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Power window motor problems ...solved!!!

Goober

Explorer Addict
Joined
May 23, 2000
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City, State
Lexington, SC
Year, Model & Trim Level
'91XLT4x4
I searched, read and searched some more, and finally I spent about 6 hours and fixed the three doors on the Ex that weren't working. Motor was turning, but no window movement. If anyone has had this problem, don't spend money on a salvage yard motor, a new motor, or even $20-$25 for the window lift kit from PepBoys/ AA/ Auto Zone. I found the necessary nylon bushings at Ace hardware ( and saw them today at Lowe's) for $3.00 for all 12 of them. They will have to be ground slightly, but work great.
If anyone would like info on how to do it, I have done front and rear on a 91 so ask away.

Now to fix the gas gauge. I know they are hard on gas, buy it can't always be on E...:D
 



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That's good to know. I never thought to look at a hardware store or home center for them.

I, too, was floored at what the parts stores want for the "kit" when the driver's window did the same as yours - all noise and no action because everything inside the gear housing was ground to powder. Darned kit was fully a third the cost of a reman unit. I was fortunate in that instance, though, in that I still had an old window motor assembly with a bad motor but good gears/bushings that I could rob from.
 






Yeah, I priced a remaned unit too, and then they told me about the price of the gear kit..... shocked, I was. A little plastic gear, 3 nylon bushings and some grease...$25!!! Are you mad? :eek:

Oh, and as for the rivets in the rear door that were drilled out( four per rear door, none on the front). I replace the rivets with 1/4"20 bolts with the nylon locking nuts( stainless steel).

What was really odd though.....all three went out within a few weeks.Sounds like Ford installed a time bomb in them...lol.
 






Goober,
Thanks for the offer of help on 1st gen electric windows. The right rear on our 92 is inop :-(( The motor runs with very little up down motion, very jerky.

What I got from your post was to take the door panel off, remove the motor assy. There's 3-4 rivets that i'll drill out. take it all apart look for worn out plastic bushing. Take the old ones to Ace or Lowes and match them up as close as posible. Lube evrything then reassymble. That's about the size of it ? Allow 1/2 a day for the 1st time I do it ?

Any other pointers ?
 






Ok, just to clear things up a tad.
No rivets need to be drilled out for this.
If you just want to change the bushings in the rear window..follow this.
- take off door panel
- drill out the one small dimple in inner door.
- remove the three square faced screws
* At this point, motor will drop down.
Rotate the assembly and remove the one allen head screw.
Pull off the cover, remove the two piece gears and clean out the old nylon bushings.
Replace with either ball bearings or whatever material will fit( I used nylon bushings that I filed down to fit)
Grease assembly and reinstall
Before you put the door panel back on, check operation of window.


Hope this helps.


Now, If the whole assembly needs to be removed,..ie, cable broken, bad motor...then the rivets will need to be drilled out.
 






Unforntantly, if your window motor is shot, replaceing the bushings will not help. Like in my case. $100 later & my window works again(new motor)
 






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