Window Rehab - 87 Fifth Avenue

My next big project is to rehab all four doors electric windows.

I know I need weatherstripping and something to put it on with.
I've already got the grease and spacers for the gears.

What else do I need before I start?

None of the windows reliably raise and lower. Some lower better than they raise. Some raise better than they lower.

I think all the controls work, just that the window motors need some tlc. And I definitely get lots of wind noise due to the weatherstripping.

A good cleaning and lubing of all the moving parts would be a good start.
I'm not that "up" on M-body (or 4 door f-body for that matter) and would think finding new weatherstripping will be the sticking point. Not that the available 2 door f-body w/strip is exactly top notch either........

Check all the slides and bushings. If they are worn it can let the glass get crooked and cause them to bind. Usually affects raising the most. Another cause of binding or slow moving is if the glass is out of adjustment. In some cases, at least newer cars that I work on at work, the electric motor can just plain wear out and get weak. That's not real common but it does happen.

2 door and 4 door window mechanics and weatherstripping are completely different – mainly because the 4 doors have a frame around the windows.

Weatherstripping will be the tough part. If you can find a NOS part, then it will be for one corner of the car only (if you can find that).
The rubber/felt part that goes around the top 3/4ths of glass can be purchased aftermarket.
The various window parts inside of the door can be found a lot easier than anything else can.

The rubber/felt part that goes around the top 3/4ths of glass, to test it - take a fingernail and poke it. If it is hard then time to replace.

That part on my 5th is as hard as a rock and broken.
The same part on my Volare is soft and pliable (same exact part and part number) and hasn’t been effected by sun and time spent outdoors all of its life.

Pictures of part on my 5th Ave. I suspect your rubber/felt part is rock hard as well (but I’m not sure). The RED arrow is the part that goes around the glass and in this case, is showing where mine is broken at. You can see the profile of the part in second picture.
The BLUE arrow is showing the weatherstripping that goes around the perimeter of the door


These pictures were taken at my place of work.

The 30-40 year old grease gets hard. Removing old grease and applying new grease to the window regulator and guides can help a lot.

The motor part of the windows can and do fail, but the plastic gears inside of them break a lot more often. The gears are reasonably cheap and easy to fix. The motors fit darn near anything in that time frame and are fairly common as well.


Picture swiped from eBay.
The item in the red circle, there is a thread about replacing those with nuts with corners rounded off – which I plan on doing on my next window motor repair.

A couple of years ago, I replaced the window motor gear on R/F window. Now my L/F gear needs replaced. It will go up, but the final ½” needs help to finish movement, or it just pops.

Gotta be careful taking the window motor off because of the spring on the window regulators. Those springs are to offset the weight of the glass, but they do have a lot of power behind them.
There is a right way and a wrong way to remove the motors from regulators.

My weatherstripping is degraded greatly on the vertical portion at the b and a pillars. Part is stuck to the car. Part is easily pulled away from the car. Its litterally ripped in half on three of the 4 doors.

Every window's mechanical will have to be rehabbed. None of the windows will go down and back up completely.

I'll be careful of the spring.

This will be a later fall project once it is cooler. I'm going back in with the plastic/nylon spacers rather than bolts. Have the nylon parts ready.

Note: the back windows do not go all of the way down.
They are about one to two inches shy of going completely into the door - whereas the front doors, the glass will go completely into the door.

If you keep the door glass in place, the spring hazard is greatly diminished. That way the spring is still supporting the glass, counter-acting each other.

It is when the door glass has been removed, the regulator still attached to door and you remove the window motor, is when it “got ya” (and violently snaps upwards).

Note: the window regulators are pop riveted into the doors. In most cases they do not need to be removed. If you do remove one, they are easy to drill out and either pop rivet (¼” which is lot bigger than most and not easy to find) back into place or use ¼” nuts/short bolts to attach with.

Note: the four bolts that attach window motor to the regulator (and to door) are rather fun to install and helps to have someone with smaller hands than I do, and helps to wear a long sleeve shirt. Using your 3rd hand is also very helpful.

If I recall correctly, it is easier to install the window motor to regulator - if regulator is out of the car.
On other hand, it is easier to install the window regulators with motors removed (hehe, a catch 22).
(Actually, its about the same amount of work either way).

Here is that thread on rebuilding the motor assembly.

How to rebuild Chrysler Power Window motor clutch assembly

Justwondering said:

My weatherstripping is degraded greatly on the vertical portion at the b and a pillars. Part is stuck to the car. Part is easily pulled away from the car. Its litterally ripped in half on three of the 4 doors.

Every window's mechanical will have to be rehabbed. None of the windows will go down and back up completely.

I'll be careful of the spring.

This will be a later fall project once it is cooler. I'm going back in with the plastic/nylon spacers rather than bolts. Have the nylon parts ready.

Click to expand...

Good choice to use the proper plastic/nylon spacers. I did my drivers window a few months ago and it works great.

Master M said:

Good choice to use the proper plastic/nylon spacers. I did my drivers window a few months ago and it works great.

Click to expand...

I agree.

I’ve always used the plastic spacers/inserts and I know why they are there for.

That said I have gone through quite a few of the plastic gears over the years and figured I would try it this time to check it out.
Those spacers crumbling is what causes all of the problems on those gear(s).

Actually, what I was going to try is copper tubing or something like that of the appropriate size.

My L/F window works except for the last ½” then it starts popping.

What do you think about a spacer inside a copper tube?

I'm not sure if I'm 100% spot on but as far as I've heard the reason Chrysler used plastic was.....if a child's hand (or head) got stuck in the window while it was going up or something jammed... the plastic would fail before anything broke.....including the child's head.

If I had someone sticking their hand in my car - I want to inflect the pain!

BudW said:

If I had someone sticking their hand in my car - I want to inflect the pain!

Click to expand...

Lol.......so would I.

Justwondering said:

What do you think about a spacer inside a copper tube?

Click to expand...

If you don' want to use the plastic bushings, 1/4" id fuel line with a piece of oring 1/4 od, inside the fuel line works well.