power window fix??

Power window fix

Reply #30 – September 17, 2006, 07:43:03 PM

I work with polyester resin frequently ( go through several gallons a month) and I can tell you that would not work. Resin is very unforgiving to flexing and vibration, and it does not stick to smooth surfaces well.

An update on my post above (I thought I had updated long ago, but apparently not):

The GOOP didn't hold. The very next day it popped off. I took the door apart again, cleaned the glass up again, and this time I used some 80-grit sandpaper and roughed up the glass on both sides where the clips go on. I took a small screwdriver and sed all traces of GOOP out of the clips (it actually came out rather easily - it didn't stick to the plastic OR the glass). I also sprayed some siliocone spray lube in the window tracks from top to bottom with the window out.

Once everything was clean and ready for reassembly I got some General Electric "Silicone II" CLEAR silicone. The tube says "Our very best" on it, which is important since they sell different qualities of silicone. The CLEAR is important too, since it says something on the white stuff to the effect of "Not suitable for constantly submerged areas". I know my car won't be constantly submerged, but to me "not suitable" means "inferior". It also says "Ideal for aquariums" on the clear tube (meaning good for glass), and it does not have that vinnegar stink like normal silicone.

I put some of that silicone on the clips, put the clips on the glass, reinstalled the window, and powered it into the "up" position. I then unplugged the power window motor to prevent accidentally lowering the window before the silicone set. I left it unplugged for several days.

This repair has held for just under a year now with no signs of letting go. Could be the silicone, could be the roughed up glass surface, could be just luck, but it's been holding :D

Power window fix

Reply #31 – September 21, 2006, 04:26:06 PM

When I lower both driver's and passenger's window, I can see that the rear portion of the window is getting caught up on something. But I can't for the life of me figure out what's causing it.

Roughen the Glass by Sandblasting

Reply #32 – October 17, 2007, 12:12:56 AM

I have an 88 Cougar. My glass has been been working great for over a year and a half now. After trying many things, all of which are mentioned in this thread, I found that taping off the glass and sandblasting where the clips go as well has drilling two small holes in each clip for the adhesive to anchor to has worked with no problem so far. I used 3M 8609 urethane from an autobody supply store. I've tried other stuff like jb weld, gorilla glue, and permatex epoxy, but the windshield urethane is the only stuff I used with the sandblasing.

I took the glass completely out of the door and also took out the horizontal piece of track that the clips bolt to so I could make sure the clips were glued in the correct spot. I had to pry up a little metal tab in order to slide that piece of track out by itself. I sandblasted the area and put the clips on. On my previous attempts I found that the glue was breaking away from the clips not the glass, so those small holes drilled in the clip I think helped. I used small c-clamps to put some light pressure on the clips while they dried. Installed it a day or two later, but didn't put my window down for at least a week just to make sure it was fully cured.

Having said this and reading these posts I think the real problem is in the track that the glass slides in, but I don't see how it can be fixed as the person who posted before me said. Both my driver and passenger door glass start to come out of the track slightly when they are half way up but they align back in and it hasn't been a problem. My passenger side glass was going up and down really slow, but after I greased the scissor track with white lithium grease it was fine. Never had the passenger side come out of the plastic clips like the driver side did.

Also be aware that there is an adjustable bracket to play with in the top middle of the door that pushes against the glass. The glass tracks with the felt in them don't seem to be very adjustable.

Hope this helps someone. Thanks.

Mike