How to: Power Window Bushing Replacement with Pics

[ekamm]

Agreed the pics above are from my front window same mechanism same problem.

 

[dking]

Great post just done the drivers door and 3 more to go. Have wait for AZ to get more parts. May have to order some. Once again with your help you just saved some $. This forum is great.

 

[Old Hippie]

There are 3 bolts that have to be removed. There are access holes for 2 of them. The third hole has to be drilled with a 1/2 hole. There is a dimple where the 3rd hole needs to be drilled.

THANKS! I cringe to think what a motor cost!

To the Ford engineer that designed it so one has to drill a hole to get to one of the three bolts:
May the devil himself have pleasure with your wife!

 

[SofaBert]

Excellent post, just completed front, driver side bushing replacement. I used a bench vise to compress the bushings instead of shaving them down. with a compressed oval shape on all three, the gear went right in.
s/f
sofa

 

[o' dannyboy]

This is a great write-up! Thanks!!

I would add a few points with regards to the front door.

My window froze in the down position. The switch activated a clicking sound in the door but the window would not budge. The switch seemed to work but the motor seemed shot.

If you think it's the motor DO NOT REMOVE THE REGULATOR!!! You don't need to in order to replace the motor. The motor comes out independent of the regulator. No rivet drilling, no replacement bolts or any of that!!! If it's not the regulator - leave it alone except to lubricate it!!

Drilling the 1/2" hole is no big deal but do not go too far, be gentle, the bolt is right there. (Ford™, PLEASE HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY THE DIMPLE AND NOT A HOLE???)

Remove the speaker and all the mysteries of the inner door are revealed. You can see the motor and get your hand in there to remove it.

For me, prior to installing the new motor, I removed the old motor, plugged in the new motor to test it and discovered it worked fine. And then, for the hell of it, I plugged in the old motor while it was out to test it. IT WORKED FINE, TOO!!!

I generously lubricated the regulator tracks with lithium grease and sprayed some Tri-Flow™ into pivot points, reinstalled the OLD motor and ran it for a good quarter hour; up and down, down and up - works like a charm!!! Better than before! Maybe a loose connection or a rusty joint or track??? Who knows?

Took the new motor back to AutoZone®!

Net cost: $0.

 

[Dave77]

Thanks for the great post! I'm new to the forum and joined just because of it. The rear window on my 94' will go down but will not come back up. I do hear the motor struggling. So that mean its a problem with the bushings? I have a video of this on photobucket should I share that? Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm just a 16 yr old trying to fix up my first car.

 

[RobertFord]

It could also be the rails along which the mechanism glides, try greasing those before replacing anything. (Once you pry away the plastic, you'll see the rails soon enough.

 

[Champcar_Fan]

Dave77, it went down and won't come back up? Could be the wires have broken on the window regulator. Once you remove the door panel, you may be able to see the broken cable.

 

[fishnhunt18]

Thanks for this thread. My front driver and passenger windows stopped working about a year ago. I dealt with it until recently when I returned from a deployment. I needed them fixed for a Hawaii safety inspection. Anyway, I replaced them on a weekend. Oreily didn't have the bushing, or that's what the clerk said. They only had the whole gear assembly. I couldn't find the correct size bushings so I just went with the gear assembly (plastic circular piece with grooves on edges, metal spline and buhsings). Installed them and both worked perfectly.

Thanks for the help.

 

[sirhk100]

All my windows work but...

Both rear ones need manual help for the last inch or two going up. Drvr front needs help both up and down with the switch going.

Is this likely to be my issue?

Seems like if the bushings were crumbled into pieces like shown in the first page the windows wouldn't work at all...

 

[mr cribb]

All my windows work but...

Both rear ones need manual help for the last inch or two going up. Drvr front needs help both up and down with the switch going.

Is this likely to be my issue?

Seems like if the bushings were crumbled into pieces like shown in the first page the windows wouldn't work at all...

I say yes, and maybe the bushings haven't disentigrated yet like the pic. Mine does the same thing as your.

Don't forget about rock auto for window motors.... The prices look very inviting to me.

 

[rodb]

Copied from the sticky section: For those still going to do this job I found a good source for the gear pins:
http://www.natauto.com/wlk-52-torque-pins.html, they are $1.57 per set of three. Call them to have shipped USPS. This is my first post and want to thank everyone for contributing, very helpful.

 

[mr cribb]

Copied from the sticky section: For those still going to do this job I found a good source for the gear pins:
http://www.natauto.com/wlk-52-torque-pins.html, they are $1.57 per set of three. Call them to have shipped USPS. This is my first post and want to thank everyone for contributing, very helpful.

That is a heck of a deal.... thanks for the link.

 

[tapeman]

This was a very helpful tutorial. Thanks so much! My window would work with help, even though the bushings were completely trashed.

 

[Xeek]

That is a heck of a deal.... thanks for the link.

i bought a pack of 100 on eaby for $40. i see them for sale every now and then

 

[C2H5OH]

Did this today.There were never any bushings in the motor.Window works great now.Also did all my door hinges too

 

[tomahawk350]

I found a better cheaper fix for the window motors rather than the plastic bushings. I used brass sleeves for nylon air tubing. .33 each at ur local hardware store. (Fastenal)

 

[mr cribb]

I finally put new bushings in both front motors. What a difference, no more pulling up on the glass while pushing the button.

$14 to fix both 23 year old window motors versus replacing the whole motors for over $100 for both.

(NOTE: my method may not be the best, but it worked for me. I am not responsible for screw ups if you use my method).

I turned on the bench grinder and let it get up to full speed, then turned it off. I used needle nose pliers to hold the bushings and rotated the bushings to even out the grinding, then used some sandpaper to smooth out the rough parts.

 

[85Dave]

Wow, this thread is still alive! When I started this thread many years ago, I had no idea it would help so many people.

 

[mr cribb]

To the Ford engineer that designed it so one has to drill a hole to get to one of the three bolts:
May the devil himself have pleasure with your wife!

I second this thought, this was a very stupid idea by the engineers.

Wow, this thread is still alive! When I started this thread many years ago, I had no idea it would help so many people.

Yes indeed. Thanks for letting us all know we don't have to pluck down over $50 a piece to have working windows.