Rear quarter window installation

[The German]

Some days ago Adam told us about the problems he had with Quarter Window Rollers. That remembered me that I had a similar problem in summer. Now I found some time to tell you that story which could be of help for you when getting the same problem sometime :

On a Sunday in July I enjoyed my car driving through the sunshine but suddenly I had a big problem. I opened the rear quarter windows and when lowering that one on the drivers side it happened : I heard a noise, something like "kling-klong", and I stopped the window; I thought about what could be wrong but didn´t know. Then I thought it might be better to close the window again and have a look to its mechanic at home. So I pressed the switch to close it and it moved upwards without a problem but then there was again this noise of "kling-klong"; immediately I stopped the window but too late - the window felt into its shaft - with a greater noise of course !

I stopped the car and looked for the window. I could not see it clearly in its shaft and I could not get it out. So I drove home, took away the back seat and side panel and found that the 2 sash channel bolts and nuts, which normally hold the window, were away – lying at the bottom of the window shaft together with the glass behind the sash channel construction. It took me 15 min. to get it out. It got 2 scratches but no break and the roller were okay too – that was luck within bad luck. I thought the rest would be easy - only fixing the bolts and nuts again – but now started a long work.

The first (the rear) screw was fixed after another 15 min. but the other one was very difficult to bring into its position. And when I had it in the correct position I could not turn it in the way needed to fasten it because the space for my hands was too small. After 2 hours trying I began thinking about other possibilities because the manual has no practical information how to fasten these bolts. And I wanted to solve the problem without taking away the window together with its sash channel, because I feared new problems of adjusting it when I had to install it again.

So this was my Idea : I prepared 2 rubber films taken from a bicycles wheel hose as a protection for the glass (one on the left, one on the right side of the glass). Second function of the rubber is to hold the sash channel nut in place even when torque comes from the mechanic to the sash channel bolt (when the window moves ) which could loosen nut or bolt again by turning it. The nut on the left side and the sash channel bushing on the other side of the glass is pressed into the rubber now and will not allow turning the bolt and the nut. (I hope you can understand me at this point – my English is not good enough to be able to explain it in a better way). Next step was that I replaced the original sash channel bolt with a normal screw which goes through the hole of the original sash channel nut which has the function of a washer now. To prevent the glass from rubbing on the bushing part of the sash channel nut I added a short cut of a plastic hose. I could bring in this parts easily and I fixed that screw with 2 normal nuts on a great washer so that I´m sure now that it will not loosen again. ( I took some pictures of my construction but they are too dark and not sharp enough – they can´t help to get better understanding. Therefore I made a drawing hoping that this will help – I guess it´s even better than a photography. )

Then I tested the window and it worked good ! I made a new layer of grease onto the sash channel cam where the window guide rollers are running and tested the window again – now it run up and down better than I´ve seen it ever before ! But all in total was more than 5 hours work and that on a Sunday evening !

Next day I added those 2 rubbers to the other (original) screw to ensure that this one will not loosen again also and I looked to the other window, but found this one in good condition. It also has something like my added rubber film to avoid losening the screws. In spite of that it might be better to prepare it in the same way (?) but up to now I didn´t.

Perhaps this story might be helpful for someone if having the same problem sometime.
For that possibility I told you about my trouble and my idea how to solve the problem without taking away the window together with its sash channel !

On the other hand my problem could be only an easy thing for our experienced friends – therefore : Is there anyone knowing an easier and better method to reassemble loosened rear quarter window bolts and ensuring that they can not loosen themselves ? And is it a problem that occurs often ?
_______________
Rolf

[Robroy]

Gosh Rolf,
You really have put down a lot of work in sharing this with us!
It will surely come to use for anyone with similar problems. :xyxthumbs:

Also I was working with adjusting windows this summer.
My left rear quarter window was a lot harder to pull down than the one on the right. So when I had the back seat out anyway this summer, installing the stereo, I took the opportunity to try and do something about it.
I figured it would be tricky to adjust since the window moves in three dimensions, so as a precaution I started with setting a mark on every adjustable spot (see pict). That way I could always go back to the original settings. And that was just what I did after playing with the adjustments for a while. I did however grease up the slot and let that rub in pulling the window up and down.
At the end the window was a lot easier to pull down than before, but still not as smooth the right rear quarter window. I accepted this thinking our cars not always being as exact in the detail body work which in a way is part of the charm with them.:D

[The German]

... ... You really have put down a lot of work in sharing this with us!
It will surely come to use for anyone with similar problems. ... ...

I hope so, Per, because I´m really convinced up to now that my construction is better than the original !


... ...so as a precaution I started with setting a mark on every adjustable spot (see pict). That way I could always go back to the original settings. ... ...

That´s a good idea, Per. I thought about it also but then was too anxious to forget a little detail and so I didn´t risk to dismantle the whole constuction.


... ...At the end the window was a lot easier to pull down than before, but still not as smooth the right rear quarter window.... ...

Perhaps the sash channel bolts are a little bit too hard fixed. So it could be better to use my construction because then it´s possible to let a very small gap between the parts and fix the screw with the 2 nuts good enough in spite of that. On the other hand if it´s working good enough now I wouldn´t change anything.

Thanks for sharing your story regarding that problem, Per.
__________________
Rolf

[73 Centurion]

One point for the convertible owners is the rod that holds the rain gutter can interfere with the rear window if it's not in the right place. I had to bend mine on the passenger side so the window wouldn't hang up on it.

The windows are very adjustable but getting them lined up with the convertible roof can be a pain, because the roof doesn't always land in exactly the same spot.

The windows in the doors slide up and down a pipe in the door. This pipe should be smooth and greased. Mine had some burrs that made the window stutter. A little time with sand paper and a regreasing smoothed the operation significantly.

If you have power windows the electrical connections are not particularly weather proof. If you have them apart you should lightly sand the posts and use a small file to clean the sockets. A little electrical grease will improve the connection and control the corrosion. Just use it sparingly.

One last word of caution, if you have power windows they are very powerful and will happily eat any fingers near them while they are working.

John