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Thread: Passenger side window won't line up

  1. #1
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
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    Passenger side window won't line up

    My passenger side drop glass doesn't really want to ever go up into the divider channel. Instead, it moves inward and stops maybe 1/8" before the divider. I have to open the door, line up the glass with the channel and then push the glass the rest of the way in order to get it sealed. Once I close the door most times it drops back down. It's a pain in the ass and I am tired of dealing with it. Both windows need new regulators since they "grind" near the end of travel. I'm sure a new regulator will fix it from stopping short of the divider and allow it to extender further up, but is there an adjustment to line up the glass with the divider instead of the glass moving inward towards the interior of the car on the way up? It didn't look like it fell off track in the door and moves both ways just fine, it just doesn't align anymore.
    window.jpg
    -----Dan B.

  2. #2
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    It looks to me like it is off at least one track maybe both tracks. I would take the upper door card off and remove the black crash bar so you can have a better look.

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    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  3. #3
    Daily Driver ssdelorean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 82DMC12 View Post
    It looks to me like it is off at least one track maybe both tracks. I would take the upper door card off and remove the black crash bar so you can have a better look.

    Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk
    Agreed.
    I was going to ask if it is on track or pops off of the track.
    Alot of times helping others and once on my car, either the rear or front track needs to be bent a little bit to keep the guides in the track. It requires you to reach down in the door to bend the bottom of the track. If you attempt, be sure to cover metal edges with duct tape as it is sharp and you wont know your cut until you see the blood drip :-)
    It helps to have skinny forearms when doing this job.
    Shannon Y
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    ---
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  4. #4
    Senior Member Rich's Avatar
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    I agree with Andy. It's almost certainly not caused by the regulator. But the regulator may have been damaged by trying to overcome your jamming situation when raising the glass. That will be a separate matter.

    Start with Andy's approach.

    When you pull off the black painted door crossmember bar be sure the felt is properly in place. That bar and the "felt" strip seal attached to it keeps the glass from tipping inward. It's item 6 in this diagram. The crossmember bar is Item 4.

    The regulator has no hardware that guides the glass in-out, only upward-downward.

    Do not fool with the front and rear window guides until you have to. If they were set correctly at the factory and aren't loose or bent then leave them alone. They're hard to access and adjust.

    Finally, during your upcoming adventure you might discover the drop glass got scratched after the felt came off. Clean it and look it over carefully to see whether you need a new one. You can inspect it when it's fully raised, no need to pull it out for that.

    Quote Originally Posted by 82DMC12 View Post
    It looks to me like it is off at least one track maybe both tracks. I would take the upper door card off and remove the black crash bar so you can have a better look.
    March '81, 5-speed, black interior

  5. #5
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
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    Thanks fellas. No worries about the sharp edges, I put door edge guard around the access holes in the doors years ago and my upper panels are held on by magnets so it's quick to access the doors.

    I'm in the door right now and it doesn't look like the window is off track, maybe you can see something I can't? I rolled it up and down pushing against the window and it wants to force itself inwards. I'll keep messing with it to see if anything makes it improve.

    IMG_5337.jpg
    IMG_5339.jpg
    IMG_5343.jpg
    -----Dan B.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Rich's Avatar
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    All your photos are so tiny even after I click on them it's hard to tell what's going on. Photo 2 seems to show that at least one of those guides is on its track.

    If either of the white nylon guides come off the track then the glass usually tilts down in front or in back as it's raised. It doesn't look like that's happening, another hint they may both be on their tracks. Consider yourself lucky if they are both on their tracks since it's not easy to get them back on.

    More/larger photos will help us.

    Quote Originally Posted by dn010 View Post
    Thanks fellas. No worries about the sharp edges, I put door edge guard around the access holes in the doors years ago and my upper panels are held on by magnets so it's quick to access the doors.

    I'm in the door right now and it doesn't look like the window is off track, maybe you can see something I can't? I rolled it up and down pushing against the window and it wants to force itself inwards. I'll keep messing with it to see if anything makes it improve.
    March '81, 5-speed, black interior

  7. #7
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    From what I can see in the pictures it does appear at least one guide is on the track.

    Is this something that's been going on ever since you owned the car? Or is this a new problem? If the window has never worked right during your ownership it's possible someone in the past has messed with the metal window guides.

    Since you know you need new regulators, buy them and install them.

    Very common for the felt on the crash bar to fall off. PJ Grady has an excellent upgraded part that solves this issue forever. The fuzzy Velcro taped to the door also falls off frequently, you should just peel all of it off and replace it. The felt on the crash bar and the velcro on the door help keep the drop glass from vibrating and greatly reduces play in the drop glass when it is midway up or down.

    If the window is still angling inwards after replacing the regulator and new felt and velcro, I don't think you have any choice but to remove the two metal guides inside the door and realign them. It's a pain but it can be done.

    Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  8. #8
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
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    I don't know why the pictures came out so small, I'll try again below. I'm pretty sure the window is on track, it looks the same on the driver's side which is closing fine. I've had this car for 23 years and aside from both original regulators making that grinding noise at the end of travel, the passenger side has only started the misalignment issue in the past two or three years. Felt is a little rough but the velcro is all there. It seems like the tracks allow for a lot of movement but they don't seem loose. I tried messing around with it last night but ultimately the window won't go all the way up with the condition of the regulator so it's hard to tell if anything has changed. I just ordered new regulators and a buncha other crap, so I should be able to continue with this saga next week whenever the parts get here. Will update then.
    IMG_5337.jpg


    IMG_5339.jpg
    Last edited by Ron; 01-10-2025 at 08:10 PM. Reason: Fixed that for ya- Before submitting post, double click the image, which brings up an "Image Setting" menu, then select size.
    -----Dan B.

  9. #9
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
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    As usual, the box of parts has been lost by USPS. So, the car sits with the doors all torn open for who knows how much longer. It seems almost impossible to have this car 100% done at this rate.
    -----Dan B.

  10. #10
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
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    I had to initiate a search for missing mail but the parts finally arrived over the weekend. I changed both motor/regulator assemblies, took about 45 minutes a side. I loosened the track on the passenger side and pushed the window up and closed where it should be, bolted everything down and it will now close properly! The end of one saga, on to the next...
    -----Dan B.

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