Need 6 inches

[TheBard]

The 6 inches in question are in the window lift cable, as I'm replacing the center slider on my driver's window. The cable is drawn through by the window motor, and each end of the cable ends with a block which hooks into the center slider. I can hook up the one end into the slider easily, but even with the window motor disconnected from the wind mechanism, and the cables pulled as taught as they'll go I'm still 6 inches short of hooking it in (so much for a quick Saturday morning job).

Any ideas...

Ian

[TheBard]

After a long read of the Window section (and a cup of tea) the general answer was rebuy the whole unit...
Not my plan as the plastic slider and butterfly cost about five quid, and a new assembly and regulator will cost a whole lot more, so I'm off to try the following...

Oh yes and to get the cable tension, cables back into the correct position was a piece of cake.....the tension you can't adjust; there are two springs at either end of the rail which give the cable tension. Winding the cables around the spool is also easy; position the slider centrally and wind equal cable from the outside of the spool for each end of the cable. There is really only one position......if you are one complete turn out, the cable is either massively overtight or slack. You can check you've got it right by plugging it in before you re-install it.

Total cost of repair including a few spares for next time....£30 + 1 day messing about.

Chris.

However, if anyone has any better ideas, or if someone can poke Darren the Window Expert for advice, I'd be happier than a cat on rollerskates

Cheers,
Ian

[TheBard]

Okay, 2 inches now, and the race is on...

Can anybody post the correct answer before I manage it by a combination of brute force and ignorance

[TheBard]

...UPDATE...CHANGE OF REQUIREMENTS...

Well, I now know which bit the regulator is, and how to dismantle and reassemble it blindfold. Now if we can just make the damn thing spool properly it'd be good.

So, I'm thinking I manually wind one half of the spool, so the effective window position would be either all down, or all up, leaving the other half of the cable loose on the far side. Then plug the unit in, wind the window in the direction of the slack, letting the system slowly eat up the slack, then draw down the tension, hopefully moving the slider in the process. Next update may be written in blood...

Fortunately before that can come to pass my wife and I are off to test drive a Honda Fit "S" (Known as the Jazz outside the US, the "S" comes with 5 speed auto and paddle shift). She wants something that'll cut our monthly repayments and drink less fuel on her hour long commute. The fact she thinks it looks like a small spacecraft has nothing to do withit! Yes, I married a Starwars geek!

[TheBard]

End of day report...
Please, if anyone has any advice as to how the regulator can be retensioned without resorting to a hammer... because I've given up for the night.

Should be able to resolve the situation on Sunday, as I really do not want to have to pay for a full replacement part when I know everything component works, and it was just a failed center slider!!!

Cheers,
Ian

[TStevens]

Hi Ian, I'm sure im not of much here help, but well cant watch a man talk to himself on the forum!...

Have you resorted to the good old manual?

[TheBard]

Ah yes, the manual. I checked page 14 of the window section which covers the lift mechanism in both version 2 and 6 of the manual. Unfortunately in both cases they suggested replacement with a new sealed unit rather than any form of corrective surgery. I couldn't find any other references to the mechanism elsewhere.

Looks like I might be phoning for parts tomorrow, but who knows, inspiration my strike today!

Cheers for the post!
Ian

[TheBard]

Okay, defeat!

After three hours, we'd got it to about 3mm of required stretch, just a quick reloop of the regulator spindle to get us a few more mm slack and we'll be done. Unfortunately the thread on the regulator that holds the spindle in place then decided to sheer, so I'll be on the phone with Dave Bean tomorrow. Bit of a pisser, but some things just don't want to be fixed.

At least I now have a thorough understanding of how the window mechanism works.
Cheers
Ian

(Please can a friendly forum admin shift this to the doors/windows section now)

[Liz]

shifted

[TheBard]

#1. Liz, you're brilliant, thanks for shifting the post!

#2. Defeat was declared early. After posting last ....post I thought I'd give it one last try. Hey presto it worked!!!

IMPORTANT NOTE
You can repair the regulator, it just takes two days, a small amount of blood, and a lot of patience. If anyone has any questions about the process, please send me a PM/email/post on the forum, cos I think I understand it now!

[Ekapol]

Diving in the same pool, here I go...

I think you are a genious figuring that out