re-fitting door glass

[CalElan]

has anyone got any tips beyond - 'fitting is the reverse of removal'?
I can get the glass to slide in at the front but can only get as far as the bottom slider on the rear - it feels like it's totally jammed - but i can't see anything!
Help!

[lotustonybassplayer]

The lotus m100 restoration series on you tube Toby has a video on door glass fitting while replacing the weatherstrips

[dapinky]

Have the metal channels been moved since removal? - if so, then make sure that the bolts are lose enough to allow movement of their position..... when pushed/pulled gently - not just floppy! (but re-tighten when the job is finished).

At various points in the travel, the channel will re-locate itself to allow the slider blocks to slide into place.

Another thing, the nylon slider blocks (front and rear edge of window) need to have slight movement, and not be done up too tight.

Did you lube the blocks/channel with vaseline or silicone grease?

It can be a bit of trial and error, but just don't rush it and risk breaking anything - it took me a few attempts to get mine done last time.

Good luck (and patience).

[simonbuk]

Mine did the same when refitting it, felt locked solid. Kind of forced it in but wasn't necessarily the right way of doing it, in fact part of a slider snapped off so must have been the second slidder going in !

[CalElan]

Thanks guys, I ran out of swear words for one day so decided to just walk-away and forget about it for a couple of days.
I've fitted new external seals from PNM, (they look quite neat) I also stripped out and cleaned the winder mechanism and runners as the window was very slow to wind-up. The lubricant seemed more like adhesive that hadn't quite gone off.

I think (hope) it just requires a little patience and another day!

[epipete]

I put mine in again yesterday, when you removed the glass did you also remove the inside brush carrier (long metal strip riveted on top of the door) and undo the boys holding the support pads?

I always have the same problems as you describe but find that a bit of gentle leverage and easing at the lock end helps.

[lotusflasherman]

I put mine in again yesterday, when you removed the glass did you also remove the inside brush carrier (long metal strip riveted on top of the door) and undo the boys holding the support pads?

I always have the same problems as you describe but find that a bit of gentle leverage and easing at the lock end helps.

You've got 'boys' holding the support pads ? How much do you pay them???

Serious now, just a word of warning. Fitted a hardtop 10 years ago and needed to reset the angle of runners on nearside to close gap at top of glass /hardtop seal. Overhauled the runners while I was in there and had glass sliding up and down without any noticeable friction but when the butterfly clip broke the glass went down with such speed it shattered into a zillion bits ... Perhaps a little bit of friction is OK.

[Paul Alexander]

has anyone got any tips beyond - 'fitting is the reverse of removal'?
I can get the glass to slide in at the front but can only get as far as the bottom slider on the rear - it feels like it's totally jammed - but i can't see anything!
Help!

hi there.

when i fitted my new PNM door seals, i found the easiest way to re-fit the door glass was:

1. ensure the guide rails that run vertically down the doors are loose.

2. the window has two slider blocks at each lower corner of the window. i fitted the slider block nearest the door mirror first, BUT ONLY PUT THE FIRST SLIDER BLOCK IN BY A QUARTER OF ITS LENGTH. this means you will then be able to get the other slider block (nearest the door lock) into the the guide rail.

3. once you have both bottom slider blocks into the guide rails, you should then be able to maneovure the window back down into place. it took me less than 5 minutes to do it this way.

good luck.

[CalElan]

Thanks for all the support and helpful advice guys. Good to know I'm struggling with something that at least seems to cause other people issues too, although the phrase - took me about 5 minutes -- etc etc is like salt on an open wound. I guess I'm just jealous!
I haven't returned to the battle as yet.. next weekend!

[epipete]

Notwithstanding Paul's advice above. The door mirror need slackening off, this allows a bit more leverage at the front, the front must go in first because the guide rail protrudes higher.

According to the manual, there is a direction that the sliders should be pointing but I'm not sure how critical this is.

The areas where it gets stuck, in my experience is the actual 'tube' inserts in the guide stick out slightly and may stop the slider, er, sliding in to the channel, and the other place is at the lock side the screw that holds the slider plate can also get stuck, it is here that a bit of careful and judicious levering with a flat screwdriver or similar may help.

[CalElan]

It is definitely at the rear that it's jamming. I checked the slider, rollers and that seemed ok. Honesty, if I could see something it was sticking on, that would be a relief as then I'd be able to see and possibly correct the issue. Maybe I was using the incorrect cuss words, but believe me, I was trying to cover as many bases as possible!

[epipete]

Ok, you need to be systematic, logical and sequential here, have a look at the diagram for the glass assembly (I'll put a copy up here later - when I find one!) and make sure that everything matches.

Introduce the first slider to the channel at the hinge/door front, rest the glass along the top of the door, the only restrictions at this point are the slider rollers or the outer seal. The slider should go in far enough that you can tentatively let go of the glass whilst you review it, if it is the outer seal then run a credit card or something between it and the glass (at this point nothing will be deducted from your account!). The glass should now drop down further!

You should now have the glass in at the lower front slider and all the way along the door and be scratching your head about the rear slider. The rear slider may need coaxing by levering, very gently, the gap it can foul either by the rollers or the bolt the secures the bracket to the glass. If the slider goes in and it is still fouled now then it could be either of the foam glass support pads, there are two of these and they can be loosened by releasing two nuts just below the top of the door and moved out of the way, then the glass would drop and the remaining sliders (front and rear) inserted.

The glass should drop down the channel now into the door, don't let it drop too fast.

Now it's a case of reattaching the lift mechanism/butterfly clip, and the two bobbins and adjusting the runners to your satisfaction, reposition the two support pads, lower the window and refit the internal front brush bracket using rivets and when your happy put the trip back on.

I really can't think where else your problem is!

[CalElan]

Thank you - I'll report back after the weekend!

[CalElan]

OK, another day and a bunch of encouragement and advice helped a treat!
Turns out the screw/ washer that was holding the rearmost part of the outer door seal and the bottom fixings holding the plate/sliders to the glass were jamming against each other. A little judicious levering of the outer skin with a large screwdriver and voila, the plate slid past the screw head and we're in!
Can't believe I couldn't see this last week...

OK, next question -- It's pretty evident someone has been inside the doors before as some of the fittings at the bottom of the door are missing. The rubber pieces with the trapped threaded part. Anyone know what these are called and where I can get some?

thanks again

[Brit-Car-Nut]

The rubber surrounded nuts are called Rawlnuts in the UK and often called Well Nuts in the US. They use 5mm, 6mm and 8mm all over the car, so you can justify buying a pack of each if you can find them locally.

I got several bags of each from SJs a long time ago. You will find you will need them more often than you expect once you start fixing issues yourself. They are available from sellers on eBay too.

[CalElan]

Thanks Sir, It's one of my biggest pet peeves with DPO's when fastenings aren't replaced.
Ordering a bunch today.