Sticky Windows

[4129R]

When the electric windows are slow and struggle to go up and down, even when powering the motor direct from the battery,  what has worked in getting the windows to slide easier up and down the channels?

I have fitted all new channel rubbers, supplied by Banks. The aluminium channels seem straight, but the glass is very hard to slide with the motor arm disconnected. I have made sure the new pop rivets are not hitting the glass. 

Any suggestions?  Any lubricant? I have tried WD40. The glass was cleaned very carefully before fitting into the new channels.

[BDA]

Rubber trim profiles sometimes change slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. It could be that what Banks sold you was the closest he’d found but still might be a bit tight. Does the rubber fit completely in the channel under the beads at the opening of the channel? No wrinkles or bulges?

You might try some dry lubricants. I used talcum powder when I assembled mine but I don’t claim any great results from it. I suspect there are better dry lubes.

Can you verify that the curvature of the channels has not been altered? Can you compare it to another of your cars? Are they in the same plane?

Ok, I’ll quit grasping…

[4129R]

Rubber trim profiles sometimes change slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. It could be that what Banks sold you was the closest he’d found but still might be a bit tight. Does the rubber fit completely in the channel under the beads at the opening of the channel? No wrinkles or bulges?

The channel fits the frame well. I have used this channel in all 14 doors.

You might try some dry lubricants. I used talcum powder when I assembled mine but I don’t claim any great results from it. I suspect there are better dry lubes.

Has anyone used PTFE tape in the channels?

Can you verify that the curvature of the channels has not been altered? Can you compare it to another of your cars? Are they in the same plane?

The channel seems to be the correct curve. As a last resort I will take the channels out of the door and see if the glass is easier to slide when out of the door.

Ok, I’ll quit grasping…

[BDA]

A better dry lube would be Teflon powder. Teflon tape might be an option but I would think the kind used for pipe threads would be too thin - but to paraphrase my mother who said after you've looked for something everywhere you think it should be, start looking where you think it shouldn't be, it might be time to try some things that don't appear to make sense at first. Try anything and everything. What have you go to lose?

[4129R]

Teflon powder ordered. Let us see if it makes the glass slide easier.

[BDA]

Good luck! I hope it helps!

[Clifton]

I use graphite powder, not on the windows though. Not that Teflon doesn't work, I have just never used it.

I put new felt in mine from Banks and they slide up and down pretty easy without the motor arm attached. You have something causing the drag. Are the felts seated all the way in in the channels?

When I riveted my frames back on I used a small hole punch on the felt as it was tight with the felt on top of the rivet. I'm talking about the one near the top at the rear of the door. To do again, I would use counter sunk rivets.

[4129R]

Are the felts seated all the way in in the channels?

Yes

When I riveted my frames back on I used a small hole punch on the felt as it was tight with the felt on top of the rivet. I'm talking about the one near the top at the rear of the door. To do again, I would use counter sunk rivets.

I drill bigger holes in the felt so the rivets sit on the frame, not the felt.

[Kendo]

When I was reassembling my doors, I noticed that the curve of the windows did not match the curve of the window frame, causing some binding. Since I had it all apart, I bent the frames a bit to match the curve. If that is your problem, I don't see how to change the frames in situ.

[4129R]

When I was reassembling my doors, I noticed that the curve of the windows did not match the curve of the window frame, causing some binding. Since I had it all apart, I bent the frames a bit to match the curve. If that is your problem, I don't see how to change the frames in situ.

As I said above:-

The channel seems to be the correct curve. As a last resort I will take the channels out of the door and see if the glass is easier to slide when out of the door.


If the glass does not slide easily. I will see how that frame matches the curve of the glass.

Having said that neither the glass nor the frame should have changed in curvature since the car was manufactured.

[Clifton]

On mine the opening on the channel was not the same in all places. Some places were pinched a little tighter. Not from the factory though. If you have the motor out you can slowly go up and down with the glass and find were it binds the most. Mine rock front to back a little without the motor arm on. This is how I found where mine was tight in spots. If you haven't had the motor out yet. The books says to get the arm about horizontal. I put a piece of 2x4 under the glass. The books arm position to remove is pretty much the only easy way.

[4129R]

Well today a clear bag labelled 50gms with a funny white powder arrived in the post.

Luckily it also said "PTFE" and not "Charley".

I applied the powder to the channels with a paint brush, no difference.

I looked at the channel and frame at the bottom, and it looked to be binding on one side of the glass.

Being scientifically minded I reckoned it would be easier to bend the aluminium frame rather than bend the glass made of unobtainium.

I took the window frame out of the door took one of the felt channels out and the frame was definitely more curved than the glass.

I took the glass out of the frame, put it in a very safe place so as not to drop it on the garage floor, and carefully made each side of the aluminium frame less curved.

It's a miracle, the glass now slides up and down the frame easily.

It took me less than 2 hours start to finish to take out the frame straighten it and refit it. I should have checked this before I re-assembled the door. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Now I await the arrival of a replacement motor for the other side, bought on eBay. The postage from the USA was greater than the cost of the motor !

It seems I had the same problem as Kendo above.

 

[BDA]

And there you go. Sometimes the simplest and most obvious solution is the correct one! Sorry you wasted your money on my suggestion of TFE powder. Maybe you can find another use for it.

[4129R]

And there you go. Sometimes the simplest and most obvious solution is the correct one! Sorry you wasted your money on my suggestion of TFE powder. Maybe you can find another use for it.

It cost me less that £10, so no big problem.

Maybe I could sell the rest in very small packets for a big profit !

What I cannot understand is how the window ever worked. That aluminium channel would not curve more by itself. It did not need to much bending to let the glass slide easily, but I cannot see just old age making it curve more.

This is a lesson to be learned for other windows that do not slide easily. Once the curve was right, with new Banks channel and new brush strips, the glass moves easily.

[Bryan Boyle]

And there you go. Sometimes the simplest and most obvious solution is the correct one! Sorry you wasted your money on my suggestion of TFE powder. Maybe you can find another use for it.

It cost me less that £10, so no big problem.

Maybe I could sell the rest in very small packets for a big profit !

What I cannot understand is how the window ever worked. That aluminium channel would not curve more by itself. It did not need to much bending to let the glass slide easily, but I cannot see just old age making it curve more.

This is a lesson to be learned for other windows that do not slide easily. Once the curve was right, with new Banks channel and new brush strips, the glass moves easily.

To make it even easier...I found the same issue with 693R's frames when I reinstalled them after the paint was completed.  After getting them all in and moving mostly smoothly...I sprayed the felt channels with silicone spray (after I had left the body shop and brought it home!!!!) a few times to get the rubber and felt soaked with the silicone.  Never had an issue after that, and the windows rode up and down just fine.  Even though the felt is there  (make sure you get the outer ends of the "U" shape under the lips of the frame), a little 'liquid assistance' in the guise of the silicone is not a bad thing, IMHO.