I have a 2003 Montana. The driver side window rolls up crooked. Took the door panel apart. The clips at the bottom that hold the window are intact. I replaced the window regulator and it still rolls up crooked. Any ideas? I have heard it could be a cable, but not sure where that would be located. Thanks.
Window Regulator
- Thread starter psmoore
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3_dog_knight
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I can't tell you with complete certainty what is wrong with yours but let me tell you my experience with mine. My windows would go fast to about half way up, then tilt forward jamming on the front of the window track enough to either slow way down or stop. I could manually shift the window backwards with my hand and it would then proceed up.
I took off the door panels and inspected the window regulators. They seemed to have a fair amount of play by design and the tiny amount of play from wear seemed somewhat insignificant in comparison. I felt like new regulators would probably help very little or none. I love how serviceable this system is but it seems like kind of a poor design considering how far back the mechanism holds the window.
I noticed there are adjustments for the front window track as well as for the short plastic channel. I played with those some and managed to get the window to go up and barely tilt forward but it still wanted to slow down or stop on the way up. I had a new window motor and tried it thinking the motor might be weak but it was no better.
Feeling like I had most likely ruled out the regulator as well as the motor, I decided to clean all of the old grease out of the slide bar channels even though it seemed fine and was still very slippery. It looked like someone had re-greased it before with what looked like moly graphite. The existing grease seemed to dilute and wash away when sprayed with wd-40 so I saturated the tracks several times in multiple places then ran the window up and down repeatedly, resprayed, and repeated. The window movement was improving very quickly in both speed and alignment so this told me I was probably onto something.
I wanted to use something with a lighter consistency since it's function seemed so sensitive to tacky lube. I had some engine assembly lube and decided this seemed like a good consistency. Not sure what type is recommended for this but I figured if this stuff is good enough to lube a cam, it's good enough for a window track. So I lubed the tracks with assembly lube quite liberally and it still slid up and down quickly and smoothly so it did not cause any unwanted resistance.
I then put the adjustments back where they were out of curiousity and the alignment was still good so I probably shouldn't have messed with them in the first place.
So now both sides are working quite well and effectively at all times with almost no slow down at the mid point. I guess the real test will be how it does in the winter but so far so good.
I took off the door panels and inspected the window regulators. They seemed to have a fair amount of play by design and the tiny amount of play from wear seemed somewhat insignificant in comparison. I felt like new regulators would probably help very little or none. I love how serviceable this system is but it seems like kind of a poor design considering how far back the mechanism holds the window.
I noticed there are adjustments for the front window track as well as for the short plastic channel. I played with those some and managed to get the window to go up and barely tilt forward but it still wanted to slow down or stop on the way up. I had a new window motor and tried it thinking the motor might be weak but it was no better.
Feeling like I had most likely ruled out the regulator as well as the motor, I decided to clean all of the old grease out of the slide bar channels even though it seemed fine and was still very slippery. It looked like someone had re-greased it before with what looked like moly graphite. The existing grease seemed to dilute and wash away when sprayed with wd-40 so I saturated the tracks several times in multiple places then ran the window up and down repeatedly, resprayed, and repeated. The window movement was improving very quickly in both speed and alignment so this told me I was probably onto something.
I wanted to use something with a lighter consistency since it's function seemed so sensitive to tacky lube. I had some engine assembly lube and decided this seemed like a good consistency. Not sure what type is recommended for this but I figured if this stuff is good enough to lube a cam, it's good enough for a window track. So I lubed the tracks with assembly lube quite liberally and it still slid up and down quickly and smoothly so it did not cause any unwanted resistance.
I then put the adjustments back where they were out of curiousity and the alignment was still good so I probably shouldn't have messed with them in the first place.
So now both sides are working quite well and effectively at all times with almost no slow down at the mid point. I guess the real test will be how it does in the winter but so far so good.
Steelcity
Member
Thanks for sharing that's some good info.
Agreed. I remember tearing mine apart as I still have this issue. Even threw a new regulator in there for kicks and that did not help
So all you did was spray WD-40 into the grooves, work the window up and down a couple times, then repeat a few times?
Seems way too easy
So all you did was spray WD-40 into the grooves, work the window up and down a couple times, then repeat a few times?
Seems way too easy