I read somewhere that there is a way to bolt the gear to the door to keep the spring from ripping your fingers off when you pull the window motor. I have already pulled the motor, almost broke my glass and definately buggered my tint pulling the gear back down. When I got tired of holding the thing I let it go slowly to release the tension and the spring came off inside the door. Im going to reload the tension onto it but want to see if someone can tell me where this mysterious bolt hole is so I can secure it and continue with my motor replacement. Its been in the garage for a few weeks now and its driving me CRAZY! Anyone know? Please clue me in so I can get this done without fear of loosing digits!!
Thanks in advance,
Steve
84 Firebird S/E

 

The window moves up and down because the motor pushes a half-moon shaped gear up and down. That gear is spring loaded. I highly recommend clamping down and securing the gear and spring assembly before removing the motor from the regulator. There are two rather large holes in both the regulator arm, and the gear, I shoved a screwdriver in both those holes at the same time, effectively stopping movement, and greatly increasing my safety. The gear would have the effect of a circular saw if allowed to spring loose, I cannot stress the importance of securing the gear enough..

This is a copy paste from:

https://www.thirdgen.org/powerwindows

 

Could someone point out in this picture just where the gear and spring are located? From what I've read we should be careful when removing the motor assembly from the regulator as there is a spring under tension.

Thanks
TXF

 

I can answer that one...
Bottom right corner of the pic you can see the bottom half of the motor assembly... The spring loaded gear is actually attached to the motor. When you drill the rivits out of the interior door skin you need to already have that gear secured cause when you pull that motor off its going to go off like a 12 gage! If you look inside the door by the motor you cant miss that gear. Thats what needs clamped/bolted/secured from movement. I almost broke the glass and scratched the crap out of my tint when I took the motor off.
Hind sight, I would recommend taking it to a shop and have it done. Im thru tearing my apart but now have a major issue with the tension spring/gear and am pulling my hair out trying to get it back together.
Good luck!!

 

Thanks for the reply. I am leaning toward taking it to a shop. This is much more of a challenge that I originally thought.

TXF

 

I've had mine out a couple times. I just removed the complete regulator with the motor attached. Replaced the motor on a bench and reinstalled.

 

I lucked out...
Some unlucky soul before me had already taken the motor out and used bolts, so it came out easily with assembly & spring.. I found a window motor guy on Craigslist locally, brought him the arm / spring / motor and a new motor... a few days later & $20 later, I got it back from him...

Definitely a second set of hands to install / remove is great..

Raf

 

~groan~

I am learning this the hard way: BRING IT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN DO THIS.

Basically, the OEM motor was riveted in the door so you have to pop these and then deal with the spring loaded gear.

Definitely a three wrencher.

 

I did mine in the method explained in this thread, using a piece of wood to hold the glass up, before the motor was removed. It wasn't difficult:


https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...tall-easy.html