OK, well tonight I tried to change my power window motor. So I get the door handle and control panels off, not too bad, then I get the inside door panel off.
OK, so its off, Now I am reading the article written by McGyver and he said take off the 4 rivets to get the motor out, Hey there are 4 rivets right in the middle of the door holding a metal bracket on, but wait, whats this thing on the lower right? 'look at chiltons book' oh its the power lock actuator, ok so I pop out the 4 rivents and take the braket off, but where is the motor??

You know that power lock actuator looks a lot like my new motor S#$&
Then what was this braket, oh man, it was the armrest bracket, argg.
But I only see 2 rivets holding the motor on, and where is the actuater and guides? I cant see anything but half the motor, 90% of the door is covered by sheet metal. What am I supposed to do? see? Go by touch? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Chris
sorry this got so long

 

92,

I hope you have access to a large rivet setter. Body shops usually have them, so you may be able to borrow one. Screws just don't work verk well in those locations, since they tend to work loose with vibration and motion. I've had some success with grade-8 1/4-28 machine screws and nuts, with liberal LocTite 262, but they sometimes fail, too.

As for the window motor, if you look inside the door with a mirror, you should be able to locate all the rivets you need to cut.

 

in the link contained in my signature, there are pictures of the window regulators with motors attached.

be very careful if removing the motor from the regulator as the large counterweight spring can have a significant amount of tension behind it, enough to seriously injure or amputate a finger or two. regulator arms are secured in the window tracks, but sometimes the wheels slip out when banging around inside the door.

 

Alright, well I got the motor, tracks and regulator out, and I got the old motor off, but I lost the hardware to put the new motor on, so I have to get some.
I dont have easy access to a riveter. But I got some bolts and lock nuts and I am going to put some thread locker on it that I got from my trans mount, If it doesnt work I'll go get it riveted.

Man getting this thing back in the door will be near impossible, its got to gwt in somehow.

Chris

thanks for the responses Vader and 2VModular

 

I had a helluva time with mine too.
I didn't even bother with bolts. I didn't want to run into the "working loose" problems associated with them and the vibrations.
If you want.....get some rivets from GM. You'll also need the riveter called "Big Daddy"
Autozone or any of the other auto stores that lend tools should have one.

 

OK, well I get a riverter to put the motor back on the regulator and started it back into the door. I was working it into the door when I noticed one of the rivets worked itself out, Damn

So I start working it out wgen SNAP The other rivets gave, the spring snapped loose and came apart leaving a nice little gash on my thumb, but all digits are accounted for. So I am just going to bring it to the dealer to have them put the motor and regulator together and hopefully they will hold.
Geez this is far more than I bargained for.

 

It is definitely a pita.
It's a lot easier though when you have a friend helping.

 

Yes it was but later on day 3 I got back to it and managed to finish it. I had my dad there to maneuver the window, otherwise it would have been near impossible to do alone.

As soon I got the right rivets in the motor I finished it relatively quickly, a neighbor told me how to rivet so that it would hold, and I got the spring back on myself. I despised the thought of having to limp to a shop to have them do it, My pride wouldn't allow it .
Just one more experience to add to the list. I should be able to build a car from scrach before too long now.

 

Glad you finally got the job done...it is a definite PITA. I checked every auto and hardware store in my area and couldn't find a riveter large enough for the necessary rivets. I even checked the tool rental shops. I wound up bringing the car to a glass shop, where the mechanic put everything back on for a 6-pack.