Rear window sticking half way down.

[eodcoduto]

The rear window on the Suburban stops about half way down and is catching on something, if you push the top of the window forward, it pops and continues down. I laid the tailgate down and couldn't see where it was hanging up while I operated it, any ideas?

 

[Polymath]

Bind>pop>release makes me think of broken teeth on the gears in there. Or maybe something getting stuck in the side channels? Maybe the plastic rollers are having a bad day and catching on a bur part way through their channels?

 

[dyeager535]

Mine for some reason (K5, assume similar) one regulator bolt head catches the bottom of the channel. I think maybe it's because there is a strategic dent in the skin, but I'm not positive.

 

[eodcoduto]

That makes sense, there are some dents on the tailgate. It runs smoothly as long as you push it forward just a scosh. Going up it works fine.

 

[Polymath]

Put your finger on a dent and run the window. You should feel it if it is scraping the tailgate.

 

[dyeager535]

Put your finger on a dent and run the window. You should feel it if it is scraping the tailgate.

The way these are designed you'd need a really big dent to actually hit the piece that hits the glass. It's like a double layer, what the regulator bolts to is stood off from the tailgate skin. In my case I think the dents deformed the internal structure enough to push the mounting bolts into its path.

Since its welded together in there, it's really hard to see what the dents may be affecting.

 

[tarussell]

My old 85 K-5 rear glass did the same thing only in the upward direction - from all I could tell it was just a combination of wear and slop because nothing was obviously out of place.
The ole K-5 was put out to pasture before I ever got around to permanently repairing it so I don’t have a known cure for it but I know it’s a common problem.

 

[eodcoduto]

I need to find a new tailgate anyway, this one is shot. No rust but dented and torn metal, bent actuator rods and all.

 

[blazer74]

Same here on a K5. Inside skin was pushed in around where the panel sits like someone stood on it. Not really a dent. Catches the sash.