How to repair your convertible's rear windows
03-14-2010, 04:44 PM
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 263
How to repair your convertible's rear windows
I searched earlier and couldn't find a how to, so I figured I'd make a little write up and maybe help somebody out.
In my dad's 91 Vert, the back windows would not go up. The motors ran, but the windows just clicked and didn't actually go anywhere. I fixed it for about $10. Here's how:
1) Go to 50Resto.com and search for LRS-WLK52. Order these 3 little bushings (Get 2 sets if you need to fix both windows.
2) Put the top down, and slide your front seats all the way forward to give you room to work.
3) You have to remove the bottom portion of your back seat. It was pretty simple- grab the seat bottom toward the back, and tug it toward the front of the car. Then just pull up on the front of the seat bottom. Don't be afraid to pull hard- you won't hurt it. Once it's out, set it WAY aside.
4) Now you can remove the side panels. First you can remove the 2 screws that hold the speaker enclosure in, and just unclip the 2 connectors you see there. There are 3 phillips screws that you'll need to remove on the side panel; 2 on the top of the panel, and one on the side down in the carpet. Pretty self explanatory. Set it aside (You can leave the seat belt attached, just set the whole panel on the other side of the car).
5) Next take a 13mm socket and remove the 2 bolts that hold on the seat belt assembly. Set aside.
6) Now just take a regular screwdriver and gently pop out the 2 plastic push pins that hold the black plastic cover on.
7) Take a 7/16" socket and remove the 3 bolts holding on the window motor. Hold the top of the window, because when you get the bolts off and tug the window motor out, the window may fall. Once you get the 3 sockets out, just pull the motor- it will slide right out.
8) Now the fun part. You will take the 3 bolts out to remove the bracket. I can't remember exactly what size it was, but I believe it was either a 7 or 8mm. Once the bracket is off, use a phillips screwdriver and remove the remaining screw on the cover. Gently pop off the cover.
9) From here, you will be able to pull the window gear straight up and out. Set it aside. Now you will see why your window didn't work before. If you put your finger in the grease, you will feel a bunch of plastic pieces. These used to be bushings just like the ones you got from 50Resto. Just clean them out. Make sure there are no little pieces left. It would be best to completely remove as much grease as possible.
10) Once the housing is clean, we can get it put back together. The next part is tricky, and won't make any sense until you actually get there. Don't let it scare ya; be patient and you will get it. What you will want to do is put grease on the 3 new bushings you have. Then set them in the gear housing. Don't put them all the way inside- just kind of push them on the edge, so they are angled up and outward. A little dab of grease will hold them in place. Like I said, it won't make sense until you get there. When they are angled out, the gear will slide back on. Take your time and be patient here.
Once you are able to get them in, push down on the gear by hand. It will begin to slide back down. Then go grab a hammer, step on the long end of the window motor, and tap the gear downward back into the motor. When the gear is flush with the center stud, it obviously won't push down any more. Now is a good time to pack the housing with grease. Once you fill it with grease, grab a socket that is about 7/16" or so. You can put the socket on the gear and tap the socket, and it will press all the way down (the stud will end up in the middle of the socket).
11) Good job, we're almost there. Just go ahead and put the screw back in the plate, and bolt the bracket back onto the window motor. Then bolt everything up the way it came off. I would recommend testing it before putting everything back together. Just bolt on the motor and connect the connection. Put your key in the ignition, and make sure it's working alright. If you roll the window about 1/2 way up, you can see the window arms. I sprayed a little shot of WD40 on them just for good measure.
Once you know it works fine, bolt the rest of it back up and you're good to go. It took me about an hour to do the first side, mostly because I was trying to get the little bushings back in. The next side took me about 20 minutes start to finish since I had learned the trick. Good luck.
In my dad's 91 Vert, the back windows would not go up. The motors ran, but the windows just clicked and didn't actually go anywhere. I fixed it for about $10. Here's how:
1) Go to 50Resto.com and search for LRS-WLK52. Order these 3 little bushings (Get 2 sets if you need to fix both windows.
2) Put the top down, and slide your front seats all the way forward to give you room to work.
3) You have to remove the bottom portion of your back seat. It was pretty simple- grab the seat bottom toward the back, and tug it toward the front of the car. Then just pull up on the front of the seat bottom. Don't be afraid to pull hard- you won't hurt it. Once it's out, set it WAY aside.
4) Now you can remove the side panels. First you can remove the 2 screws that hold the speaker enclosure in, and just unclip the 2 connectors you see there. There are 3 phillips screws that you'll need to remove on the side panel; 2 on the top of the panel, and one on the side down in the carpet. Pretty self explanatory. Set it aside (You can leave the seat belt attached, just set the whole panel on the other side of the car).
5) Next take a 13mm socket and remove the 2 bolts that hold on the seat belt assembly. Set aside.
6) Now just take a regular screwdriver and gently pop out the 2 plastic push pins that hold the black plastic cover on.
7) Take a 7/16" socket and remove the 3 bolts holding on the window motor. Hold the top of the window, because when you get the bolts off and tug the window motor out, the window may fall. Once you get the 3 sockets out, just pull the motor- it will slide right out.
8) Now the fun part. You will take the 3 bolts out to remove the bracket. I can't remember exactly what size it was, but I believe it was either a 7 or 8mm. Once the bracket is off, use a phillips screwdriver and remove the remaining screw on the cover. Gently pop off the cover.
9) From here, you will be able to pull the window gear straight up and out. Set it aside. Now you will see why your window didn't work before. If you put your finger in the grease, you will feel a bunch of plastic pieces. These used to be bushings just like the ones you got from 50Resto. Just clean them out. Make sure there are no little pieces left. It would be best to completely remove as much grease as possible.
10) Once the housing is clean, we can get it put back together. The next part is tricky, and won't make any sense until you actually get there. Don't let it scare ya; be patient and you will get it. What you will want to do is put grease on the 3 new bushings you have. Then set them in the gear housing. Don't put them all the way inside- just kind of push them on the edge, so they are angled up and outward. A little dab of grease will hold them in place. Like I said, it won't make sense until you get there. When they are angled out, the gear will slide back on. Take your time and be patient here.
Once you are able to get them in, push down on the gear by hand. It will begin to slide back down. Then go grab a hammer, step on the long end of the window motor, and tap the gear downward back into the motor. When the gear is flush with the center stud, it obviously won't push down any more. Now is a good time to pack the housing with grease. Once you fill it with grease, grab a socket that is about 7/16" or so. You can put the socket on the gear and tap the socket, and it will press all the way down (the stud will end up in the middle of the socket).
11) Good job, we're almost there. Just go ahead and put the screw back in the plate, and bolt the bracket back onto the window motor. Then bolt everything up the way it came off. I would recommend testing it before putting everything back together. Just bolt on the motor and connect the connection. Put your key in the ignition, and make sure it's working alright. If you roll the window about 1/2 way up, you can see the window arms. I sprayed a little shot of WD40 on them just for good measure.
Once you know it works fine, bolt the rest of it back up and you're good to go. It took me about an hour to do the first side, mostly because I was trying to get the little bushings back in. The next side took me about 20 minutes start to finish since I had learned the trick. Good luck.
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