Electric to manual or door swap q's

[jaed_43725]

My drivers side door quit rolling up the window. My doors are not in the best shape physically as is. So my options are either put on new doors or convert to manual. I dont really care about things matching as long as they physically fit. As I understand it for a manual swap I need the regulators, handles, and door cards (if its from 88-94.5). And if the parts are from after 94.5 will I have to use my current panels and cut the hole because the door panels wont physically fit when the door is closed, or is it a cosmetic issue?

Now if I just decided to swap the entire door out (both sides of course) what years fit an 88 F-250 regular cab?

 

[79jasper]

For inner panel to match, you need same body style door.
I've heard of a difference in the body line on the outside, but I'm not sure.

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[tradergem]

If the window motor still runs but won't move the window you need to replace the broken gear drive parts

If the window motor won't run, you most likely will have to replace the motor brushes or buy a new motor

 

[IDIoit]

brick nose wing windows wont fully open.
the 95+ doors do have an extra body line, but more than likely youll never miss them if you even caught them at all.

 

[79jasper]

Ah, 95+
I'll have to compare my 94 to the 96 and see if I can find the difference. Lol

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[towcat]

brick nose wing windows wont fully open.
the 95+ doors do have an extra body line, but more than likely youll never miss them if you even caught them at all.

driver's side is the critical side. passenger side can use either wing window.

 

[towcat]

88-91 door panels have the knockout lines to go either way. the window crank line for the hole is there and so is the window switch line. but once cut and you convert to the other, you'll get to keep the hole.
92-97 uses different door panels between the power and non-power doors.

 

[jaed_43725]

For inner panel to match, you need same body style door.
I've heard of a difference in the body line on the outside, but I'm not sure.

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Is the inner panel not matching just cosmetic or will the door not close if you use the one from the newer truck?

 

[jaed_43725]

If the window motor still runs but won't move the window you need to replace the broken gear drive parts

If the window motor won't run, you most likely will have to replace the motor brushes or buy a new motor

The motor wont run. And frankly I am getting tired of electric windows. The door panels are crap and the controller hangs out of the door on the pass side. Its fine for a farm truck. But throwing it together for the easiest effort and lowest cost is where I am at. Really the whole truck needs a new cab and bed.

 

[Macrobb]

As much as a manual swap would be nice, it's not really worth it. And the auto windows actually are nice, especially on the passenger side. Nothing like leaning across the cab to try to roll it up or down in traffic...

Just do what I do:
1. Remove the inner door panel(plastic).
2. Using a drill, drill out the 4 rivets holding the entire regulator assembly to the inner door frame/panel.
3. Carefully wiggle out and remove the entire regulator. You will have enough room to get it out through the upper hole in the door panel, once you remove the "brace" that covers it with 2 screws(this is what the door closing handle/arm rest screws to).
4. With the whole thing out, replace the motor. 3 screws and $30 and you are done.
5. Take 4 1/4-20x3/4" bolts and nuts. Tack weld the nuts to the back of the regulator(where the original rivets sat). You'll do this by putting the bolt in from the door side of the regulator, put the nut on and tighten it down... on the workbench. Now, just tack weld that nut, then remove the bolt.
6. put the regulator back in the door and into place. You can now just get one of the nuts to line up, put your bolt in from outside and get it finger-tight. rotate the regulator until another hole lines up and do the same thing. Install the other 2 bolts and tighten it down.
7. Reinstall door panel.

As much work as that might seem, it's still maby an hour's job if you have the tools handy. You could probably omit the tack-weld step, but I'd do it, even if I had to use a 12V battery, jumper cables, and a stick of metal to just get a cruddy tack.

Now, you can do the replacement again in just a few minutes, as it's only removing the 4 bolts and the whole thing comes out.


edit:
Also, pretty sure that replacing a door is actually more work than doing this.
I've done both... and the replacing a door is a real pain. Very little clearance for wrenches and sockets to get to the door bolts, and once you get it together you have to adjust it until the door closes - 2 hinges, in and out and front-to-back, up and down. It's a bit of work, that's for sure.

 

[jaed_43725]

As much as a manual swap would be nice, it's not really worth it. And the auto windows actually are nice, especially on the passenger side. Nothing like leaning across the cab to try to roll it up or down in traffic...

Just do what I do:
1. Remove the inner door panel(plastic).
2. Using a drill, drill out the 4 rivets holding the entire regulator assembly to the inner door frame/panel.
3. Carefully wiggle out and remove the entire regulator. You will have enough room to get it out through the upper hole in the door panel, once you remove the "brace" that covers it with 2 screws(this is what the door closing handle/arm rest screws to).
4. With the whole thing out, replace the motor. 3 screws and $30 and you are done.
5. Take 4 1/4-20x3/4" bolts and nuts. Tack weld the nuts to the back of the regulator(where the original rivets sat). You'll do this by putting the bolt in from the door side of the regulator, put the nut on and tighten it down... on the workbench. Now, just tack weld that nut, then remove the bolt.
6. put the regulator back in the door and into place. You can now just get one of the nuts to line up, put your bolt in from outside and get it finger-tight. rotate the regulator until another hole lines up and do the same thing. Install the other 2 bolts and tighten it down.
7. Reinstall door panel.

As much work as that might seem, it's still maby an hour's job if you have the tools handy. You could probably omit the tack-weld step, but I'd do it, even if I had to use a 12V battery, jumper cables, and a stick of metal to just get a cruddy tack.

Now, you can do the replacement again in just a few minutes, as it's only removing the 4 bolts and the whole thing comes out.


edit:
Also, pretty sure that replacing a door is actually more work than doing this.
I've done both... and the replacing a door is a real pain. Very little clearance for wrenches and sockets to get to the door bolts, and once you get it together you have to adjust it until the door closes - 2 hinges, in and out and front-to-back, up and down. It's a bit of work, that's for sure.

My motors have been replaced before. So they are all nuts and bolts now. Even the gear with the arm is held in by nuts and bolts. Your welding technique is awesome though, I ran across that before, but forgot about it. Your overall idea of just replacing the motor and welding the nuts might just be the best move.

The whole thing started because the bottom nut and bolt holding the motor in place came loose and the motor went off track from the arm. So I used a large garbage bag over the window. And went to go fix it yesterday and the motor wouldnt turn at all. It probably caught some rain.