes the bend in the regulator arm closest to that front window track. I didn't go out and buy a new regulator (although I know that I should have). Instead, I was lucky enough that I bent the regulator arm back into place with a small screwdriver using the twist and bend method by inserting it into the nice hole in the regulator arm. I then simply torqued it manually as I positioned the clips into the right position. As stated in the other thread, you really have to make sure that before you do any of this that you've got that window positioned in all the channels properly and you have to watch it all the way through. If it's not perfect it will pop out again and if you just bought a new regulator, it'll be time to buy another or hope the bend/twist method will work. The other key is to squeeze your hands into the door and pop those clips into the track with a pair of pliers. If you try to do it by hand, they won't truly have a good connection and will slide right off after using the window for a while. Now I know the right way to do this is to buy a new regulator, but I'd heard that folks did this and the problem came right back so I thought I'd be patient and tackle it for an hour each weekend to see what the true problem was. Now I'm glad I didn't opt for a new regulator and have it done somewhere, because it's all about the correction/installation. You'll find that you have little room to work in, and that you have to keep everything coordinated as you do the fix. Even a skilled mechanic or body man may think it all in correctly, but may you end up with another bent regulator if anything isn't just right. This could be the window not being fully in the track, not having the "perfect" amount of lithium grease in the window track, clips not completely seated in the track, etc... Now as a precaution, I simply don't let my window go all the way down (I stop at about an inch above the rubber seals), because that tends to be where my window seems to slip out of the front guide. Maybe it's just mine, but I think the front guide should be longer instead of ending where it does. I think that's an engineering problem. On the plus side, I only spent $4 for the clips, and my window works. Good times.

11-05-2004, 08:13 PM	#32
atlanta318ti Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: atlanta Posts: 145 iTrader: (0) Photo Gallery	window fixes Sounds like everyone has gone through the same trials and tribulation that I faced. After fixing and refixing my driver's window, I finally concluded as stated in an earlier thread that the front channel seems to be the primary culprit. It seems to me that the guide channel isn't engineered properly, so as the window is manuevered up and down, if there is any variance the window may pop out of that track which then causes the bend in the regulator arm closest to that front window track. I didn't go out and buy a new regulator (although I know that I should have). Instead, I was lucky enough that I bent the regulator arm back into place with a small screwdriver using the twist and bend method by inserting it into the nice hole in the regulator arm. I then simply torqued it manually as I positioned the clips into the right position. As stated in the other thread, you really have to make sure that before you do any of this that you've got that window positioned in all the channels properly and you have to watch it all the way through. If it's not perfect it will pop out again and if you just bought a new regulator, it'll be time to buy another or hope the bend/twist method will work. The other key is to squeeze your hands into the door and pop those clips into the track with a pair of pliers. If you try to do it by hand, they won't truly have a good connection and will slide right off after using the window for a while. Now I know the right way to do this is to buy a new regulator, but I'd heard that folks did this and the problem came right back so I thought I'd be patient and tackle it for an hour each weekend to see what the true problem was. Now I'm glad I didn't opt for a new regulator and have it done somewhere, because it's all about the correction/installation. You'll find that you have little room to work in, and that you have to keep everything coordinated as you do the fix. Even a skilled mechanic or body man may think it all in correctly, but may you end up with another bent regulator if anything isn't just right. This could be the window not being fully in the track, not having the "perfect" amount of lithium grease in the window track, clips not completely seated in the track, etc... Now as a precaution, I simply don't let my window go all the way down (I stop at about an inch above the rubber seals), because that tends to be where my window seems to slip out of the front guide. Maybe it's just mine, but I think the front guide should be longer instead of ending where it does. I think that's an engineering problem. On the plus side, I only spent $4 for the clips, and my window works. Good times.