WINDOW REGULATOR POSITIONING FOR NEW MOTOR INSTALL

[jbwilli]

REF 1997 Ford Exp Sport.
(I can find nothing on the internet or in any forum that discusses how to remove and replace the motor ONLY on a removed regulator! Here is what I have learned on my own.)

Drivers electric window operation failed. I removed the window regulator/motor assy to investigate cause. When I removed the motor from the regulator, the regulator sprung to full open! OOPS! Luckily I did not get injured. Be careful if you plan to change the motor only!

I found the gearing in the motor head had failed. The plastic gear plugs were completely disintegrated!
I purchased new plugs at local O'reilly's (DORMAN HELP pn 74410) $8. I cleaned, greased and reassembled the motor gearing. The plugs are a tight fit, but yes they are sized correctly and will go back in with some pressure.

Now I am ready to install the motor back onto the original regulator. I will have to use some force to collapse the regulator against its' spring pressure in order to allow the motor gear teeth to line up into the teeth of the regulator. I plan to use heavy coat hanger wire (and or a vice) to hold the regulator into the proper position to allow motor gear alignment for installation. Once the motor is bolted into place, it will hold the regulator in position and the wire can be removed.

After much study, it appears the motor can be installed into any position into the teeth of the regulator. There is no special motor indexing required, as the motor runs to full up and down and stops itself when it reaches either full up or down. There are no limit switches in the system, but somehow the motor will stop running when it encounters any obstruction (full up, full down). I can only assume there is an internal spring switch in the worm gear shaft that momentarily breaks power to the motor when it hits a stop. The motor will not start again until the UP/DOWN switch is depressed.

Please advise if my assumptions are correct or if anyone has other information to share on this subject! THX!

 

[96Green]

I've done a front window motor swap a couple of times. I alway use a few strips of 3M Blue painters tape to hold the window up. Use a strip about 2 feet long, stick it to the outside of the glass, then over the top of the doorframe, then stuck to the inside of the glass. Repeat with three or four similar strip -- don't overlap any. The more sticky on the glass the better.

I've never had a window drop on me during a motor swap.

 

[96eb96]

Years back on the forum some guy lost a finger working on the window. Be careful if you ever attempt this repair.

 

[jbwilli]

I've done a front window motor swap a couple of times. I alway use a few strips of 3M Blue painters tape to hold the window up. Use a strip about 2 feet long, stick it to the outside of the glass, then over the top of the doorframe, then stuck to the inside of the glass. Repeat with three or four similar strip -- don't overlap any. The more sticky on the glass the better.

I've never had a window drop on me during a motor swap.

I also used tape to hold the window up. My only question is how others dealt with regulator spring snapping the regulator to full open as soon as you pull the motor off! It can bite you! Now you have to scissor it back against all that spring pressure to allow the motor to be reinstalled! Looking for best suggestions on how to do that.