Front Window Adjustment - Help, I’m Losing My Mind!

[AustinOski]

My driver’s side window does not roll up all the way. Before I tried to fix it, it did not flop back. Now it does. Vehicle is a ‘76 (if that matters). I’ve read the FAQ and other posts. Didn’t help me. I’m clearly just not getting it. 

 

After I took off the door panel, I checked for the window stops thinking they were something I can adjust based on other readings. Clearly I cannot. They are part of the door itself (not adjustable peices). Photos 1 and 2 are the stop tabs.

 

I then thought if I loosened the two pairs of screws in the black front and rear window brackets, I could lift the window a bit. Nothing budged. Pictures 3 (rear) and 4 (front) are of the two brackets and  the two bolts in each that I’m talking about.

 

When I went to roll the window back-up, the window flopped back, pushed by the front of the frame at the quarter window. However, when I loosened and retightened the bolts nothing had moved. So, I’m flummoxed.

 

Why would the window now operate differently if I was unable to move anything? Sigh...It seems there is now play between the front, lower wheel and the vertical guide it runs-up. But, I can’t seem to resolve it. I did try and adjust the bolt at the back, top of the door frame that moves front/back a bit. However, that does not help. It only serves to pinch the whole assembly and stop the window from rolling-up more than about 1/3 of the way. 

 

I’m at a total loss. Any advice would be most appreciated. Most. 

 

Signed, 

 

Frustrated in Austin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jae]

Have you tried adjusting the stoppers? Loosing the bolts and they can be adjustment up or down. The top of the stoppers hit the physical “stop” on the door shell. Parts 11 and 19 on the diagram below

[Slavs]

Don't despair. Calm down and take a break.

 

Start with finding an optimum adjustment for the front rail which is a part of the triangular window frame. The window frame is fastened to to the door in many locations and you got to loosen all the bolts and nuts. Compare to the other door and the spacing between the frame and the weatherstrip. This front window frame is one of your variables.

 

The other main variable is the frame at the rear of the window. In addition to the two 10mm bolts which fasten the rail to the door at the bottom of the door, there is also a bolt mid way up and at the top. The one at the top is your final adjustment. Loosen it along with the one mid way up and pivot the rail forward. Tighten the bolt while holding the rail forward. If window is too tight, loosen the bolt and make small adjustments.

 

As somebody mentioned, the window stops actually play an important part.

 

I've adjusted many windows for 02s. They did it all by hand at the factory. Those guys must have really gotten a hang of it.

 

Slavs

[Stevenc22]

Adjusting doors and windows is an art, but you can get there with some patience. Make sure you are not missing any teeth from the window crank, that would cause problems with moving the window!

 

The frames bolt to the bottom of the door and you need to loosen those bolts to get some frame adjustment going. 

[jgerock]

Appears to be duct tape on the metal window guide.  This is the horizontal piece clamped over the glass that has a slot for the regulator.  Those can rust and fail due to water running into the window.  If broken, the window will flop around while being raised.  
 

New parts are (hopefully still) available from BMW.

[AustinOski]

@Jae - Thanks. I'll take a look again. I looked at this diagram before getting started and then couldn't really see those stoppers. I think I was fixating on the two the that were part of the door. So, the stoppers that bolt in hit the tabs on the door and that is how the stopper works. Got it.

 

@Slavs - Thanks. Yes, I knew I had to step away from the car. That's when I wrote this and thought I'd come back to it this morning. I was worried about loosening too many things (and screwing it up), since I was only trying to adjust the height. I had no "flop" like I had on the passenger side. I'll try loosing everything a bit and going from there.

 

@Stevenc22 - Based on other posts, I did check.Thanks. There is no slop in the crank action - it starts rising as soon as I start moving the crank and there is no play. Teeth all look good. It seems to be about adjustments - which I'm obviously being very, very slow to understand. I played with the passenger door for a couple of hours a few weeks back.

I improved it (it no longer hits the B pillar trim), but didn't get it exactly where it should be - but, it's better. Driver's window is a full 1/2" from going up.

 

I'll go for a run to relax, then get back at it! I'm determined to figure this out - as dense as I may be.

['76mintgrün'02]

My driver's side window mechanism had rusted through the steel 'trough' that the glass sits in, so I bought a new used one from another FAQer.  (Well, I installed the second one he sent, since the first one was also rusted through).

 

The passenger's side window would not go high enough no matter how I adjusted it and I finally learned that the lifting arm was bent.  I had bought a new used one from another FAQer and installed that.

 

While you are inside the doors, be sure to clean out the bottom of the shell, to prevent rust.  I made a little wire hooked tool to clean the dirt out of the corners and pulled a lot of it out.  I wish I had done that the first time I was inside the doors.

all of this dirt came out of that one corner.

 

While you are in there... it is a good time to clean off any caked on dried white lithium grease/dirt and lubricate everything. 

 

Do the door latch/lock push/pull rods still have the little grommets in their holes?  If not, they're still available and they will eliminate rattles.  If they are still there, I recommend spinning them 90 degrees in the hole, to expose new meat to the rod; because the rods tend to cut through at the one place they make contact.

 

Tom

[adawil2002]

Have you read this?

 

 

[AustinOski]

Thanks, all, for the input much appreciated.

 

 

@jgerock - No duct tape. That's the photo playing tricks. That is foil covered butyl adhered to the outer door skin. Parts are all rust free, having been installed new 10 years ago (and thankfully not rusted while sitting outside at the POs house in Houston for 5 years, sometimes uncovered).

 

@Jae - I looked again and figured out why I can't find the stops. There are none. When the window is up as far as it will go, nothing is within 3/4"-1" of the tabs that are part of the door frame (in the two photos).

 

@'76mintgrün'02 - Nothing bent, rusted or out of shape. This appears to me just not getting it. I'm going to try again after my noon conf call. Yeah, some surface rust on door, but clean otherwise. When I was in the passenger door I wire-brushed the rust and sprayed rust-convertor/inhibitor on it. I also put some more butyl in, first making sure the original butyl was well rolled down. Butly is a killer when not rolled properly. Moisture can get trapped under it and then...I found a bunch of unrolled butyl under the back seat when I was putting in seat belts last weekend. But, I digress.

 

@adawil2002 - I did, thanks. But I don't know enough yet to follow the directions. You say, "Loosen the 10mm bolts", but I was not sure which. They are all pretty much 10mm bolts. Didn't know if you meant specific ones or all of them. When I started I was not wanting to loosen all of them (though sounds like I should), because it was not flopping back, just not going-up all the way. I didn't want to create new problems (which I have and still not sure how).

 

I'll report back a bit later. Thanks again.

[Mike Self]

If you're still stuck (so to speak) with this,PM me and I'll send you a couple of columns I did on just this problem.  There are way too many adjustments (all unfortunately necessary) in every component of the window mechanism and frame(s), and it's a real trick to make everything play nicely together.  

 

I've done this on 3-4 different cars, and the key adjustments seem to vary from car to car.

 

mike

[AustinOski]

@Mike Self - Really appreciate that. You just may hear from me. 

[BarneyT]

AustinOski...Too many variables for me to type it out give me a call Joey when you have some time and We can talk Thur it... 512-789-3593 Barney
 

just finished mine...

Edited August 7, 2020 by BarneyT

[AustinOski]

@BarneyT - Thanks. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.

[AustinOski]