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Window regulator woes

Started by raueda1, 20 April 2021, 08:09 PM

raueda1

In the course of various other door fixes I've now arrived at the windows.  In particular, the drivers-side window.  It has been a bit slow and labored as long as I've had the car.  Today I got all the guides/rails/etc cleaned of old grease and regreased.  That helped substantially. 

However, for the life of me, I can't seem to get the rail(s?) adjusted to my liking.  No matter what I do the window rocks back and forth a little (or a lot) and doesn't stay firmly against the channel to the rear of the door along its travel.  It will seat firmly, but only when the window gets to the very top of its travel.  I have the manuals and I've also searched extensively.  Yet the procedure in the manual (section 72-196) just isn't working for me.  There doesn't seem to be any combination of adjustments of the vertical rail (3) or window lifting rail (5) that eliminates the window wobble (numbers refer to section 72-196).

Now it It occurs to me that maybe it's actually OK if the window wobbles a little when it's partly down?  And that the adjustment just minimizes the wobble and then it seats when it's all the way at the top?  If so that would be a sloppy design IMO, but who knows?  Still, I noticed that my passenger window also wobbles a little.  [It's worth noting that the relubed driver window is now faster than the passenger window.]

The good news is that I got a new weatherstrip installed on the door with a minimum or drama.  Hardest was getting the old one out.  I'm pretty sure it was original and very degraded so it just broke up into a zillion tiny pieces.  I used URO weatherstrips and it fits fine.  I slathered Armorall (silicone!) spray all over first and they squeezed right into place.  It does take more effort to close the door but that probably just means they're working properly.  I have a feeling that the car is going to be a lot quieter now.

Anyway, if anybody has any window advice it would be great.  Thanks as always and cheers,
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

revilla

A wobble by design in a MB device?
You must be kidding, right?
The instructions in the manual are correct and precise. Never doubt the manual, never. Your white plastic rail sliders are worn, that's all. Or one of the 2 bars are loose due to i.e. body corrosion. Or there's a deformation due to a previous crash damage.  I've seen that being the case many times before. For the worn plastic slider, just put the one on your LR window in, you'll see. Or place the worn one from your LF "up-side-down" to test on window-almost-up position. You'll see the big difference.  But you can't leave it there as your window won't go all the way down by a few millimeters.
Good luck

rumb

Consider that the regulators warp and may be hampering alignment.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

daantjie

#3
Lube, lube, lube is the key as well:)  I found that using some light application of silicone type spray in the channels where the window runs in the frame itself also helps, but yes I concur with all that has been said so far, this is yet another one of those Benz cases where it works fantastically well, ONLY if all aspects are 100% to spec.
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

raueda1

Quote from: revilla on 21 April 2021, 12:44 AMA wobble by design in a MB device?  You must be kidding, right?
Yeah, didn't seem likely.  But nothing surprises me anymore.   :o

Quote from: revilla on 21 April 2021, 12:44 AMThe instructions in the manual are correct and precise. Never doubt the manual, never.
I never doubt the manual - except when it doesn't seem to work, as in this case.  In some cases there will be a comment along the lines of "...if XYZ can not be adjusted then the frommelspitzglump is worn and must be replaced."  So it's good that this forum exists.  :)

Quote from: revilla on 21 April 2021, 12:44 AMYour white plastic rail sliders are worn, that's all. Or one of the 2 bars are loose due to i.e. body corrosion. Or there's a deformation due to a previous crash damage.  I've seen that being the case many times before. For the worn plastic slider, just put the one on your LR window in, you'll see. Or place the worn one from your LF "up-side-down" to test on window-almost-up position. You'll see the big difference.  But you can't leave it there as your window won't go all the way down by a few millimeters. Good luck
There's no corrosion anyplace, nor sign of a crash.  In fact, the inside of the door was far, far better than I expected.  Just a film of dirty grease all over.  So, that leaves the sliders or "sliding jaws."  I'll swap others as you suggest.  I'm trying to find new ones but they seem to be very scarce.  We'll see what the Classic Center says.  If they're unavailable I'll swap the ones in the rear.  Thanks much!  I'll report back with my findings.....    Cheers,
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

raueda1

Quote from: rumb on 21 April 2021, 07:08 AM
Consider that the regulators warp and may be hampering alignment.
That's my worst nightmare.  Is there any way to tell?
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

raueda1

Quote from: daantjie on 21 April 2021, 10:37 AM
Lube, lube, lube is the key as well:)  I found that using some light application of silicone type spray in the channels where the window runs in in the frame itself also helps, but yes I concur with all that has been said so far, this is yet another one fo those Benz cases where it works fantastically well, ONLY if all aspects are 100% to spec.
I'll lube the channels, though I'm pretty sure that's not the issue - unless, that is, they're too loose from rubber aging/shrinkage and introducing slack. 

Anyway, working backwards, per the everything-must-be-100% rule, if replacing the worn sliding jaws doesn't work, per revilla, then the regulator is warped?  Thanks and cheers,
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

raueda1

Good news  from the Classic Center.  The sliding jaws 116 720 0142 and 116 720 0242 are available (from Germany).  The small clip on the jaw holder 116 720 00 42 is now apparently NLA.  I seem to have got the last one.  New sliders all around are much preferable to swapping from the back doors.  ;D  Cheers,
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

BCK1963

Can you specify 'frommelspitzglump'??  maybe provide a part number?  ;)
Bernd

1976 Merc 6.9   Magnetit blue

revilla

#9
Quote from: raueda1 on 21 April 2021, 10:40 AM
I'll report back with my findings.....

Did you receive/replace those sliders to test the hypothesis?
Agree, just adding grease definitely won't solve the problem here.

Different subject I know, but too lazy this morning... how about that leak on the locking vacuum system? Was it the air flow switch?

raueda1

Quote from: revilla on 12 May 2021, 10:56 PM
Quote from: raueda1 on 21 April 2021, 10:40 AM
I'll report back with my findings.....

1. Did you receive/replace those sliders to test the hypothesis?
Agree, just adding grease definitely won't solve the problem here.

Different subject I know, but too lazy this morning... 2. how about that leak on the locking vacuum system? Was it the air flow switch?
1.  Yes, got the sliders.  Just did drivers door for the time being.  Made a very large improvement, though not what I'd say 100% perfect.  There's a tiny tilt as the window seats at the top but no normal person would notice.  Window motor also labored a bit towards the very top.  I had actually been bit concerned that it would give out entirely.   Now speed is much more uniform.  Will do passenger window next.  Fixed!

2.  The switch was bad, for sure.  Replacing that fixed the locking circuit but there's still another leak someplace.  I suspect the cruise control servo which was on the same circuit as the lock.  I'm confirming that now.  I'll likely just plug it off for the time being cause cruise doesn't work anyway.  Partial fix!
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0