Aw Cr@p!!! Passenger side window broke loose - HELP!!!

david914 · 02-05-2003, 06:21 AM

On the way to work this morning I tried to open the passenger side window to see out (it was fogged up), heard the motor run, then a "snap, crackle, pop!". The window separated from the metal bracket that connects it to the regulator. What is the best way to secure the glass back to the bracket? Looks like this weekend will be spent taking the door apart.

HELP!

Sean Hamilton · Sean Hamilton's Garage

Bummer! And THAT was the "passenger" side? What's the bet the "drivers" side is about to chuck it in too now, out of sympathy!?

Wayne's got this project covered in his 101 book.
Goodluck!

don911 · don911's Garage

My drivers window did that a couple of years ago. I put the adhesive used for windshields in the channel. It comes in a calking tube so it's semi-easy to use. It worked great.
There should be a line on the window where the channel was. Make sure you put the window back in the same place on the channel so you don't have to go through re-adjusting the window.

david914 · 02-05-2003, 08:14 AM

Thanks for the replies! I wish I had Wayne's book in the car with me! I'll pull it off the bookshelf when I get home tonight. It figures, I just had the whole assembly out a couple of months ago (when it was nice and warm!) adjusting the window height and lubing things up.

Don, do you recall what kind of windshield adhesive you used? I assume it's available at most auto parts stores.

WERK I · WERK I's Garage

David,
I had my passenger side window pop off as yours did 18 months ago. Like you, I thought the window merely separated form the channel. After removing the inner door panel, I found the channel had weakened from rust! Had to order a used replacement window channel from PAPS or Cars, Inc(can't remember which). I wish you better luck.

Sunroof · 02-05-2003, 01:00 PM

I too had the same problem but I have the roll-up variety. That window channel closest to the door handle has a tendency of loosing its felt liner when the window get off track and moves around abit. Try to clean up the channel (lift mechanism) of old adhesive while inside the door and use the adhesive described above. You can apply enough pressure on the top of the window while you are holding the bottom of the channel to make it hold deep and well. Make sure the position is PERFECT, so practice with rasing andlowering to see where the window needs to be nested. Its an easy job............I thought getting the door components off was the most challenging. When replacing the plastic door protector before the panel good old rubber cement will do just fine. Just brush on at strategic holding points. I used my old beat up dirty plastic cover and cut out a new one from a fresh 30 gallon garage bag. Works just fine.

Regards
Bob
73.5T

JR911 · 02-05-2003, 06:43 PM

David,

I too had the same glass problem....after an email to John Walker I used some "Goop" brand Marine adhesive that was at Home Depot.

My glass rail was a little rusty, but scraped it all off. The PO must have had the same problem but who ever did the repair used some kind of calking that didn't last!!

Be sure to have the glass in the same original position while glueing.

Best of luck!

don911 · don911's Garage

David,
I got the windshield adhesive from a friend that owns a speedy auto glass shop. Don't remember the brand but any windshield place should have the stuff. One tube will do about 100 cars so you'll have a lifetime supply.
Also, if your glass popped out, your channel felt is probably old and sticky. I suggest replacing the felt as well. I'd also do that half moon shaped strip that runs horizontally on the door. New felt makes a world of difference. I did the drivers door channel felt and the strip when my window popped loose. The window travel is so much smoother now. I have been meaning to do the passenger side before is sticks and pops the window out but haven't gotten around to it.

david914 · 02-09-2003, 05:00 PM

Ok, here's the update... Saturday morning I started calling auto glass shops and after several attempts got ahold of a gut named Jerry Reed at Ace Glass here in Richmond, VA. VERY nice guy and a former Porsche owner (back in the '80s he said). He GAVE me a partially used tube, new nozzle, and spent some time giving me suggestions on the application. Absolutely refused any kind of payment for his time. If you're in Central Virginia and need any kind of glass work, he and his staff are real accomodating and seem very knowledgeable.

At any rate, I took the door apart, removed the glass and mounting bracket and brought them inside. Werk-I, my luck may be a little better than yours, but not by much. The channel is indeed rusted, but still somewhat intact. I was able to scrape the loose scale off and treat it with some navel jelly. Squirted some of the urethane window adhesive into the channel and the now clean rubber gasket, squished everything together and put the door back together.

Since this is my daily driver, and the weather lately has been kinda nuts, I didn't have the option of doing much in the "while I'm in here, let's fix this" kinda stuff. I do have a "shopping list" started though. Looks like I'll be ordering new window channel felt, rubber squeegies, inner and outer felts, and of course a replacement window channel. All in all it went rather well. Thanks to all for the advice and shoulders to lean on!

WERK I · WERK I's Garage

David,
Congrats!! Glad it wasn't too serious.

Dave
85 Factory Slant
78 911 SC Euro

david914 · 02-10-2003, 08:22 AM

Oh, and I almost forgot... As an added benefit, when I put everything back together, the window alignment changed. I had been fighting with getting the rear edge of the glass to come up high enough to meet the roof several months ago. When I reassembled everything, the rear of the glass had raised up significantly enabling me to get everything lined up! Apparently, the rust in the bottom of the channel was pushing the front part of the glass up causing the misalignment. Might be worth checking if anyone's window is creeping out of alignment...

CrossT · 05-16-2003, 05:53 PM

Ugh!

Glad I found this thread. My passenger side window glass seems to have disconnected from the mechanism and I will be looking to correct that this weekend. I haven't taken it apart, but it sounds like that is the case. Mechanism seems to work fine - the window's just come loose from it.

Between this post and Wayne's book, I am a little less depressed that I was about 20 minutes ago.

Between that and my fluctuating idle, I've got some things P-Car things to do this weekend. If my only expense is a little card cleaner for the ISV and some adhesive for the window, I'll be a happy guy.

this BBS is a real lifesaver, never seen one like it

Todd
=-=-=-=-=-=-
86 cpe

CrossT · 05-17-2003, 06:32 PM

Update.

Repaired successfully using the Marine variety of 'Goop' as was suggested by John Walker above to JR911. Worked very well. However, I aligned the channel to a new spot on the window bottom. It was too far to the right and was threatening to cause the left roller to derail.

Anyway, another small success attributable to info gained from this board.

todd
=-=-=-=-
86 cpe