window regulator replacement - not motor

rdnzl · Post by **rdnzl** » 03 May 2011, 19:41

A previous post didn't yield much, so I'll try again, with a little different subject phrasing.

Can anyone speak to the advisability/practicality of removing and replacing a window regulator? I seem to have messed one of mine up when trying (unsuccessfully) to remove it......I have a working one in my parts car, but am reluctant to try removing it (and the offending one) without some guidance as to how this is done. I don't want to repeat my mistake.

When googling "window regulator" and many variations thereof, one comes up with any number of buying opportunities, both new and used, but almost nothing on procedure......which tells me that they can indeed be removed intact, but that few DIY's mess with this - good reason?

The weather is (finally) beginning to warm up - I'd really like to be able to use this window without paying someone to correct my boo-boo.

VolvoTurbo850 · Post by **VolvoTurbo850** » 03 May 2011, 20:17

the trick to removing it is removing the whole center console on the 850 and removing it from inside the console.

rdnzl · Post by **rdnzl** » 04 May 2011, 19:19

No, no, no! This isn't a switch problem.

My terminology (regulator) may be wrong - I've got a window that won't track properly without manual assistance. This is apparently due to my ignorant and ham handed attempt to remove entirely the metal plate and attached control arms that the motor bolts to in order to gain access to the bottom of the door cavity to retrieve a small dropped part. I fussed for hours trying to figure out how this is accomplished, with no result other than apparently tweaking the thin steel control arms, resulting in geometry issues. Or so I was told, in the one response I got to my first post.

I don't want to go through the same agony with the parts car (or, for that matter, with my daily driver) only to end up with two messed up parts. So far, the only advice I've gotten has been to take it to a glass shop, which I will do, if necessary, but surely, I'm not the only one who's ever tried to accomplish this......If nothing else, corroboration of "leave it to a pro" would be appreciated, but with a spare on hand, I'd much rather tackle this myself, if I'm given some direction. The d...mned thing went in there at the factory, and there are people selling used ones on the net, so it must come out - so how is it done?

FYI, this is the front passenger side power window on a '95 850 wagon.

VolvoTurbo850 · Post by **VolvoTurbo850** » 04 May 2011, 20:05

the regulator you talk of is on the side of the door where the motor is attached.. correct?

When you say it is not tracking.. does that mean it is not going up or down without you having to hold the glass and help it along?

So you want to install a new one?

I understand your frustrated by the Tone of your response, but we are only trying to help.

rdnzl · Post by **rdnzl** » 04 May 2011, 20:23

Yes, yes and yes. And thanks for your willingness to help. Sorry if my frustration came through so loudly. I'm stuck in dial-up hell and searching can literally take hours - even more frustrating when no answers are forthcoming.

I want to make it work - whether I can re-tweak the malfunctioning one or replace it with the one from my parts car - either solution would suffice.

And the problem solver in me wants to know how or why I failed to figure out how to remove it in the first place. This information seems to be critical if I'm going to do a swap.

VolvoTurbo850 · Post by **VolvoTurbo850** » 04 May 2011, 20:40

I guess the first step is to track back and see what is not connected here or what you dislodged.

One guess would be the motor itself. It uses a gearing to move the regulator up and down and there are two arms connected at two contact points on the glass. If you removed regulator then the bolts to the motor you might have a bad mechanical connection so work with that first to see if it infact making full contact. You might want to check if you dropped something inside there the two hands connect at the pivot point of the regulator.

If that isn't then you should most likely replace the whole mechanism. This is done by removing the two clips on the window... making sure you hold the window so it does not come crashing down. Remove the regulator and then you can investigate the motor if it is bad or has a bad connection.

Don't despair, in the worse case scenario you could put the window back and tape it in place until you continue to investigate the unit and figure things out.

Taking your time and learning as you go is the best way to learn about auto repairs.

rdnzl · Post by **rdnzl** » 05 May 2011, 15:05

Well, without a step by step tutorial on how to remove the regulator, I guess I'll go back at it blind again this weekend. The weather, unlike the past 3 days, promises to be amenable. The goal will be to remove entirely the offending regulator, and probably replace it with the one from the parts car. Still can't believe, as difficult as I found this to do last weekend, that it hasn't been discussed/documented here or elsewhere. Perhaps it's just one of those things that just never gives problems, unless messed with by an ignoramus.

If I'm successful, I'll try to document the procedure - no camera, so I can't post pics - and post here. Maybe it'll help some one down the road, and ain't that what it's all about?

Thanks again for your help.

Post by **Fish stick88** » 05 May 2011, 15:13

Take lots of pictures with whatever even a phone, make sure the motor parts and brackets are aligned with the new one. pull the rear upper rubber check off and check to make sure your guide is still in place, they often break off, resolting in uncontrolled sides of the window, its an easy fix, its just hard to diagnose what your going through, pictures are worth 1000 words! Good luck!

Post by **phat78ta** » 05 May 2011, 20:49

After you get the door panel assembly off, you first need to disconnect the window from the regulator. there are two slides attached to the bottom channel of the window. they are held in place with spring clips that go through the white( I think) slides. just pop them out with a screwdriver, pull the ball ends out of the slides, and the the window will be free of the regulator. there are holes in the door skin witch will allow you to do this, you will have to move the window up or down to locate the position where BOTH of the slides are visable. watch that the window doesn't fall into the door, this is where an extra set of hands comes in handy.

once that is accomplished, you need to remove the regulator assembly from the door. Remove the perimeter screws/bolts that hold it to the door. you may need to move the regulator up/down to get it out of the door, sometimes its tricky. I'm really not sure if there is any special attachments that need to come off, as I have never had to completely remove a regulator on one of these cars(yet

). Just take your time and see if there is anything holding you up from removing it. The last thing to disconnect will be the motor wiring itself, as you may need to move the regulator arms to get it out of the door. Good luck, and I hope this helps!

Free2drive! · Post by **Free2drive!** » 06 May 2011, 03:58

Hi, the regulator is also adjustable.

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=36650

Above link should be helpful for you - I hope!

Regards
Matt