Drivers side window fell off front rail

[dmcerik]

Well it finally happened. After 25yrs of ownership I finally have to deal with a window that fell of it's rail. Yesterday when I took the Delorean out for it's first spin of the year I rolled the drivers window down and hear the "thunk". Tried to roll it back up and no luck. Today I took the panel off and see that the window fell off the front rail, but is still connected to the back rail. I have no idea how to get this thing back on the front. Any suggestions?

[Rich]

Refer to this thread (https://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?19813-Help-with-window-motor-replacement&highlight=drop+glass).

Skip ahead to Post #10 where the owner lists the steps for reloading the drop glass carrier onto the guide rails from the bottom.

Since then I've helped another owner perform the same trick following the steps in Post #10. It works.

Be sure you figure out why it fell off and repair it so it can't happen again.


Well it finally happened. After 25yrs of ownership I finally have to deal with a window that fell of it's rail. Yesterday when I took the Delorean out for it's first spin of the year I rolled the drivers window down and hear the "thunk". Tried to roll it back up and no luck. Today I took the panel off and see that the window fell off the front rail, but is still connected to the back rail. I have no idea how to get this thing back on the front. Any suggestions?

[82DMC12]

Check the glass carrier front side where it attaches to the front door guide. That finger that wraps around the guide rail can bend, causing it to pop off. You can either adjust the guide to put less stress on the carrier, or you can add a rivet that keeps the two halves of the white carrier end together so it can't spread so far.

Also need to make sure you have GOOD soft-side velcro on the door skin below the outer wipe seal and you should replace the inner wipe seal on the black crash bar.

[L3V3L1]

Check the glass carrier front side where it attaches to the front door guide. That finger that wraps around the guide rail can bend, causing it to pop off. You can either adjust the guide to put less stress on the carrier, or you can add a rivet that keeps the two halves of the white carrier end together so it can't spread so far.

Also need to make sure you have GOOD soft-side velcro on the door skin below the outer wipe seal and you should replace the inner wipe seal on the black crash bar.
I'm reading up as I await my new regulator with my door panels off. What is this Velcro on the door skin that you speak of? What is it's purpose because I don't see any on my door skin interior. Would you also use an adhesive backed Velcro strip to replace the drop glass inner "wipe"? Thanks

[dn010]

I replaced the inner wipe with new, $14 each from DMCH, I'd recommend you do the same (106063). My outer wipe seals are pretty hardened so the glass doesn't even get the chance to contact the door but I do have the velcro there as well.

I would suggest, if you have the foam pads that the new regulators/motors come with already installed, and they're in good shape - leave them there. The new foam does not stick well even after I cleaned the door.

[82DMC12]

I'm reading up as I await my new regulator with my door panels off. What is this Velcro on the door skin that you speak of? What is it's purpose because I don't see any on my door skin interior. Would you also use an adhesive backed Velcro strip to replace the drop glass inner "wipe"? Thanks

The soft velcro strips adhered to the inside of the door skin help to reduce vibration and possibility of scratching the glass as it goes up and down. It's like a buffer between the door and glass. I just use heavy duty industrial velcro, the soft side, and ran big strips horizontally where the old velcro was.

I made a little video showing off PJ Grady's upgraded drop glass inner wipe that attaches to the wide black bracket here -

https://youtu.be/yExAsZyUbuk

[glockworks21]

the first week of ownership the f-ing velcro stuck to top of glass when i was putting up the window and the end result was to vertical lines scratched into it.. ive tried all the scratch removal tricks, but they are too deep....

also, since we are on about the window tracks. I also had issue where the glass was popped out of the front track on the drivers side... when i took the door apart and eventually replaced the motors i noticed a bunch of small washers pushing the guide out. It still wasnt enough. I used nylon spacers i sourced from extra parts from a flat screen tv wall mount.... you can see how far this is off.. i have no idea why its like that but has worked perfectly since.... good luck with this project..

[JohnZ]

I'm having troubles as well with the passenger side's glass. We replaced the motors (the hard part is fortunately sorted out), and the driver's side goes up and down very smoothly, while the other side's glass just wobbles into it's place... it's not firm, there is a great amount of play in the glass when it is raised. Basically it wobbles left to right, facing the front of the car (or in and out, facing the glass)... We are still figuring out what's wrong, and we will have to deal with that if we want to connect the motor!

:(

[DMC-Ron]

I'm having troubles as well with the passenger side's glass. We replaced the motors (the hard part is fortunately sorted out), and the driver's side goes up and down very smoothly, while the other side's glass just wobbles into it's place... it's not firm, there is a great amount of play in the glass when it is raised. Basically it wobbles left to right, facing the front of the car (or in and out, facing the glass)... We are still figuring out what's wrong, and we will have to deal with that if we want to connect the motor!

:(

As a stopgap (short term solution), spray some silicone in the tracks.
Ron

[dn010]

I'm having troubles as well with the passenger side's glass. We replaced the motors (the hard part is fortunately sorted out), and the driver's side goes up and down very smoothly, while the other side's glass just wobbles into it's place... it's not firm, there is a great amount of play in the glass when it is raised. Basically it wobbles left to right, facing the front of the car (or in and out, facing the glass)... We are still figuring out what's wrong, and we will have to deal with that if we want to connect the motor!

:(


Can only be so many things:
Does your door have the crossmember (108318) installed with a good seal on it?
Is the window carrier installed on the guides correctly?
Are the guides tightened down properly?
Is the new window motor/regulator assembly tightened down properly?
Are you sure the glass isn't moving around in the carrier?

With the panel off it shouldn't be too hard to see what is allowing the glass to move.

[JohnZ]

With the crossmember on, and the new felt (part 106063) installed, the glass still wobbles! We tried to adjust the metal guides as well, to no avail.

Everything is tightened down, but the window white plastic guides from the carrier doesn't seem to hold firmly to the rails! Funny enough I had the same problem on the other door, but after some playing around it just found its balance and now it's sturdy and in place! :)

Disclaimer: we got to fiddle with this assembly after a long day where we installed the two motors. We were exhausted, and the sun was setting. I had still to re-install a bunch of parts in the engine after I had replaced the injectors. We didn't really tried EVERYTHING we could try: we have to come back there with a fresh and cool mindset, and try some more! I'm sure something is either bent, or simply misaligned! :)

We will eventually sort it out!