[appologies for posting elsewhere what should be posted here]...

My 1993 F150 XLT 4x4 5.0L has suffered from dragging glass caused by dirty window seals on the perimiter of the glass. This drag eventually caused the metal U-shapped support channel (approx. 1ft. long), which grips the bottom of the glass and is connected to the regulator mechanism, to pull off of the glass.

After doing the "3 nut" fix on my window motors, and installing new permiter seals, I'm ready to reassemble the two doors, but cannot find any information on how to install the glass with the new bottom edge U-seal in the metal U-channel that holds it. Based on several previous attempts of putting the channel on the glass, all of which eventually came back apart, I hope there is some process to get it to stay together.

This doesn't seem like a huge deal and must be a very common repair, but after extensive searching I can find no information on the net about the process of assembling the window in the channel.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

hummm...no one has worked on their windows?

Any chance someone could check their Chiltons or Haynes books for info related to installing the bottom window channel?

Thanks.

 

My Haynes says " if the glass is to be replaced, it must be removed and new glass installed in the glass channel by a glass shop with the special tools required for the job". . Take that for what it's worth . I worked at the louisville assembly plant for a few years and installed many rear door glass. It was a simple operation at the factory. Just drop in and it snapped in place. I believe if the channel is new that is all that's needed. Isn't it just spring metal ? It's been fifteen years so my memory has faded a bit.
I also did the quarter inch nut fix on my 94 window motor . I used six . Double stacked . Now it seems like it rolls up too hard . How did it work out for you ?

 

Oops , sorry , I see you used 3

 

Thanks for your reply....

Regarding the window channel...
The channel itself is pretty rigid...looks to be formed from 16Ga or thicker, so rigid that I resisted my inclination to 'adjust' it for a tighter fit on the glass. The replacement seal came flat, with protective peel-off tape on one side only and, of course, no instructions. The side with the peel off had just a hint of stickyness on it, but I wouldn't call it adhesive. I cleaned the glass and put the kindy sticky side on the glass, then beat the channel onto the seal. So far its working, but I expect to revisit this problem later when it pulls off again.

Regarding the 3-nut fix and roll-up speed.
Once I got the window all reassembled, I too thought that the window rolled up too slowly...rolling down seemed just fine. Thinking the resistance of the new permiter channel seals was too high, I messed around with the seal fit in the permiter channel, and sprayed silicone in the window track. This seemed to help some. With the nut fix and the seal replacement, there is too much going on on this repair to tell exactly what is going on, however I have to do the driver side window as well. Fortunately the motor is still good on that side, so I'll be able to see how the original motor runs with a new seal, and can then tell if the motor is a factor in the window speed or if it is all seal. I'll post back when I get it done.

At this point, I tend to recommend the silicone in the tracks. I saw a couple of Youtube videos on the repair that recommended the silicone, so that gave me the courage to risk it. I also note that in one of the videos, wherein the poster made no mention of a motor problem, I noticed that the window seemed to noticably strain when raising with the new channel seals.

Thanks again for responding. I was beginning to feel kinda lonley here.

 

It's always going to be lonely working alone. When I installed the glass in the explorers I don't remember any seal on the glass being dropped in. It must have been in the channel prior. I did all the jobs up and down the line just been a long time. I still think that if it's a quality part that dropping the glass in the spring metal channel should do the trick. If the slide is good then shouldn't it just fall into place and latch ? I would drop it in wiggle it side to side and then actually pull the glass back up to about three forths closed. They were all power windows in the explorers and all the mechanics were installed inside the door. It was just learning to have the right force to get it to lock into place. I have a focus also, which a passenger window was replaced by a "come to the house glass shop" and it has never fit in the channel tightly. I finally just cut the window out of the circuit and don't roll it down. I don't imagine with you sounding as mechanical as you are that this should be a problem. My focus door was damaged and I believe it was just too much drag for a re-used channel to grip to the glass. Keep me in touch with what happens with you. I also have a post with the cruise on my 94 f150. I'd appreciate any help there.

 

And as far as the 6 nut repair on my window motor , it just seems that it rolls up and down with too much force. I know the plastic dowels were there for safety but I'm wondering if I should have stuck with just the three nuts and not double them up. What type do silicone spray did you use on the slides ? W.d.40 ?

 

I have never seen the "3 nut" repair done with 6 nuts, so I can't help you there. I stumbled upon the process accidently while searching youtube for another repair. As I mentioned, I'll post again after I do the driver's side window without the motor repair. Then I'll have a good comparison of the "new seal vs. 3-nut motor" issue. I do remember that when I tested the repaired motor prior to installing it in the door, it ran fine in both directions.

Based on a youtube window channel seal repair, when I noticed the apparent resistance to rolling up (but not down), I sprayed generic spray silicone in the track. It took a couple of applications with a good amount applied to make a noticeable effect...but it definitely helped. I worried that the spray application in the window channels might eventual gum up the window travel and begin to restrict motion. Time will tell.

I also note that one of the videos suggested applying silicone paste...what looked like a silicone grease, to the outside of the seals as they are slid into the door frame. I didn't do this, since I couldn't easily locate a similar product at Oriley's or Autozone. I only sprayed the glass channel. I think there is a possibility that the greasing (silicone ONLY, since a petrolium product will degrade many rubbers) might ease the full expansion of the seal in the channel, thereby reducing the pressure on the glass. I'm no expert, and I don't play on on TV, but I would NOT use wd40.

One lesson to be learned here is that, no matter the age of your vehicle, window installations should be considered a consumable resource, with dedicated periodic detailed cleaning and maintenance. The modern design of actually bolting through the window seems to be a good idea.

 

WD-40 is not silicone - you need silicone spray. WD-40 is a lot rougher on rubber parts. Easy to find, any hardware store or other store with a hardware section.

 

I'm having problems getting the wiper seals to install. These are from LMC, and I've already had one replaced by them with the same result. See passenger side picture.

I considered just going OEM to be done with it, but the local ford dealer wants $100 apiece for the seals, while the LMC price is $19.95 each.

Any ideas?