Window Crank Problem
 

Posted this on World without any luck so far...

Twice in the past two weeks I've had trouble with the window where it won't crank up or down. I fixed it the first time after taking off the door panel and finding that the lifter (I think that's the cable-like thing) had popped out of the regulator (the guide?). I managed to force it back in and lubed it up. Seem to do the trick until last night when it seemingly popped out again. Is there something that's supposed to hold the lifter in the guide so this doesn't happen? I don't recall seeing anything last time I had the door panel off. I found something for sale called a "Window Regulator Button." I gather that helps the window stay at whatever position it's in (up, halfway up, etc.), but does that also keep the parts together?

This is the early window regulator.

Thanks. Car is not water tight, but it's better when you can at least put the window up....

If I remember correctly, if the window glass comes loose and gets cocked in the channels then it tends to not want to move up or down. I would suggest pulling the door panel and then removing the glass and trying to cycle the mechanism fully up and down to see if it works okay. If not then fix whatever is causing the issue(s) first. Then install the glass and when I did ours many years ago I had the regulator in the full up position but now permanently yet. I cycled the window up/down and marked the location of the glass and then sealed it in place with some of that GOOP sealer stuff in the area where the glass seats. I used to use some candle wax in the vertical channel to make it a little slippery for the glass to slide in.

Ok, thanks John. When I forced the cable (or lifter if that's what it is) back into the guide a couple of weeks ago it felt like it was working very well. When it popped the first time it happened because I tried to crank in the down direction when the window was already fully down. Last night my daughter was cranking it down but about halfway down it happened. She does admit she may have been cranking it "fast." I guess I need to investigate what's causing it to pop out of the channel.

How about you PM me your address and I will ship you two cable lift assembly thingys from an early car.

Hey Joe, that's awesome and awfully generous of you. I appreciate it tremendously. I'll reach out...