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Both the TC and GM/Vic use
a cable mechanism in 1990 and newer models. Fortunately, the TC unit seems
to last for about 150K miles on average. I haven't actually serviced a TC
regulator before because they last so long, but I've replaced many of the
units in Vics/GMs.
If you hear a grinding/straining noise while the window is moving then your cables
may be about to snap. You might want to consider replacing them now if your car
is 8-10 years old with 150K or so miles. If the motors spin but the windows don't
move the cables are busted and you have to replace them.
The regulator motor attaches to a plastic "spool" which winds two
thin metal cables which drive the windows. These cables are not very strong
which is why they stretch and eventually snap (I think they probably use a
better grade cable on TC models than in the Vic/GM which is how they can use
similar mechanisms and still have such a difference in longevity). Unfortunately
you have to replace the entire regulator assembly (except for the motor) when
this happens. If you're clever, though, you can rebuild it with quality aircraft
cable -- but very few people want to go to that much trouble.
The regulator assembly is riveted to the door inner metal panel and the rivets
have to be drilled out and then the new unit bolted in. It's not for the faint
of heart the first time around, but once you've done one it's not that bad. I
recommend getting both a Haynes and a factory service manual to guide you on
projects like this. They will tend to skip some little details, though. For example,
if they say you need to drill out attaching rivets, they might not tell you exactly
how. Fortunately I have done this many times and therefore I can provide step-by-step
instructions.
There are two different procedures depending on whether the unit is still operable
or not. It's easier if you can get the glass to move, even manually. Let's look
at this procedure first.
REMOVAL IF YOU CAN MOVE THE WINDOW
GLASS UP AND DOWN
(These instructions are for the front doors -- rear doors are similar.)
- Remove the door inner trim and water shield.
- *TIP* Before you even get started
go to your auto parts store and get a special tool for popping the nylon
fasteners that hold down the door trim panel in place (it looks like a
pry bar with a forked end). Without this you will bust the holes in the
trim panel every time.
- Lower the glass until you can get access to the two screws or bolts attaching
the glass to the regulator. If the power unit won't work, you may have to
coax it up/down manually.
- Locate the bolt holding the glass run channel to the door inner metal panel.
This is on the bottom front of the door. Loosen this bolt until you can shift
the run channel slightly forward to make it easier to remove the glass.
-
Have an assistant hold the glass, or if you are working
alone you can use body tape and vacuum hose to secure the glass in place.
(Body tape is similar to the stuff used to patch radiator hoses in an emergency
-- it's like duct tape but even stronger. If you can't find it, duct tape
will do in a pinch.)
- Put about 6-inches of tape on the glass then run it over the top of
the door frame and then onto the back side of the glass. Do this twice
-- once toward the front and again toward the back of the glass.
- *TIP* Use a strip of cardboard
between the tape and the door frame to protect the paint and weatherstrip
or it might peel off with the tape!
- Now you can insert 2-inch long pieces of 1/2-inch vacuum hose as "wedges" between
the glass and the top of the inner door sheet metal. This should hold
the glass securely in place.
-
Here's a tricky part. You have to punch out the two
rivets securing the glass in place without breaking the glass! Find a suitable
block of wood and wedge it in between the glass and the outer door sheetmetal.
Then remove the rivets attaching the window glass to the regulator sash.
- *TIP* To remove a rivet, get a
punch or an awl and gently pop out the center section. It should come
out leaving a hole in the middle of the rivet, but you may have to hammer
on it so be careful not to break the glass! Now use a drill with a sharp
1/4-inch bit. Start drilling on that little hole in the middle and the
entire head of the rivet should shear off. Once the head is off you can
punch out the rest of the rivet.
- *TIP* After going through all this,
you can understand why I always bolt my glass to the sash during reassembly
so I never have to do this again! See below for tips on replacing rivets
with bolts.
-
Reach into the access hole in the inner door sheet metal
and unplug the window regulator motor. Be careful not to cut yourself on
the edges of the metal! Long sleeves would be good here.
-
Locate and remove the three rivets attaching the regulator
assembly to the door inner panel. Punch and drill them out as outlined
above.
-
Locate the two rivets attaching the bottom of the regulator
track to the door inner panel. Punch and drill them out as outlined above.
-
Locate the two BOLTS attaching the top of the regulator
track to the door inner panel and remove. (Why oh WHY couldn't they just
use bolts all the way around? Arrrgghhhh!)
-
Now this is another tricky part. Carefully coax the
regulator assembly out of the door through the access hole. It's a big
item and a small hole, so have patience here.
-
Finally, unbolt the motor from the regulator. There
should be three screws holding it in place.
Now that you're done, here's an important tip before reassembly:
***USE WHITE LITHIUM GREASE AND
LIBERALLY LUBRICATE THE PLASTIC DRIVE SPROCKET BEFORE REINSTALLING THE
MOTOR. ALSO LUBRICATE THE REGULATOR TRACK AND THE POINTS WHERE THE CABLES
GO IN AND OUT OF THEIR PLASTIC SLEEVES BEFORE INSTALLING THE NEW REGULATOR
ASSEMBLY***
INSTALLATION
-
Bolt the old motor assembly to the new regulator mechanism.
-
Most regulators are installed with 1/4-inch aluminum
rivets which are too big to fit in a standard rivet gun. Fortunately, even
though the regulator was riveted in place, you can bolt it back in. Here's
how:
- Get 1/4-20 hex-head bolts 1/2 inch long to secure the regulator to
the door inner panel.
- Get washers and 1/4-20 LOCK NUTS for these bolts.
- Bolt the regulator into place using the bolts and lock nuts. You'll
need two sockets -- one to hold the bolt head and another to turn the
lock nut.
- IMPORTANT! Carefully check to make
sure the window glass does not hit the bolts or nuts. Make sure the head
of the bolt doesn't stick out enough to interfere with installing the
door trim panel.
- Once this is bolted in place the lock nuts will stay on. If you use
regular nuts you'd better use thread-locking compound or they will eventually
come loose!
-
You can also bolt the window glass to the regulator
sash, but you'll need to find the right length bolts so they won't interfere
with the operation of the unit. Again, be sure to use lock nuts!
REMOVAL IF YOU CANNOT MOVE
THE WINDOW GLASS UP AND DOWN
(These instructions are for the front doors -- rear doors are
similar.)
- Get the factory manual which includes the a template needed for this
operation.
- Remove the door inner trim and water shield.
- IMPORTANT! When you
remove the motor, the glass will no longer be held in position and may
fall! Be sure to secure the glass before proceeding to the next step.
- *TIP* Have an assistant hold the
glass, or if you are working alone you can use body tape and vacuum hose
to secure the glass in place. See description in previous posts above.
- Using the factory template, you will have to drill three large 1/2-inch
diameter holes at precise locations in the door inner panel to gain access
to the three bolts holding the regulator to the mounting bracket. BE CAREFUL
NOT TO STRIKE OR SCRATCH THE GLASS. Now you can remove the regulator assembly
from the mounting bracket to gain access to the screws the motor to the
regulator.
- IMPORTANT! When you remove the
motor, the glass will no longer be held in position and may fall! Be
sure to secure the before proceeding to the next step.
- *TIP* Have an assistant hold the
glass, or if you are working alone you can use body tape and vacuum hose
to secure the glass in place. See description in previous info above.
- Unplug the motor wiring connector, then unbolt the motor from the regulator
and remove the motor assembly. This will be a PITA because of tight access.
I recommend removing the mounting bracket while you're at it so the whole
assembly can be bolted back in which will make this whole procedure a cake
walk if you ever have to do it again. You'll need to punch and drill out
the three rivets to remove the mounting bracket from the inner door panel.
- With the motor removed, reposition the window glass until you can get
access to the two screws or bolts attaching the glass to the regulator
assembly.
- Locate the bolt holding the glass run channel to the door inner metal
panel. This is on the bottom front of the door. Loosen this bolt until
you can shift the run channel slightly forward to make it easier to remove
the glass.
- Have an assistant hold the glass, or if you are working alone secure
the glass in place once again with body tape and vacuum hose. Now you have
to punch out the two rivets securing the glass in place without breaking
the glass! Find a suitable block of wood and wedge it in between the glass
and the outer door sheetmetal. Then remove the rivets attaching the window
glass to the regulator sash.
- *TIP* To remove a rivet, get a punch
or an awl and gently pop out the center section. It should come out leaving
a hole in the middle of the rivet, but you may have to hammer on it so
be careful not to break the glass! Now use a drill with a sharp 1/4-inch
bit. Start drilling on that little hole in the middle and the entire
head of the rivet should shear off. Once the head is off you can punch
out the rest of the rivet.
- *TIP* After going through all this,
you can understand why I always bolt my glass to the sash during reassembly
so I never have to do this again! See below for tips on replacing rivets
with bolts.
- Locate the two rivets attaching the bottom of the regulator track to
the door inner panel. Punch and drill them out as outlined above.
- Locate the two BOLTS attaching the top of the regulator track to the
door inner panel and remove.
- Now this is another tricky part. Carefully coax the regulator assembly
out of the door through the access hole. It's a big item and a small hole,
so have patience here.
Now that you're done, here's an important tip before reassembly:
***USE WHITE LITHIUM GREASE AND LIBERALLY
LUBRICATE THE PLASTIC DRIVE SPROCKET BEFORE REINSTALLING THE MOTOR. ALSO
LUBRICATE THE REGULATOR TRACK AND THE POINTS WHERE THE CABLES GO IN AND
OUT OF THEIR PLASTIC SLEEVES BEFORE INSTALLING THE NEW REGULATOR ASSEMBLY***
INSTALLATION
- Bolt the old motor assembly to the new regulator mechanism. See note on
lubrication above.
- Bolt the regulator/motor assembly to the regulator mounting bracket.
- Even though the regulator/motor/mounting bracket was riveted to the door
inner panel, you can bolt it back in. Here's how:
- Get 1/4-20 hex-head bolts 1/2 inch long to secure the regulator mounting
bracket to the door inner panel.
- Get washers and 1/4-20 LOCK NUTS for these bolts.
- Bolt the regulator into place using the bolts and lock nuts. You'll need
two sockets -- one to hold the bolt head and another to turn the lock nut.
- IMPORTANT! Carefully check to make sure
the window glass does not hit the bolts or nuts. Make sure the head of
the bolt doesn't stick out enough to interfere with installing the door
trim panel.
- Once this is bolted in place the lock nuts will stay on. If you use regular
nuts you'd better use thread-locking compound or they will eventually come
loose!
- You can also bolt the window glass to the regulator sash, but you'll need
to find the right length bolts so they won't interfere with the operation
of the unit. Again, be sure to use lock nuts!
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