TheSamba.com :: View topic - Window Regulator How-To

Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:04 pm

Wild Bill wrote: fergy1008 wrote:
Now I just need a little warmer weather. Thank You for the post.

Worked on my bus and bug today...Short sleeve weather..67F..Move to Florida!! lol :wink:
And thats a cold winter day down here.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:36 pm

PEI Jonny wrote: Hi everyone, wow what a great tutorial! I was terrified to do this! but now it doesn't seem so bad! one question though...what if I can not roll the window down to get the glass out? has anyone encountered this? my mechanism is broken which means I can't roll the window down, luckily it broke as I was putting up the window, that would've made for a chilly ride home! thanks
If the window is cranked all the way up, you can unbolt the glass from the regulator through these two slotted holes. I think you'll be ok if you unbolt everything else and work the glass out. After that you might be able to force the regulator straight down (the part that moves up/down with the crank)...though I didn't try it. I suppose you could try to use the crank while pushing down on the glass???

Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:31 am

I had to take the regulator bolts out through those oval slots. My regulator was so badly rusted that the crank would not turn at all.

I really liked this tutorial. Awesome attention to detail, and very good step by step illustrations. Without it, it would have taken me forever to get my regulator out!!

Thanks a bunch!!!!!

Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:12 pm

This is the best How-To I have read in a long time. :)

Fri May 15, 2009 8:10 am

Before I would do this and possibly run into a huge snag - is the procedure any different for a convertible door?

Thanks - awesome write up.

Sat May 16, 2009 2:56 pm

awsome post . after reading this i went and fixed both of my windows . thganks for the pics , it made the difference .

Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:41 pm

Thank you! My 74 Bug is now one step closer to being my daily driver - it no longer takes both hands and lots of swearing to roll the driver's window up or down. The amount of gunk and rust in that channel was amazing - now it moves smoothly. I'll get the passenger's side later - at this point I'm concentrating on the stuff that keeps me from driving.

Stray Catalyst

Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:02 pm

Thank you so much for the teriffic write-up. I knew my regulators needed work, but without this thread I would have just left it as-is, because I would screw something up. Passenger's side took about 3 hours (did that first...), driver's side took about an hour...lol

Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:48 pm

Wow, nicely done. I had to replace the driver's side window in my Super Beetle a few years ago, when someone threw a rock at it... but I don't remember having removed the vent window, which is probably why it was rather difficult to install the new regulator. I got it in, but the window rolls down beyond the door frame, if you're not careful, and it takes a little more effort to roll it up than to roll it down. Gah.

Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:51 pm

Great tutorial. Hardest part was getting the vent window out...... Other then that about an hour job, now its time for the passenger window.

Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:46 pm

If you loosen the 2 regulator bolts will the window just free fall or is something else holding it up?

Mon Aug 03, 2009 5:14 pm

See steps 7 and 9...the window won't free fall since the bottom of the regulator is in the way. You'll have to pull it toward you to provide enough clearance to remove the window. Just be careful with it.

Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:01 am

Nice post,

one question regarding the metal parts. Is anyone as anal as i am and while i do have my Ghia c o m p l e t e l y dis-assembled, :roll: what rust prevention do you guys use on such parts? White Zinc is that i have heard. Just wondering.....

Thanks so much,
Scooter

Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:44 pm

very nice tutorial :wink:

Thu Mar 25, 2010 8:01 am

I would like to know if anyone has a tutorial on replacement of outside scraper with aluminum trim and inside scraper?

Thanks
O'Connell
restoration of 67 bug
drive 73 Fat chick

Mon May 10, 2010 7:03 pm

For anyone that reads this before they try this project, lucky you.

I spent about 12 hours trying to get the regulator reinstalled numerous times on my "74 beetle, Bruises up the arm!! I had read up about the process but no mention of the vent window pillar causing such a major hang up. I got the problem solved by using a small pry bar in the door opener bracket and pushing it gently out the open window. This gave just enough clearance between the inside door panel and the bottom of the pillar to get the regulator to slide in. This probably not the ideal way but it worked with no damage to the metal or frame.

Appreciate your time on this!

Tue May 11, 2010 4:30 am

Thanks for the insight.
oconnell

Tue May 11, 2010 12:03 pm

Look's like a nice write up. Especially for someone who has never seen the inside of the door.

In case your car doesn't have a vapor barrier on the door.
A hot glue gun and clear plastic from Home Depot works great after the regulator rebuild/replacement.

Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:14 pm

Thanks for the excellent writeup. I'm still having trouble...

We need to replace the whole lift assembly on the driver's side of a 1969 Type 2- after spending all afternoon on it, removing every bolt, and even going so far as cutting the old lift assembly out (!), we still can't get the glass out. All instructions we can find make it sound as if you just take out a few bolts and the glass comes out the bottom - but it seems as though the tracks are keeping us from being able to angle the glass so it will come out. We also removed the bottom bolt from the rear track and it still won't come out.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks!

Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:01 pm

Loved all the detail and photos and I think you just helped with one of my problems.my vent window look like they are trimmed in rust. Can I get new ones or should I just have them replated :?: :?: