RinTX
New Member
- Joined
- March 7, 2005
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Texas
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 92 XLT
This is my first post to this forum, so hello to everyone here.
We recently purchased our first Explorer, a 92 XLT 2WD, to use as a backup/hauling/towing vehicle, and so far, it seems like a good SUV. However, when we bought it, it had (and still has -see my other posts, re: "checking a faulty tach" and "fuel gauge not working") a few issues. Among them was the power windows and the crushed "plugs" in the motor unit. IOW, everything was otherwise OK, motor, regulator, tracks, etc., EXCEPT the three "plugs" that engage with the triangular metal gear that moves the window and the round plastic gear driven by the motor worm.
After searching a couple of forums and various other net resources, I took a chance and called AutoZone to see what they might have. I got lucky and got ahold of a manager who is a Ford fan, and he knew exactly what I was looking for. It is labled "Window Regulator Gear Plugs" from "HELP!" parts, and the part number is 74410 (AutoZone's stock number is 426078 - cost in my location was 5.99USD). Looking it up is almost impossible for some reason - you need to know those numbers. I'm not sure what year range this will work on, but it is applicable to at least our 92 XLT.
Anyway, here's the fix as I did it on the driver's door:
Remove door panel and speaker (ours has the "premium" AM/FM/cassette with a large speaker in the upper right part of the door - others may be different). Drill a 1/2" hole at the "drill dimple" over the hidden motor bolt, which is located on the lower left edge of the speaker mounting area - with the speaker out, you can see the upper right edge of the motor, and the "dimple" should be evident, based on the location of the other holes for the motor bolts to the lower left of the speaker hole (why the heck is THIS necessary - why didn't Ford simply drill it? I can only figure it and the rivets are tamper-evident, but ??? - anyone?). Once the hole is drilled, remove all three bolts and the motor will slip out with a little wiggling. Unplug the motor and remove through the speaker hole. There is no need to remove _anything_ else - bolts, nuts, rivets, etc.
Once the motor is out, you'll see a small screw with a T-15 Torx head on the round gear enclosure. Remove this and gently lift off the cover. You'll probably find the remnants of the old "plugs" in the form of greasy chunks. Remove the retaining clip holding the metal window-engaging gear from the shaft and remove the metal gear. Remove the large plastic gear and clean both gears completely. Grease everything lightly. I found it easiest to hold the plugs against the depressions on the metal gear and insert it all into the plastic gear as it is a snug fit and putting the plugs into the plastic gear and trying to insert the metal gear made the plugs move out of place. Reverse order to reinstall, taking care when reinstalling the motor in the door to engage the output gear with the window regulator. All in all, not too difficult.
We recently purchased our first Explorer, a 92 XLT 2WD, to use as a backup/hauling/towing vehicle, and so far, it seems like a good SUV. However, when we bought it, it had (and still has -see my other posts, re: "checking a faulty tach" and "fuel gauge not working") a few issues. Among them was the power windows and the crushed "plugs" in the motor unit. IOW, everything was otherwise OK, motor, regulator, tracks, etc., EXCEPT the three "plugs" that engage with the triangular metal gear that moves the window and the round plastic gear driven by the motor worm.
After searching a couple of forums and various other net resources, I took a chance and called AutoZone to see what they might have. I got lucky and got ahold of a manager who is a Ford fan, and he knew exactly what I was looking for. It is labled "Window Regulator Gear Plugs" from "HELP!" parts, and the part number is 74410 (AutoZone's stock number is 426078 - cost in my location was 5.99USD). Looking it up is almost impossible for some reason - you need to know those numbers. I'm not sure what year range this will work on, but it is applicable to at least our 92 XLT.
Anyway, here's the fix as I did it on the driver's door:
Remove door panel and speaker (ours has the "premium" AM/FM/cassette with a large speaker in the upper right part of the door - others may be different). Drill a 1/2" hole at the "drill dimple" over the hidden motor bolt, which is located on the lower left edge of the speaker mounting area - with the speaker out, you can see the upper right edge of the motor, and the "dimple" should be evident, based on the location of the other holes for the motor bolts to the lower left of the speaker hole (why the heck is THIS necessary - why didn't Ford simply drill it? I can only figure it and the rivets are tamper-evident, but ??? - anyone?). Once the hole is drilled, remove all three bolts and the motor will slip out with a little wiggling. Unplug the motor and remove through the speaker hole. There is no need to remove _anything_ else - bolts, nuts, rivets, etc.
Once the motor is out, you'll see a small screw with a T-15 Torx head on the round gear enclosure. Remove this and gently lift off the cover. You'll probably find the remnants of the old "plugs" in the form of greasy chunks. Remove the retaining clip holding the metal window-engaging gear from the shaft and remove the metal gear. Remove the large plastic gear and clean both gears completely. Grease everything lightly. I found it easiest to hold the plugs against the depressions on the metal gear and insert it all into the plastic gear as it is a snug fit and putting the plugs into the plastic gear and trying to insert the metal gear made the plugs move out of place. Reverse order to reinstall, taking care when reinstalling the motor in the door to engage the output gear with the window regulator. All in all, not too difficult.
