How to: Power Window Bushing Replacement with Pics

[cgbier]

Hm. driver side window stuck in to down position. Had happened a bunch of (my Ranger had the same issue). So far, it has fixed itself or after taking out the door panel and give it the fist. Now it is completely dead.

I hear the click of a relay inside the door, and the Amp meter in the dash board goes down, so the motor draws power, but doesn't move (I hear it spin when I push the down button).

Is it these #%¥~# bearings? Does a motor from the Aerostar fit?


Thanks for this great discussion!

 

[85Dave]

If you hear the motor spin, it is probably the bushings. I have no idea if a motor from an Aerostar fits, but that motor is old it will probably need bushings soon. Why not take your's apart and see what the bushing look like?

 

[mr cribb]

If you hear the motor spin, it is probably the bushings. I have no idea if a motor from an Aerostar fits, but that motor is old it will probably need bushings soon. Why not take your's apart and see what the bushing look like?

I have to agree with this. In my local area the replacement bushings were 8 dollars. It took half an hour to get the old motor out and apart.

About another hour to play with the bushings to make them fit and reassemble the motor

 

[cgbier]

I appreciate your thoughts. Them bushing are not available locally, and shipping takes up to three weeks, so the Aerostar motor'd be a stop gap.

It's no fun to drive around at average temperatures of close to 90 degree with your windows closed (and a dead AC)

 

[mr cribb]

I appreciate your thoughts. Them bushing are not available locally, and shipping takes up to three weeks, so the Aerostar motor'd be a stop gap.

It's no fun to drive around at average temperatures of close to 90 degree with your windows closed (and a dead AC)

Sorry I didn't realize you weren't in the states. I understand driving in the heat with the windows up is miserable. I have been there and done that.

IF you are looking at salvage window motors, explorer up to 2001 has the same motors as the 1st gen.

 

[85Dave]

Others have fabricated substitutes for the bushings. PVC pipe of the correct diameter and length (you may have to turn something down). Metal bolts cut to the proper length. Ball bearings of the right diameter. It doesn't have to be an exact fit, just close.

Put your thinking cap on and be inventive!

 

[cgbier]

I can do whatever I want - I simply can't push the lovemaking window up (I was impressing my boy though that I could lift the Truck out of the springs).

Can I take out the motor while I put a hefty clamp on the regulator to prevent the spring to unload?

 

[cgbier]

Bump!

Where exactly will I have to clamp down the regulator when taking out the motor (window is down and doesn't want to move up a mil.

Help, please!

 

[cgbier]

On a bit entertaining note - I'm thinking of going manual regulators, then use this pro tip:
http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii200/Pheonixx/?action=view&current=Power_Windows.mp4

 

[mr cribb]

When you unbolt the window motor the regulator stays in place as it is bolted in different locations.

As far as getting the window up. Take off the door panel and any factory plastic covering the holes (if any is left ) and utilizing the big opening you could fit a body part in lift up on the bottom of the window. See if it helps if your son could push the power window switch while you lift up on the glass.

 

[cgbier]

Sorry, what I'm aiming at is getting out the motor without loosing a limb. That horror story with the gentleman who nearly lost his thumb stuck a bit with me (I have already two fingers that are useless after some stupid accidents).

Tried pushing it up as you suggested before. That bugger is frozen.

 

[mr cribb]

Even with the window down you can still get the motor out. That is because the regulator/glass are not blocking the motor.

Only one bolt is hidden. There is a dimple marking the bolt location. See pictures posted earlier in this thread.

I don't know of any issues removing the motor with the glass down.

If you get the motor out the glass and regulator should be free to move up and use some tape to hold up if necessary. When I did mine the glass was up and didn't give a notion of moving.

 

[cgbier]

There is a spring inside the mechanism. Once to pull the motor, this spring unloads and pushes the window up. There are stories here on the forum of nearly lost thumbs.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190287

I still need my thumbs on the job...

 

[cgbier]

Fixed! The danger for your tumb only exists when you take out the whole regulator shebang. Sorry for my paranoia.

However, the trick with exchanging those plastic thingies with anything metal is not advisable. A pre-onwer of my truck has replaced the plastic with ball bearing balls. That has lovemade up the aluminum gear:

Which at the end was the reason for my window not to move anymore. The balls where stuck in the gear piece.

The whole gear unit was 13 bucks (and I choose the most expensive), and changing it out was some ten seconds.

Window runs like new now.

 

[mr cribb]

Congrats on your fix.

 

[cgbier]

Thank you, sir.

 

[tac]

i use a bench vise to push the bushings in. coat them with Vaseline.

 

[rgjusa]

Just did the front on a 1992 Ford Explorer EB, could not have done it without this. I still don't understand why you have to drill through - how did they get the motor in in the first place? As for the bushes they were as tight as anything, but I did it by putting the large plastic wheel on the bench, lining up the bushes and carefully pressing down each side by lightly tapping with a hammer.

Thanks for the pics and the step by step, I know this is old but you deserve thanks again !

 

[85Dave]

Just did the front on a 1992 Ford Explorer EB, could not have done it without this. I still don't understand why you have to drill through - how did they get the motor in in the first place? As for the bushes they were as tight as anything, but I did it by putting the large plastic wheel on the bench, lining up the bushes and carefully pressing down each side by lightly tapping with a hammer.

Thanks for the pics and the step by step, I know this is old but you deserve thanks again !

You're welcome! I can't believe it's been 10 years since I posted those instructions. Nice to see it's still helping folks.

 

[Toucan]

I know that this is a really old thread but, I came across it because I had the exact same problem. Thanks for the write up I never would have considered repairing instead of replacing unless I had read it.
I completed the job with only a few hiccups. I would however like to add a few things to this to try to make this repair even more painless.bueno
The bushing were difficult to figure out but I did after a little trial and error. I wasn't able to find them at home depot, but at Lowes they had some. The picture that was posted didn't show a hole but the ones that I found have one. I struggled to figure out what the bushing was for, thinking that the bushing had to turn. Actually the whole thing stays one piece. The bushing must act as a shear of sorts which is why the motor turns but the window won't move.
this is the bushing that I ended up with

The bushings are a little to large and need to be turned down. I put the bushing on a small machine screw and spun it with a drill against a strip of emery cloth. They ended up measuring .480" after I finished.

I made sure that the fit was very tight as any slop wold have the gears wear more rapidly

One of the other things that I want to suggest is that when you try to install the repaired window motor the shaft coming from the end of the gear has to fit into a hole in the inner door. I had a difficult time getting the motor to line up. So I put the three screws in just enough to hold the motor on and held it as close as I could where it needed to be and then I bumped the up button until I felt the shaft fit into the hole and then tighten the bolts. I have to say do not use the down button or you'll risk some injury(Don't ask me how I know).

Really these pictures in this post answered all the questions in my mind. Very good guys.