Replaced window regulator, nothing seems to fit together.

[Roadster]

I replaced my passenger side window regulator with the updated design from DMC and am having a bit of trouble getting anything to fit. I forgot to ask for directions so this has been an unbelievably frustrating experience when I realized that I would have to disassemble it and somehow put the thing back together once it is inside. I'm sure now there's an easier way.

Now on reassembly I seem to have to put quite a bit of force on the grab handle bracket just so it will line up and bolt back in. Is this putting too much stress on that metal tube? I also cannot get the two individual brackets for the motor to even remotely line up, the motor mounting plate is not running parallel to the door panel no matter how I configure it. Do I have to twist these brackets to make them fit? I assumed things should more or less line up like the original motor.

Here is a picture so you can see where I am at. The glass is bolted on and the support bracket for the tube is mounted on the opposite hole that the original was. It just seems like I'm really having to force this thing in and I want to make sure I don't make it worse.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7328/8991379907_89ba678ab6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/8991379907/)
IMAG0724 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/8991379907/) by Vertec (http://www.flickr.com/people/68662281@N06/), on Flickr

Thanks for any help.

[Tillsy]

I replaced both of mine about a year ago and you are dead right, those new puppies are a nightmare to install.

Then, when you finally have the things in, you go to plug it in and find the DeLorean has two square plugs and the new regulator has some funky round connector. It screams at you in an insanely loud voice "THIS WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS CAR'. I shoved the b#tches in there, as hard as that was, and they work but have been meaning to ask Dave and Julee about that square in round hole phenomenon...

Anyways I took off the brackets as you did, but only so that I could reattach them correctly because the way they come shipped will NOT fit the DeLorean. The great news is you have already achieved the hard part - squeezed the beast in there and reattached the rod to the glass. So all you have to do now is reattach the brackets in a combination of all the holes and overlaps that works - here's a picky of the arrangement I came up with that did the job.

WARNING - this arrangement ended up short by one nut to make it work (plus stealing a bolt from the old regulator), luckily I was replacing my door lock solenoids at the same time and ended up with left overs but you may need to improvise.

Frustrating and disappointing for something so expensive, but it is workable and works fantastically once in!

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19740&d=1370752830

[Tillsy]

P.S. Just to highlight how nightmare of a fit it was, the two brackets I overlapped there wouldn't work even if I merely overlapped them in reverse a mere millimetre difference would cause it to twist at an unworkable angle - let alone bolted them to any of the other mount points on the regulator.

Pretty sure other door was inverse of this.

[Roadster]

Tillsy,

Thank you for the picture and confirmation that I am not doing something wrong here. Supposedly you can fit the motor and plate assembly together in the door but I found it absolutely impossible. We spent over an hour attempting everything before dismantling it. Any angle you can attempt to fit the motor in, the tube would be pointing off in a different direction making insertion impossible. Separating those two pieces and reassembling them by feel and luck inside the door panel was miserable.

Now I see those two offset brackets will require a bit of a twist to make work and I can stop trying to force the motor to lie flat with the door. I'm not sure the proper way of making the plugs mate together happily. I imagine that if every bit of this piece had been engineered to be a drop in replacement with all of the dimensions of the original it would have been insanely expensive so I should be happy with what we've got. I'll be back in the door panel tomorrow.

[outatym2001]

Please view all the pictures and the watch the video in the link provided in one of the posts in the thread below.
Hope it will all become clear.

No window regulator tutorial here?!
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?2829-No-window-regulator-tutorial-here-!

[Roadster]

Please view all the pictures and the watch the video in the link provided in one of the posts in the thread below.
Hope it will all become clear.

No window regulator tutorial here?!
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?2829-No-window-regulator-tutorial-here-!

The pictures and video confirm that my install looks correct, however the video doesn't show the thing being inserted or mention how much force I had to put on the grab handle bracket just so it could bolt back in. With that much stress on the tube, is this going to scratch my glass by putting lateral force against it on every use?

According to the video he removed the three bolts and separated the plate/tube assembly from the motor like I did however not everyone needs to do this? Did some doors have bigger openings than others?

[Tillsy]

According to the video he removed the three bolts and separated the plate/tube assembly from the motor like I did however not everyone needs to do this?

Interesting - I did consider it but figured, as you have confirmed, trying to reassemble inside the door would be an ever bigger nightmare. Took an insane amount of manoeuvring but it did eventually slide in (queue relevant jokes) :)

I don't recall there being "too" much stress on it though - it was tight, but once I got the correct positioning for each bracket and bolt worked out I just slowly tightened each one up bit by bit and she slowly aligned herself at an angle that seemed to work perfect. Besides, out of the 2.7 million combinations I tried none other would work so must have got it right ;)

On one hand 80% of the effort could have been eliminated with a leaflet (like they do for the pump kit and as Toby does for all his kits), but on the other I do enjoy the process of working everything out as I dig through each part of the car.

That video reminds me I likewise found you need to bolt to the opposite door handle bracket hole than the original regulator did.

[Tillsy]

The other thing I found was that an extendible magnetic rod becomes your best friend - was the only way to fish out the various bolts and washers I dropped inside the door whilst trying to get the damn thing together as I tried all the various mounting combinations :)

[DrJeff]

I second everything Tillsy said... I think I also experienced what Roadster had... the top of the tube ended up contacting the glass as the window went up and down. I played with the brackets arrangement until everything seemed to be in the right spot - which of course meant deviating from the bracketing instructions. I also pulled and pressed on the tube to get it into the right shape - I didn't have to reshape it much, but enough to avoid the glass.

Why the different connector? and better still why no mention of it in the instructions? and again why no inclusion of a replacement end for the stock connector in the kit?

All said and done, I got it in and its working. But it doesn't sound or feel like its happy about it.

[Roadster]

Okay, new problem here. Those two offset brackets will not fit on no matter what. I am attaching them exactly as instructed and identically to all pictures that have been posted however the bolt provided is so short that it comes nowhere near to reaching the threads. Can I get away with using one bracket or will this thing twist itself to destruction?

[DMC5180]

Okay, new problem here. Those two offset brackets will not fit on no matter what. I am attaching them exactly as instructed and identically to all pictures that have been posted however the bolt provided is so short that it comes nowhere near to reaching the threads. Can I get away with using one bracket or will this thing twist itself to destruction?

The two strap brackets do not fit in the shape they are provided. They are relatively soft steel and will conform (twist) to the position required. You install the bolt thru the 2 pieces into the motor drive first just catch a couple threads. Then attach to the other 2 points (loosely). Feel free to bend the straps as needed to get the hardware in. Once all 3 bolts are in, tighten them up. The strap brackets will twist as required and you won't hurt anything.

[Roadster]

The two strap brackets do not fit in the shape they are provided. They are relatively soft steel and will conform (twist) to the position required. You install the bolt thru the 2 pieces into the motor drive first just catch a couple threads. Then attach to the other 2 points (loosely). Feel free to bend the straps as needed to get the hardware in. Once all 3 bolts are in, tighten them up. The strap brackets will twist as required and you won't hurt anything.

It seems the thickness of the straps are too much for the bolt to even get near the threads this way. I've pressed them down hard and no matter how much force I put on with a wrench it will simply not catch. Looks like it's off to the hardware store to try and match something up.

[Tillsy]

Why the different connector? and better still why no mention of it in the instructions? and again why no inclusion of a replacement end for the stock connector in the kit?

You got instructions? The only DMCH kit I got instructions with was the new pump kit - nothing else from DMCH has had instructions, in my mind Toby has been making a fool out of them with his kits. Perhaps they do have them but rarely include them?

[Roadster]

I got a longer bolt from the hardware store and mounted it in, however I can only get one bracket to attach. Pulling the other one out to reach the hole is putting a lot of strain on something inside there and the tube is being twisted and making contact with the glass. I have now bolted it at one point and used a wire tie to secure the other one. I hate having this mess going on in my door panel knowing I'll have to go in later and make it right.

Once I got the lower panel on I worked the motor back and forth only to hear a loud snap. It had pulled the window right off of the track. We managed to carefully work the glass out of the door and reinsert it over the guides. It seems to go up and down okay but after that and seeing the tube contacting the glass I'm scared to use it anymore.

Now I need to do the driver's side and the lesson learned here is that I should have left this up to a professional. I would gladly pay to avoid all these hours of frustration.

[jawn101]

It's interesting to read how different experiences can be on this job. I bought the regulators right from A1, watched Martin's video, and had them done in maybe an hour without any real trouble other than it always being a pain to work inside the doors.

Maybe your other door will be way easier than the one you just did! Good luck.

[Roadster]

It's interesting to read how different experiences can be on this job. I bought the regulators right from A1, watched Martin's video, and had them done in maybe an hour without any real trouble other than it always being a pain to work inside the doors.

Maybe your other door will be way easier than the one you just did! Good luck.

This makes me wonder if there are slight differences in door openings across the production range. Mine mirrored that youtube video where he had to reassemble it inside the door and most others seem fine as is.

Lucky me!

[jawn101]

This makes me wonder if there are slight differences in door openings across the production range. Mine mirrored that youtube video where he had to reassemble it inside the door and most others seem fine as is.

Lucky me!

Oh yeah, there was no way in hell I could wedge those things in there assembled - I had to rebuild them inside the doors as well.

[Roadster]

Okay, I am in need of serious help on this. I have installed the regulator exactly as everyone else has and it has caused a huge problem. I cannot lower the window without it snapping off of the rear guide track. I have pulled apart my door panel three times and spent two weeks on this project.

I have carefully disconnected the window, removed it from the door and reinserted it over the tracks. It slides up and down perfectly on its own but when I do it all assembled to the motor it pops out again.

I'm about to lose it here, can anyone suggest anything?

[Roadster]

Here are some pictures to illustrate the problem. The window slides evenly up and down the track by hand, however once it is connected to the regulator it pulls it at quite an angle. This causes the rear to pop off.

Here you can see the angle just before it snaps off
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/9081984676_af41d6ab65_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/9081984676/)
IMAG0741 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/9081984676/) by Vertec (http://www.flickr.com/people/68662281@N06/), on Flickr

And here are the guides perfectly aligned on the tracks before moving
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/9081986916_9bd49699b9_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/9081986916/)
IMAG0739 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/9081986916/) by Vertec (http://www.flickr.com/people/68662281@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2880/9079767281_1a180c89de_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/9079767281/)
IMAG0740 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68662281@N06/9079767281/) by Vertec (http://www.flickr.com/people/68662281@N06/), on Flickr

[DrJeff]

Roadster, I had exactly the same problem after changing out the RH window motor, and it took me about two weeks before the problem was resolved. I'm not 100% sure what helped but before it stored jumping I had done two things... 1. I loosened the bolts holding the rails in place so that I could see how they moved as the motor pushed the window up and down. When loose there was no jumping, but on course the rails moved as the window came up. 2. Potentially in a fit of frustration and desperation I bent the rails to adjust them further into the shape that the motor wanted to push the window. With the adjustments I think I reduced the stress enough that the window no longer jumps.

[Roadster]

DrJeff, Thanks for the tips. I will try loosening the rails tomorrow and see if it runs. I'm afraid to use it too much as snapping off the track will eventually break the plastic glass carrier and then I'm in real trouble. Having to pull the glass in and out of the door over and over again to re-track is going to drive me insane.

How did you bend the track? I'm unable to fit much in there to gain leverage and am wary of anything that could dent the stainless.

I'm wondering if this is a problem with the new regulator design. The original mounted more toward the front of the car pulling at a slight forward and down angle. Now that it is mounted further back it no longer has that angle to keep it going down evenly. I guess everyone's door might be a little different. I'm also getting contact on the glass from the metal tube and eventually scratches.

Now I wish I had a working original one to throw in there.

[DrJeff]

...How did you bend the track?...

...I'm also getting contact on the glass from the metal tube and eventually scratches...

To "reshape" the bottom and top ends of the rails, I just grabbed hold of them / pressed them with finger-tip pressure (obviously the middle of the rail isn't flexible). Some swearing may have been involved.

[When I'm working on the car and feel the need to swear, I do it in a Belfast accent as a form of homage to the guys who assembled the car.]

I also had the tub contacting the glass when first fitted. I tried two things... I left the motor brackets loose and put the window up/down a couple of times to see where the motor was best positioned. I tightened it in once it was at least neutrally positioned. I also remember playing and repositioning the brackets to allow the motor to sit where it wanted. I also "reshaped" the tube by just bending it away from the glass at the top. It takes care because you don't want to restrict the channel, but mine had sufficient give to get it away from the glass.

[DMCMW Dave]

I've posted about it several times, not sure where to find it now, but usually when this happens the glass has shifted in the carrier and needs to be unglued and reglued using the location marks in the drop glass.

Take a close look at your dropping glass (needs to be out of the car for this) and see if it is centered in the carrier. You are looking for two small dimples in the glass in relation to the metal carrier.


ALSO if this is an early car the rear guide needs to be modified. The factory-modified rear guides are painted black (all VINs), if yours is a low -VIN car and the guide is not painted, the glass will tend to come too high out of the track and pop off the track.

19960

[Roadster]

ALSO if this is an early car the rear guide needs to be modified. The factory-modified rear guides are painted black (all VINs), if yours is a low -VIN car and the guide is not painted, the glass will tend to come too high out of the track and pop off the track.

19960

Dave,

My car is 2975, an '81 but not exactly low. I will check my glass again but I recall on one of its many trips out of the door seeing one of those marks lined up with that image. My problem seems to be the opposite though. It is not going too high, it is being pulled down at an angle rear first and snapping off the rear near the lowest point of travel.

Thank you for your insight, this might have to be left to the professionals although I was desperately trying to fix it before the weekend.

[Roadster]

To "reshape" the bottom and top ends of the rails, I just grabbed hold of them / pressed them with finger-tip pressure (obviously the middle of the rail isn't flexible). Some swearing may have been involved.



Good advice, I've got swearing to spare with how long I've spent on this thing. The neighbors might be getting worried. I'm guessing that it is hanging up on the front rail so I need to bend the lower part of the rear rail slightly toward the front of the car. I'll be back in there tonight, thanks again for your tips.

[Roadster]

DrJeff, your tips were extremely helpful. I'm not sure how you were able to bend yours by hand, were they out of the door? Mine took a huge crowbar to move. I didn't even want to attempt to remove those guides.

It took some careful bending but first I moved the window down more and more while wedging different sizes of wood to push the track into a shape that would keep alignment with the rear glass carrier all the way down. Once I got a picture for how it should be shaped I wrapped the flat end of a crowbar in tape for padding and twisted and pulled on it gently for a while. The window now stays level as it is pulled down.

I am unable to bend the tube to keep it scratching on the glass, I imagine this should have been done when the motor was out but after removing my door panel so many times now I think it is staying. I'll try some flat washers between the tube and glass carrier to see if that gives me enough clearance.

Thanks again!