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Old 01-26-2008, 05:27 AM  
cooljess76
NOBODY F's with the Jesus
 
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ventura California
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Default PERMANENT WINDOW FIX***DIY***

There's been plenty of threads, but none as detailed as this one. I'm confident that I have identified the source of our problems and developed a permanent solution.

I "fixed" my window many times before I finally got sick of dealing with it and was on the verge of retrofitting...

Last edited by cooljess76; 07-08-2010 at 09:42 AM.
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  #105  
By budget76 on 07-16-2010, 11:09 PM
Default

Jess and Eric, I love you both. I think I've finally got the window under control after 2 years of fighting it. Anyone who does this, the tracks are the key! Its been said many times, but it's not enough.

I've been in that door so many times I can have the panel off and pop the window back into the tracks, re-do the regulator balls, etc, and have the door back together, all in less than 10 minutes. Now I finally took some time and did what the writeup says. Turns out the window was popping out of the front track, so I had to twist it inwards. Now I can slam the door and it stays on track. Time will tell if its perfect, but it's better than it has been before.


SOMETHING NEW: make sure you check your tracks are actually attached to the door. I found that the lower spot weld that holds the bottom of the front track had broken off of the door, so the track would move freely on the bottom. Instead of getting the welder out I just drilled a hole thru and used a short screw to hold it tight.

The only thing I have never been able to do is put the window up and down without the u clips holding the balls in place. I can let it go halfway, then hear one pop halfway out. Maybe its a crappy brand regulator, dunno, but that I have never had work.

When you're checking to see if it stays in the front track: Slam the door a couple times, and stick your finger thru the square opening and feel the window. Mine came half out of the track, I was able to push it back where it should be, put the window up, twist the rail, then repeat until success is obtained
Last edited by budget76; 07-16-2010 at 11:14 PM..
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  #106  
By ofset on 08-13-2010, 08:59 PM
Default

I just want to say that this thread is AMAZING!!! Thank you sooo much for this write up. it is so helpful, an soooo easy to do. It cost me $10 and 2 hours of work to get my broken window fixed.

My drivers side window went out completely, window fell to the bottom of the door, and I thought i would be screwed. I thought I would need an new regulator because i did not hear anything move or any motor sounds.

Turns out the ball joint arm was wedged between the top of the glass and the metal after the window fell. Thats why I didn't hear the regulator working. But it turns out the regulator was just fine. I didnt need a new one!

I bought some Lithium grease, and gorilla glue for the odd glueing of the felt vertical arms and stuff.

Scraped out the old hardened grease, re-lubed, and re installed and BAM Window works fine now!!!

thank you again.
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  #107  
By Jake on 08-18-2010, 02:58 AM
Default

same excact thing happened to me a few months back. took the whole thing apart and looked at it for a couple days. only to realize re-lubing it was what would fix the problem
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  #108  
By cooljess76 on 08-18-2010, 05:44 AM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake View Post
same excact thing happened to me a few months back. took the whole thing apart and looked at it for a couple days. only to realize re-lubing it was what would "temporarily fix" the problem
^^^If all you did was "re-lube" the sliders, you'll certainly be taking it back apart in the near future. Myself and many others simply "re-lubed" the sliders thinking we "fixed" the problem, only to have it happen again and again. I eventually got sick and tired of taking my door panel off and reattaching the sliders, that's why I finally decided to find out what the "real" problem was, and that's why I wrote this article. I suggest going back and reading the article in it's entirety for I think you may have missed a few things. Best wishes.
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  #109  
By Jake on 08-18-2010, 05:46 AM
Default

worked for me, haven't touched it since last fall, i did replace one other small part however that at the time i thought had nothing to do with it after installing. who knows maybe that did something
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  #110  
By UberWagen on 12-06-2010, 08:10 PM
Default

Thanks a lot. Didn't have to piddle around with my window too much. Figured out that I have a broken slider clip. This thread probably saved me about 2 or 3 hours
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  #111  
By curtdfw on 03-01-2011, 04:54 PM
Default

OK, less than a week after buying my '96 I'm stymied with the window fix on the passenger door. What seems to be happening is that the forward edge of the glass is somehow binding up -- once I get the glass in the track (way more difficult that it should be) it's very tough to move up and down manually, and I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the forward ball popping out.

I've cleaned & lubed the tracks and replaced the broken clips. As the glass pops outward, I've rotated the track clockwise to the extent I can get my hand in there, and the liner seems to be properly seated.

Bottom line is that I can get about one cycle before it fails. The regulator looks to have been tweaked several times, and there's more side load on the bottom of the glass from the ball end of the arms than there is on the driver's side (I just checked and lubed the clips as all seems OK). I've relieved that somewhat, but am considering a new regulator.


I've had a '74 2002 for 9+ years and do most of my own work, but this has me stuck. Any further ideas, or is there a Dallas-area owners group I could kick it around with?
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  #112  
By SueL on 03-04-2011, 09:45 AM
Default 1995 window fail

Hello,
I was intrigued by your post about a permanent fix for a wonky window after paying $900 to repair my window since I bought my TI 4 years ago, including a $400 job to replace the regulator less than three years ago. I had given up on repairing it after it failed again last summer but I sent your post to my mechanic to see if it could work in my case.
He sent the following reply (see below). I don't think the motor failed (it was a brand new part three years ago). The window would kind of jump or drop quickly when I tried to open it so I just stopped using it because i was afraid it would fall into the door as it had before.
Does it sound like your method would work in my case? I'm not interested in attempting another fix without some reasonable assurance it will work.
The reply:
We can get your vehicle in for Tuesday.* However,*I wanted to mention that this issue may be different than the one that you're currently dealing with.* If i remember correctly, your window motor isn't working at all.* This website is dealing with an issue where the window comes off after closing the door.* As for a price, we'll have to see what the problem is and how long it take for us to conduct the repair.***
*
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  #113  
By cooljess76 on 03-04-2011, 10:45 AM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SueL View Post
Hello,
I was intrigued by your post about a permanent fix for a wonky window after paying $900 to repair my window since I bought my TI 4 years ago, including a $400 job to replace the regulator less than three years ago. I had given up on repairing it after it failed again last summer but I sent your post to my mechanic to see if it could work in my case.
He sent the following reply (see below). I don't think the motor failed (it was a brand new part three years ago). The window would kind of jump or drop quickly when I tried to open it so I just stopped using it because i was afraid it would fall into the door as it had before.
Does it sound like your method would work in my case? I'm not interested in attempting another fix without some reasonable assurance it will work.
The reply:
We can get your vehicle in for Tuesday.* However,*I wanted to mention that this issue may be different than the one that you're currently dealing with.* If i remember correctly, your window motor isn't working at all.* This website is dealing with an issue where the window comes off after closing the door.* As for a price, we'll have to see what the problem is and how long it take for us to conduct the repair.***
*
They're setting you up to try and screw you. I wouldn't take my car back to them for anything, let alone a window repair. I've outlined the problem from start to finish and no, the cause isn't caused by slamming the door. The problem is that BMW used a poor lubricant that turns into paste after several years which in combination with the fact they used the same regulator on our cars that they use on sedans which have a smaller/lighter window than our heavier "coupe sized" windows. The lubricant hardens into a paste, causes the sliders to bind up in the track, regulator arms bend, balls pop out of the sliders, window goes off track, bends the vertical guide, the end. So many people are quick to believe a shop that tells them they need to replace a regulator or some expensive repair, then all they do is put the balls back in the sliders and send you on your way so it could happen again a few miles down the road. If you don't remove the sticky old grease, replace it with fresh non hardening grease, re-align the vertical guides, straighten the regulator arms and replace the sliders if they're worn, you'll just end up having to do redo it again and again. The more times you take the door panel off, the weaker the clips get and eventually you'll be repairing that too. The most often overlooked step is re-aligning the vertical guides. This is why I recommend slamming the door to see if the window stays in the tracks. The guys at that shop don't know what they're talking about. If they can't make sense of the detailed tutorial I posted at the begining of this thread, then they shouldn't be working on BMW's.
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  #114  
By SueL on 03-05-2011, 03:04 AM
Default Thank you..

Cooljess76,
I would just as soon take it elsewhere, (even though I've been using that shop for 14 years, for this car and my 320i before that), for this job at least. Can anyone on this list suggest someone in the Vancouver, B.C., area?
SueL
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  #115  
By 32styledTI on 03-29-2011, 03:25 AM
Default

Ive read the whole thread, Yes I plan on re-bending the window tracks back into place although Im wondering since my sliders were totaly busted and I found these ones kicking around





Are these missing a little part on one side of the circle that the ball snaps into? ive never been lucky enough to see a good one so i dont know if this is missing a tab on the other side of the hole where the ball snaps into.. if they are ok then, I may have all the parts to try and get this driver window back together tomorrow. I have not tried to snap a ball in to see if it holds, I just found them downstairs and have not gone outside to the garage to see but it looks like one of the little tabs is broken off the portion where the clip slides into...maybe im wrong can someone help me ?

If not then I have to order this with my getbmwparts.com order tomorrow
Last edited by 32styledTI; 03-29-2011 at 03:28 AM..
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  #116  
By cooljess76 on 03-29-2011, 04:25 AM
Default

I'd replace them, they're definitely broken. Part#51321938884 getbmwparts has them for $2.50ea and they're genuine BMW parts. Pelicanparts.com sells the same ones for $4.75ea or the generic ones for $2.50 and ebay has generic ones for like 6 bucks each. Your best bet is to get 4 Genuine BMW sliders from getbmwparts.com. It's only 10 bucks, i'd replace all four of them.

This is what they're supposed to look like. Make sure you clean the old sticky grease out of the tracks and replace it with fresh grease.
Last edited by cooljess76; 03-29-2011 at 04:30 AM..
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  #117  
By Eric on 03-29-2011, 04:50 AM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by curtdfw View Post
What seems to be happening is that the forward edge of the glass is somehow binding up -- once I get the glass in the track (way more difficult that it should be) it's very tough to move up and down manually, and I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the forward ball popping out.
Curt, if the tracks are too tight front to back, or side to side (pinching), they will make the glass bind, and if it binds, it will seem to be binding at the front, because the contact point in front is so much narrower than at the rear, and the glass can snag and rotate there. Confirm how tight it feels with the arms disconnected. If it's tight, then the tracks need to be adjusted in one direction or the other. If it moves well, but binds when connected, confirm that the sliders move effortlessly in the bottom track, and if they do, then the extra tension may be from that side-loaded regulator arm. You may need to remove both door panels and compare the arms, then carefully bend the bad arm back to its original shape (they bend like butter).


Quote:
Originally Posted by SueL View Post
... I sent your post to my mechanic to see if it could work in my case.
He sent the following reply (see below)...
Hi Sue. I don't want to sound bad here, but this is a job that you have to do yourself if you want it done well. It takes time, care, and thought, and, as such, is completely incompatible with someone who is doing it to make money - it's not worth their time. If you read through the entire post carefully, you should be able to do this job yourself, maybe even better than a lot of the people here, because you seem to be female, and women usually have smaller hands, which would be a great advantage when working inside a door.

As far as your mechanic's response, he may be setting you up, but he may just have no idea who you are (which car he's worked on and when), and so be talking about some other car he's seen. Either way, see above paragraph .

Quote:
Originally Posted by cooljess76 View Post
I'd replace them, they're definitely broken.
+1

- Eric
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  #118  
By 32styledTI on 03-29-2011, 05:14 AM
Default I understand now, thanks

very good thanks for the info and the reply, Im most greatful of your help! The threads very informative and its true, I beleave lots of peope are missing the point about the bent window tracks...

I know now why my damn sliders wont stay on, becuase the freakin tracks pinching the window and its binding causing the plastic slider to snap!

If the window sticks and the owner forces the ball&regualtor to continue doing their job the weakist link gives.. In this case an old plastic slider and or the window falls off track.
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  #119  
By SueL on 03-29-2011, 07:56 AM
Default Thank you

Thanks, Eric,
Maybe I'll give it a try one day but the whole process seems a little daunting. I do take your point about not expecting someone else to expend the same TLC that an owner would. Thanks again for your reply. And thanks to CoolJess for the tutorial.
Sue

Hi Sue. I don't want to sound bad here, but this is a job that you have to do yourself if you want it done well. It takes time, care, and thought, and, as such, is completely incompatible with someone who is doing it to make money - it's not worth their time. If you read through the entire post carefully, you should be able to do this job yourself, maybe even better than a lot of the people here, because you seem to be female, and women usually have smaller hands, which would be a great advantage when working inside a door.

As far as your mechanic's response, he may be setting you up, but he may just have no idea who you are (which car he's worked on and when), and so be talking about some other car he's seen. Either way, see above paragraph .
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