Rebuilds of this sort are all over the internet, this is specific to our idi genre. More specific, this is for the E-Series vans, but also will apply to F-Series.
(in fact F-Series is a little easier because Ford marked where to drill in order to access the power window motor mount bolts, and in the E-Series they did not)
SYMPTOM:
Your power windows go down but they won't come back up on their own. You can grab the glass and "help" it back up in some cases before the clutch is
totally blown.
DESCRIPTION:
The window regulator inside the door is operated by an electric motor which is mounted to the regulator itself. The regulator/motor is RIVETED in place to
the inboard side of the door shell.
Between the regulator's driven quadrant gear and the motor is a transmission/clutch of sorts. Ford deemed it necessary to have this clutch to avoid injury
from shutting windows on people.
The worm drive coming out of the motor is quite powerful so the clutch is a semi-locked concentric pair of gears with 3 elastomer "dowel elements" which
squeeze slightly when the system gets overloaded, thereby letting the concentric pair of gears to "slip" and halt the window movement.
ISSUE:
The 3 elastomer elements degrade over time. With the IDI vehicles this happens quite often nowadays. The plastic pegs literally disintegrate letting the
clutch to slip under even a slight load.
(This is why we see the window roll down okay (very low load on clutch) but start to have problems rolling the window up (moderate load.)
SOLUTION:
There are various solutions available. One is to drill out the rivets and replace the whole regulator/motor assembly. Not only is this not necessary, it's a
big hassle.
The better approach is to remove JUST THE MOTOR from the regulator, leaving the regulator riveted in place. The motor is bolted to the regulator with
3 small bolts.
The motor removal requires removal of the Interior Door Panel, Handles, Switches, Speakers and any other door-panel-mounted devices, then DRILLING
3 holes in the sheet metal of the door shell (inside side,) to access the 3 bolts.
GETTING STARTED:
You'll need to get a kit(s) for your window. I got 2 although just my passenger's side was acting up, as I know it would
not be long before the driver's side would let go too.
Dorman 747-412 "Window Motor Gear Kit" I think 747-409 will get you just the plastic parts and one gear, but for about 3-5 dollars more
you get a well-supplied kit. After shopping around a bit I found the 412 kit for 15 each, shipped. I think it was JC Whitney (not affililated.)
With 412 you get all this including the lube! ha ha One gear is plastic the other pot metal, just like OEM, maybe better.
Another view of the kit, just to show that metal gear.
Interiors vary, mine is a little more involved being a Club Wagon Van, but basic hand tools gets it done pretty quickly.
With door skin removed, locate the window regulator mounting RIVETS (4 aluminum splay style rivets.) The rivets are easy to
spot, they almost look out of place in the door but are very effective in overcoming the primary shear loads from the kick back
of the regulator, much better than bolts would do it.
NOTE: This is a passenger's side door from a VAN (truck is very similar) Door hinge is to the left.
LOCATE THE 3 MOTOR MOUNT DRILLING POINTS
The motor is usually toward the hinge from these FOUR ALUMINUM RIVETS. You cannot see the motor, so the locations
of the motor mount bolts must be located. This is the hardest part, but it's not too hard if you have a template!
NOTE: I am holding the plate in this photo BACKWARDS (square end should be AWAY from the regulator, towards the hinges)
This hole pattern is marked with dimples in the trucks! With the vans you will have to get a little mirror and sight that first hole. What I
did was take pictures of the inside of the door then look at the pics (phone pics.)
View inside the door, looking towards the hinges, with interior of van to the left in the photo. Note the RIVETS.
(Motor casing can just be seen beyond the division bar of the vent window.)
*When you look at the aluminum rivet pattern, note the holes to be drilled are centered vertically between the horizontal rivet lines. That is, if
you strike a horizontal line through the two upper rivets and do the same for the two lower rivets, then the holes you make will be evenly spaced
in the up and down orientation. The only challenge is to get the HORIZONTAL location for that first hole (which is why we look at the inside
of the door so many times.)
View inside the door, laying on your back, looking up at the motor housing, door hinges would be at bottom of photo. Note one
bolt can be seen in center of photo.
^^^NOTE: This hole locating effort is specific to the VANS. Trucks have the hole locations marked!
I used a Uni-bit but a 1/2" bit will do the same. Of course, you should first drill a small 1/10 inch dia hole first to "explore" then you can "push" your
larger and larger drill bits into a better position to correct for any miss on your first estimate...
The first hole I did was the uppermost hole (see the distress on the hole's edge from pushing my uni-bit)
Once you get that first hole the rest is easy, use the metal cover from the rebuild kit as a bolt guide, BE SURE to have the square end of that
plate toward the door hinges, NOT like I have in the pic (I was just locating the upper and lower holes, NOT the third forward hole.)
Zooming into those two holes I drilled, you can see the bolt heads that you will slide a long socket onto, to remove the motor.
Once all 3 holes are drilled, remove the motor.
This is the proper orientation of the motor in E-Series, Trucks are tilted, but that won't matter, since the holes you will drill are already marked
out as dimples in the sheet metal. NOTE the square part of the metal plate I showed earlier, is CORRECT in this photo.
(There is a fourth fastener, a smaller Phillip's head screw, to fasten the plate to the motor casing, but it has nothing to do with mounting the motor)
(continued...)
(in fact F-Series is a little easier because Ford marked where to drill in order to access the power window motor mount bolts, and in the E-Series they did not)
SYMPTOM:
Your power windows go down but they won't come back up on their own. You can grab the glass and "help" it back up in some cases before the clutch is
totally blown.
DESCRIPTION:
The window regulator inside the door is operated by an electric motor which is mounted to the regulator itself. The regulator/motor is RIVETED in place to
the inboard side of the door shell.
Between the regulator's driven quadrant gear and the motor is a transmission/clutch of sorts. Ford deemed it necessary to have this clutch to avoid injury
from shutting windows on people.
The worm drive coming out of the motor is quite powerful so the clutch is a semi-locked concentric pair of gears with 3 elastomer "dowel elements" which
squeeze slightly when the system gets overloaded, thereby letting the concentric pair of gears to "slip" and halt the window movement.
ISSUE:
The 3 elastomer elements degrade over time. With the IDI vehicles this happens quite often nowadays. The plastic pegs literally disintegrate letting the
clutch to slip under even a slight load.
(This is why we see the window roll down okay (very low load on clutch) but start to have problems rolling the window up (moderate load.)
SOLUTION:
There are various solutions available. One is to drill out the rivets and replace the whole regulator/motor assembly. Not only is this not necessary, it's a
big hassle.
The better approach is to remove JUST THE MOTOR from the regulator, leaving the regulator riveted in place. The motor is bolted to the regulator with
3 small bolts.
The motor removal requires removal of the Interior Door Panel, Handles, Switches, Speakers and any other door-panel-mounted devices, then DRILLING
3 holes in the sheet metal of the door shell (inside side,) to access the 3 bolts.
GETTING STARTED:
You'll need to get a kit(s) for your window. I got 2 although just my passenger's side was acting up, as I know it would
not be long before the driver's side would let go too.
You must be registered for see images attach
Dorman 747-412 "Window Motor Gear Kit" I think 747-409 will get you just the plastic parts and one gear, but for about 3-5 dollars more
you get a well-supplied kit. After shopping around a bit I found the 412 kit for 15 each, shipped. I think it was JC Whitney (not affililated.)
You must be registered for see images attach
With 412 you get all this including the lube! ha ha One gear is plastic the other pot metal, just like OEM, maybe better.
You must be registered for see images attach
Another view of the kit, just to show that metal gear.
Interiors vary, mine is a little more involved being a Club Wagon Van, but basic hand tools gets it done pretty quickly.
You must be registered for see images attach
With door skin removed, locate the window regulator mounting RIVETS (4 aluminum splay style rivets.) The rivets are easy to
spot, they almost look out of place in the door but are very effective in overcoming the primary shear loads from the kick back
of the regulator, much better than bolts would do it.
NOTE: This is a passenger's side door from a VAN (truck is very similar) Door hinge is to the left.
LOCATE THE 3 MOTOR MOUNT DRILLING POINTS
The motor is usually toward the hinge from these FOUR ALUMINUM RIVETS. You cannot see the motor, so the locations
of the motor mount bolts must be located. This is the hardest part, but it's not too hard if you have a template!
You must be registered for see images attach
NOTE: I am holding the plate in this photo BACKWARDS (square end should be AWAY from the regulator, towards the hinges)
This hole pattern is marked with dimples in the trucks! With the vans you will have to get a little mirror and sight that first hole. What I
did was take pictures of the inside of the door then look at the pics (phone pics.)
You must be registered for see images attach
View inside the door, looking towards the hinges, with interior of van to the left in the photo. Note the RIVETS.
(Motor casing can just be seen beyond the division bar of the vent window.)
*When you look at the aluminum rivet pattern, note the holes to be drilled are centered vertically between the horizontal rivet lines. That is, if
you strike a horizontal line through the two upper rivets and do the same for the two lower rivets, then the holes you make will be evenly spaced
in the up and down orientation. The only challenge is to get the HORIZONTAL location for that first hole (which is why we look at the inside
of the door so many times.)
You must be registered for see images attach
View inside the door, laying on your back, looking up at the motor housing, door hinges would be at bottom of photo. Note one
bolt can be seen in center of photo.
^^^NOTE: This hole locating effort is specific to the VANS. Trucks have the hole locations marked!
I used a Uni-bit but a 1/2" bit will do the same. Of course, you should first drill a small 1/10 inch dia hole first to "explore" then you can "push" your
larger and larger drill bits into a better position to correct for any miss on your first estimate...
The first hole I did was the uppermost hole (see the distress on the hole's edge from pushing my uni-bit)
Once you get that first hole the rest is easy, use the metal cover from the rebuild kit as a bolt guide, BE SURE to have the square end of that
plate toward the door hinges, NOT like I have in the pic (I was just locating the upper and lower holes, NOT the third forward hole.)
Zooming into those two holes I drilled, you can see the bolt heads that you will slide a long socket onto, to remove the motor.
You must be registered for see images attach
Once all 3 holes are drilled, remove the motor.
You must be registered for see images attach
This is the proper orientation of the motor in E-Series, Trucks are tilted, but that won't matter, since the holes you will drill are already marked
out as dimples in the sheet metal. NOTE the square part of the metal plate I showed earlier, is CORRECT in this photo.
(There is a fourth fastener, a smaller Phillip's head screw, to fasten the plate to the motor casing, but it has nothing to do with mounting the motor)
(continued...)
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