Hatch pull down motor issue
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Queens Village, NY
Car: 88 Trans am
Hatch pull down motor issue
Hi all. As you guys know that it is common that the gear warn out, housing broken causing the the hatch pull down unit don't work right?
I am almost freak out that taking 3 hrs still cant finger out whats the problem on my unit. The motor works fine up and down with the housing and the bracket when i jumped. When i put back all together, hatch is open, motor will start pull all the way down. when reach the end, motor get hotter and hotter. I am worry will catch on fire so i keep it unplug.
Any body can help me out?
I am almost freak out that taking 3 hrs still cant finger out whats the problem on my unit. The motor works fine up and down with the housing and the bracket when i jumped. When i put back all together, hatch is open, motor will start pull all the way down. when reach the end, motor get hotter and hotter. I am worry will catch on fire so i keep it unplug.
Any body can help me out?
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 5,964
Likes: 37
From: Hacienda Heights, CA
Car: 90 RS 'Vert, 88 IROC-Z, 88 Firebird
Engine: 305 ci tbi, 305 ci tpi, 350 ci tpi
Transmission: WC-T5, WC-T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.27, 3.27
Re: Hatch pull down motor issue
Hi all. As you guys know that it is common that the gear warn out, housing broken causing the the hatch pull down unit don't work right?
I am almost freak out that taking 3 hrs still cant finger out whats the problem on my unit. The motor works fine up and down with the housing and the bracket when i jumped. When i put back all together, hatch is open, motor will start pull all the way down. when reach the end, motor get hotter and hotter. I am worry will catch on fire so i keep it unplug.
Any body can help me out?
I am almost freak out that taking 3 hrs still cant finger out whats the problem on my unit. The motor works fine up and down with the housing and the bracket when i jumped. When i put back all together, hatch is open, motor will start pull all the way down. when reach the end, motor get hotter and hotter. I am worry will catch on fire so i keep it unplug.
Any body can help me out?
1. Hatch pull-down frame (where it mounts to the body with 3 screws) is too low, loosen the three 13mm screws and raise it up. Remember you must hear that CLICK. keep adjusting up until you get it to finish the down cycle.
2. The guides are not sliding easily in the track and holding it up before the down cycle competes. Disassemble, clean the track with WD40, then lube with white lithium grease or synthetic grease. Test how easily the latch assy and the guides move up and down in the track by sliding it up and down before reattching either the push nut (88-91) or bolt & nut (86-87).
3. A prior owner could have converted yours to a manual slam latch at some time by drilling and screing the latch assy to the frame damaging the track. Feel for any burrs inside the channels of the track and remove them.
4. The clear plastic housing could be broken where the 3 screws attach it to the frame. Check that it is in good shape with no cracks.
5. Something is jambing the unit as it travels down. In the convertible models there is a black angle bracket with a white switch that is pushed when the pull-down unit competes the down cycle to allow the tonneau switch to work. Make sure that switch is working right and not interfering with the down cycle.
6. Reversing switch is bad.
Lon Salgren
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 5,964
Likes: 37
From: Hacienda Heights, CA
Car: 90 RS 'Vert, 88 IROC-Z, 88 Firebird
Engine: 305 ci tbi, 305 ci tpi, 350 ci tpi
Transmission: WC-T5, WC-T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.27, 3.27
Re: Hatch pull down motor issue
double post
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Aurora IL
Car: 1988 Iroc Z
Engine: 305 TPI
Re: Hatch pull down motor issue
Your motor is not completing the "down" cycle for some reason. When it power down you MUST hear a CLICK a the end which is the reversing switch tripping to shut off the power to the motor. Your motor is not being shut off. Lots of reasons why:
1. Hatch pull-down frame (where it mounts to the body with 3 screws) is too low, loosen the three 13mm screws and raise it up. Remember you must hear that CLICK. keep adjusting up until you get it to finish the down cycle.
2. The guides are not sliding easily in the track and holding it up before the down cycle competes. Disassemble, clean the track with WD40, then lube with white lithium grease or synthetic grease. Test how easily the latch assy and the guides move up and down in the track by sliding it up and down before reattching either the push nut (88-91) or bolt & nut (86-87).
3. A prior owner could have converted yours to a manual slam latch at some time by drilling and screing the latch assy to the frame damaging the track. Feel for any burrs inside the channels of the track and remove them.
4. The clear plastic housing could be broken where the 3 screws attach it to the frame. Check that it is in good shape with no cracks.
5. Something is jambing the unit as it travels down. In the convertible models there is a black angle bracket with a white switch that is pushed when the pull-down unit competes the down cycle to allow the tonneau switch to work. Make sure that switch is working right and not interfering with the down cycle.
6. Reversing switch is bad.
Lon Salgren
1. Hatch pull-down frame (where it mounts to the body with 3 screws) is too low, loosen the three 13mm screws and raise it up. Remember you must hear that CLICK. keep adjusting up until you get it to finish the down cycle.
2. The guides are not sliding easily in the track and holding it up before the down cycle competes. Disassemble, clean the track with WD40, then lube with white lithium grease or synthetic grease. Test how easily the latch assy and the guides move up and down in the track by sliding it up and down before reattching either the push nut (88-91) or bolt & nut (86-87).
3. A prior owner could have converted yours to a manual slam latch at some time by drilling and screing the latch assy to the frame damaging the track. Feel for any burrs inside the channels of the track and remove them.
4. The clear plastic housing could be broken where the 3 screws attach it to the frame. Check that it is in good shape with no cracks.
5. Something is jambing the unit as it travels down. In the convertible models there is a black angle bracket with a white switch that is pushed when the pull-down unit competes the down cycle to allow the tonneau switch to work. Make sure that switch is working right and not interfering with the down cycle.
6. Reversing switch is bad.
Lon Salgren
ive done that but the unit will not raise if its in the down position should I know something about the reverse switch or what cuz if I bolt it on its in the down position, it use to be in the up position before I replace every part and I don't get why
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Aurora IL
Car: 1988 Iroc Z
Engine: 305 TPI
Re: Hatch pull down motor issue
Your motor is not completing the "down" cycle for some reason. When it power down you MUST hear a CLICK a the end which is the reversing switch tripping to shut off the power to the motor. Your motor is not being shut off. Lots of reasons why:
1. Hatch pull-down frame (where it mounts to the body with 3 screws) is too low, loosen the three 13mm screws and raise it up. Remember you must hear that CLICK. keep adjusting up until you get it to finish the down cycle.
2. The guides are not sliding easily in the track and holding it up before the down cycle competes. Disassemble, clean the track with WD40, then lube with white lithium grease or synthetic grease. Test how easily the latch assy and the guides move up and down in the track by sliding it up and down before reattching either the push nut (88-91) or bolt & nut (86-87).
3. A prior owner could have converted yours to a manual slam latch at some time by drilling and screing the latch assy to the frame damaging the track. Feel for any burrs inside the channels of the track and remove them.
4. The clear plastic housing could be broken where the 3 screws attach it to the frame. Check that it is in good shape with no cracks.
5. Something is jambing the unit as it travels down. In the convertible models there is a black angle bracket with a white switch that is pushed when the pull-down unit competes the down cycle to allow the tonneau switch to work. Make sure that switch is working right and not interfering with the down cycle.
6. Reversing switch is bad.
Lon Salgren
1. Hatch pull-down frame (where it mounts to the body with 3 screws) is too low, loosen the three 13mm screws and raise it up. Remember you must hear that CLICK. keep adjusting up until you get it to finish the down cycle.
2. The guides are not sliding easily in the track and holding it up before the down cycle competes. Disassemble, clean the track with WD40, then lube with white lithium grease or synthetic grease. Test how easily the latch assy and the guides move up and down in the track by sliding it up and down before reattching either the push nut (88-91) or bolt & nut (86-87).
3. A prior owner could have converted yours to a manual slam latch at some time by drilling and screing the latch assy to the frame damaging the track. Feel for any burrs inside the channels of the track and remove them.
4. The clear plastic housing could be broken where the 3 screws attach it to the frame. Check that it is in good shape with no cracks.
5. Something is jambing the unit as it travels down. In the convertible models there is a black angle bracket with a white switch that is pushed when the pull-down unit competes the down cycle to allow the tonneau switch to work. Make sure that switch is working right and not interfering with the down cycle.
6. Reversing switch is bad.
Lon Salgren
and how do u adjust it, it wont move even when I took it back off
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