W126 Cheap Window Fix
 

83 300SD – Rear driver side power window was only working partially. Would move up some but wouldn’t go down. Here is what I found.

http://home.comcast.net/~dougand3/Auto/winregend.jpg

(LEFT) The broken white plastic parts and black tubes go on the end arm of the regulator and slide in the track for up/down window movement. The sleeve that the hole in the white plastic goes on has a collar. Can’t just buy a new plastic track runner because the collar prevents it sliding on. Doubt you can buy just that part – probably want you to buy a whole regulator assy for $250. Maybe epoxy the part and let it dry on the sleeve – doubt it would hold. You could probably drill out the rivet holding the sleeve/collar and fashion something.

(RIGHT) The greased black rubber chunk is what I cut out and drilled a hole to replace the white plastic unit. Took 3 tries – kept making the hole too big and regulator sleeve kept popping out. The hole that worked was ½ the size of the collar – took some pressure to get it on.

http://home.comcast.net/~dougand3/Auto/winregend2.jpg

Black rubber chunk on the regulator sleeve inside the track. Greased real good. 20 up/down repetitions and it works fine. Time will tell.

Interesting fix, but those white plastic 'slides' are readily available from the dealer, about $24.00CDN a pair. For my 85 380SE they were part no 126 720 01 42. Probably on many aftermarket shelves as well, and cheaper. Fastlane here calls them "Window Regulator Roller Sliding Jaw", Febi $6.96.
There are several threads here on installing them. I found the easiest way to peen the rivet (supplied) onto the regulator arm is with a socket same diameter as the rivet, used under the piece, on an anvil while you strike the head.

Those slides are about $4 from any Worldpac reseller, such as Fastlane. Rather than peening it, I drilled a 1/16" hole in the end of the pin, then assembled with a thin washer and a cotter pin. It's been a couple years now and works great.

Don't want to...
 

Dampen your enthusiasm - you showed some creativity/ingenuity there but Don is right, the part is cheap and readily available.

You might as well buy a couple next time you're near the dealer - I've replaced 5 so far on my two 126s. Seems time as much as usage causes them to crater.

Kevin

Its a shame that our cars have to be rendered unusable due to this little piece of bad engineering. The original part is crap. I replaced mine with a nylon roller plus a few washers and bushings. It will outlast the car. I'm all for field improvements. Let's hear it for Yankee ingenuity!

It's such crap that they have lasted 15-27 years??????

Not really crap, just old. I don't think you'll find to many american cars lasting this long.

Dave

Nothing wrong with the original part - just take off part of the outer plastic shell before peening to avoid shattering it with your hammer. Ask me how I know...

If you want to see some REAL crappy slides, take a look at a newer Range Rover - I had to replace ALL the slides in my daughter's 200x Range Rover because they broke and the windows dropped to the bottom. Instead of using plastic, I made some steel rollers out of thick washers that should last the life of the vehicle. I think this type of problem occurs at the design stage, the engineers probably have very little idea of the potential stress the slide may incurr.

Pete Burton's solution worked for me..no difficult peening involved. With this fix and fresh Syl Glide grease on the runner the window function is better than new

where do i get some of those aftermarket ones?

Right.

I have lost count how many times I've replaced the window motor/regulators in my F150 and even my '01 Chevy truck's regulator assembly failed around 2004.

The piece busted in my Land Rover back side window. Dealer told me they did not sell the part; I must buy the entire regulator.:eek: I took one of my Mercedes spares, split it in half and ground that half down to fit. Worked perfectly.

Nice hack, but why? Living in Cuba?


-tp