Disclaimer: These instructions are
for an early (e.g. '63-'65) Riviera.
It's quite likely that the window
performance has degraded over the years, as the tracks and motors
tend to get gummed up and the old lube just ain't what it used to
be.
Cleaning and re-lubing the window
guides and motors will solve most of the problems (don't overlube).
It does help to disassemble and clean the motors. On the front
windows, it may help to replace the channel lining as well. The rear
windows are a major PITA, but the results will help to ease the
pain. Unfortunately, there's no
easy way to do this. I would suggest doing the front and rear as a
pair. All of this disassembly will change your existing alignment,
and the front and rear windows need to work together to form a good
seal and operate smoothly. This all sounds like a lot of work; it
is. It will take you all day (and expand your vocabulary
enormously), but I can now cut meat (or decapitate passengers) with
my windows.
To redo the rear windows, you must
first remove the backseat (seat and back), armrests, and side
panels. I would suggest completely removing the entire system:
motor, regulator, glass, and guides. It's much easier to work on
that way, and you'll get much better results. It also helps to
remove the lock pillar filler (the U-shaped rubber seal at the front
of the window). Then:
- Clean all the old grease and dirt out of the guides (scrape
and/or degreaser).
- Remove the regulator from the motor (note the position of the
spring and make sure it doesn't cut your hand off when the spring
lets go:)).
- Remove the big nylon gear from the motor and clean out all the
old grease from the gear itself and the motor housing.
- Take the motor apart (take out the two screws, lift out the
plate the holds the brushes, and pull out the shaft), clean any
corrosion off the commutator (copper "plates" that rub against the
brushes), blow out all the junk in there, clean the old lube out
of the worm gear, lube the shaft ends, and reassemble. Don't pass
this up; cleaning the motor can make a *big* difference.
- Pack the nylon gear with grease, relube the worm gear, lube
the shaft on the nylon gear, and reattach the regulator to the
motor.
- Lube the regulator.
- Make sure the nylon rollers on the window and regulator turn
freely. If they're stuck, you can often free them up by soaking
them in penetrating oil and turning them. You can flush out the
junk in them by repeatedly re-oiling until they turn smoothly.
- LIGHTLY lube the window guides.
- Reassemble and realign (notice how I gloss over this part?).
It's a pain in the *ss to get the window rollers back into the
guide. It may be easier to remove the top 2 mounting studs on the
guide so you can move it around more. It's definitely easier to
have someone else hold the window in place. You can put the studs
back in the guides after the window rollers are inside the guide
tracks. Adjust the window travel and alignment using the
mounting studs on the guides.
- I used common household caulking to reseal the access plates.
Put a nice bead down, and it will squish into place as you tighten
the screws.
The front windows may work well because they're broken. The
bottom arm on the window often breaks at the pivot. If that happened
to you, don't worry about it; it doesn't appear to be required for
window operation. The first step is to
remove the door skin, take out the window glass, then remove and
clean the guides, regulator, and motor. Aside from taking off the
door skin, the fronts are much easier, as everything's right in
front of you and you can see what you're doing. Special notes: the
front run channel may be worn; you can get replacements from Steele
Rubber. Don't forget to take out the screw at the top. If the rear
channel's worn:
- Buy a roll of Velvalure tape from Steele Rubber.
- Scrape out all the old lining.
- Use the tape to reline the channel. You'll need to trim the
tape, as it's too wide. I found it easier to do after
installation. NOTE: the channel is crimped at the edges where it
held the original lining in place. Trim the tape at the edge of
the crimp; you can run a knife right along the groove. Don't wrap
it around the edge of the channel; there won't be enough clearance
for the rear part of the window, and it will bind.
If you're redoing the windows, you might also consider replacing
your weatherstripping at the same time. Note that some of the
original weatherstripping is stapled to the reveal molding.
Replacement parts attach using the screws that hold the reveal
molding in place. If you pull your inside door panels, remember that
they are glued against the door with caulking. After you take out
the 4 screws at the bottom and pop the mounting clips on the front
and back edges, you'll still need to pull the panel away from the
door. You can get all the parts you need for all of this from Steele
Rubber (prices correct when I wrote this):
Part |
Part number |
Quantity |
Price |
roof rail weatherstrip kit
|
50-0426-68 |
1 |
$89.90 |
division post channel kit
|
70-1886-62 |
1 |
$33.80 |
Velvalure tape |
70-1177-65 |
1 |
$10.90 |
door bumpers |
33-0505-71 |
1 |
$3.70 |
quarter window edge molding
|
50-0428-80 |
1 |
$16.60 |
beltline kit |
80-0502-57 |
1 |
$72.30 |
lock pillar filler |
70-1573-79 |
1 |
$30.80 |
If you order from Bob's
Automobilia, you save 10% on the listed prices. |