Window regulator help

[Gentleman Jimmy]

I’m having an issue with a new Dorman window regulator motor it seems. I’m trying to figure out if it’s a weak motor or if I installed it wrong.

I bolted the motor to the regulator with the regulator in the fully up position with no spring tension. Was I supposed to install it in the down position with spring tension? I have everything installed with new window channel rubber, all tracks and wheels are lubed up everything appears to be in proper alignment but It has hardly any power. I can’t even get the window all the way up. I have a freshly charged battery and have ran the power through the switch as well as directly to the motor with the same results.

Any ideas? I am going to call Dorman to see what resistance should be on these motors in the meantime. Side note, the hardware kit supplied is a joke...what used to be rivets is now phillips head screws which didn’t even fit their bolt holes. I had to enlarge the mounting holes as well as grind a piece of the nuts flat to get it to work properly.

 

[dyeager535]

Shouldn't make any difference, with the window down the coil should be wound up to help the motor with upward travel, and with the window up, running the window down should "wind" the spring and put it under tension.

Does it move if you assist it with your hands? Just wonder if the new stuff is causing some drag? How are the felts in the window tracks?

You've verified it's got a good ground? Haven't dealt with the power windows, but I know the power door locks won't work if the bolts holding it to the door come loose a bit.

 

[Gentleman Jimmy]

Yes it will move if I assist it up, it’s just snug with all new rubber/felts. Ground is good, I have a battery right on the passenger floor and hooking directly to it. All bolts are tight.

Dorman says they don’t have a resistance rating for these motors and they’ve had other complaints about the mounting hardware. He told me to call LMC and have them send a new one. I think I’ll play with it a bit more to see if I can find something else before calling LMC. I might be able to unbolt the motor while it’s in there and function window by hand to see if there’s a bind. Any other suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[dyeager535]

I know on the rear window I left the tracks loose to see if it was any easier to roll up/down, and it did seem to work, you could try that as well. But from what I've seen of the doors, it would seem unless the tracks have physically been tinkered with, they should be lined up right.

 

[6872xtc]

This is a common problem with the aftermarket motors. And the age of the truck wiring adds to the problem.
I installed a new set of regulators and all new seals and the windows wouldn't go up. I had to lube the channels with silicone so that the glass had less drag, and then had to do the relay modification to the wiring to give the motors better ground and power feed. I have done this to two trucks now. The one with the LMC regulators had both motors fail in very short time, so the other truck got Delco motors on the original regulators.

 

[Gentleman Jimmy]

Just finished gapping my doors so now I can tinker with it again. I had the channels loose (which haven’t been damaged or modified) when I lowered the window and then tightened them, I’ll try to loosen them and see if it’s any better going up.

I have LMC’s relay kit but it’s not installed. But like I said above I’m running 10g wire right from a battery to the switch as well as the motor for testing purposes so I don’t think it’s voltage drop from the wiring. Maybe the new wing window outer gasket is keeping it from seating all the way to the window frame and making the tolerances too tight?? I don’t know, I’ll keep messing with it for a bit, but it looks like more LMC junk. It’s nice they have almost anything for our trucks but the quality of the parts they’re carrying has been garbage the last few years. I prefer Delco parts when I can get them so I may have to go that route. 6872xtc, have the Delco motors been holding up for you? And where did you find them dealer, ebay?

 

[6872xtc]

So far mine have been working fine, but I only installed then about a year ago. Still have made it longer than the LMC ones, but I don't drive it a ton.
I got the motors from Rock-auto. They are Chinese made, though.

I didn't see that you were using 10 ga to go to the switch, did you use a larger ground wire too? Because maybe the ground for the window circuit is a weak point.

You may want to try some silicone lube as well. It's a pain to get it only where the channel hits the glass, though.

 

[Gentleman Jimmy]

So far mine have been working fine, but I only installed then about a year ago. Still have made it longer than the LMC ones, but I don't drive it a ton.
I got the motors from Rock-auto. They are Chinese made, though.

I didn't see that you were using 10 ga to go to the switch, did you use a larger ground wire too? Because maybe the ground for the window circuit is a weak point.

You may want to try some silicone lube as well. It's a pain to get it only where the channel hits the glass, though.

Thanks for the info I was able to pull the motor off the regulator while it was in the door and work the window up and down a bunch. I hit the tracks with silicone too, good tip. I had 10g ground right to the battery. Nothing was binding and I’m able to move window up and down without much effort. I did adjust the channels a bit which helped, but there is no way that motor shouldn’t have been able to lift it.

LMC gave me a refund for the motor without much fuss which was nice. I ordered a delco through o’rielly’s for $50. Dealer wanted $110. Thanks for the help fellas, hopefully the new motor puts out!

 

[dyeager535]

I think someone could make some serious money making motors for the doors and rear window that have more power. Probably break the glass when there is an issue, but I'd risk it for enough power to make the windows work as they should.

Post up with your results.