Power Window Worm Screw Sheath broken

[Greenspan]

98 XJ. Drivers power window broke recently. The motor runs but the window just doesn't move so i know it's not an electrical problem. Opened up the door and pulled the mechanism. It looks like the white sheath that goes around the worm screw broke. Here is an image highlighting where

If I manually hold it the window works fine. I ended up jury rigging something to hold the sheath to the drive mechanism using duct tape and zip ties but want to find a more permanent solution without having to buy a whole power window mechanism.

Seems it could be a pretty common problem anyone else experience this and how did you fix it?

 

[Tim_MN]

JB Weld to the rescue. I have had the internal mechanism break, a good used window mechanism is $15 at the junkyard. I have spare one for my spare, just in case.

 

[JonnyCat63]

I've had the same problem with my 2 door regulators. I was forced to fix them because they are not available in the aftermarket.

JB Weld probably won't work because of the lack of surface area, plus the plastic is brittle and likely to break in another area. You can try to replace the plastic, but there is a better solution. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of what I did, but I'll try to describe it.

I learned this method from Power Window Repair in Pheonix. They'll charge you about $200.00 per regulator. You can do the exact same thing for just a few bucks.

Get some thin SS wire, or some galvanized wire. I used some stucco lath line wire that I had in my shop. Galvanized and easy to work with. You want to make an exo-skeleton with the wire.

Tie one end of the wire on to a nut or bolt that you see in the picture just below your red circle. Wrap it around the plactic wire to the other end, and tie it off to the other side. Tie it to another nut, or if I remember correctly there wire some holes in the other end that you could use. Make sure it is fairly tight around the plastic tube. You don't want any slack in it. Repeat that going the other way, make sure it is the opposite wrap so it creates an exo-skeleton. Then take some electrical tape and wrap it up tight the whole way.

It is surprisingly super effective. It's been that way in my XJ for 4 years now working perfectly.

The key is getting the wire tight so the plastic tube can't move. You're basically pulling both ends together.

If it sounds confusing, I can make a mock up on a spare one and post some pictures later.

 

[Greenspan]

No that is a good description! I like it! I'll definitely do that once my hacky solution fails. I did something similar with zip ties, zipped them around the tube and then put another zip tie on the excess sticking out and connected that to the motor controller, seems to work, but I only went a few inches up the tube so that will probably fail soon.

 

[JonnyCat63]

I was skeptical at first, but it really works. I was just pissed I paid $180.00 at the time to learn that method!

 

[Anak]

But you have probably saved a bunch of us a chunk of change down the line.

Thank you.

I would wonder if it might not be a good idea to coat that wire wrap with JB Weld. The JB Weld won't stick to plastic particularly well, but it will hold to the wire. Coat the wire with the JB Weld and I would think it would create a stonger, more integrated structure.

 

[JonnyCat63]

But you have probably saved a bunch of us a chunk of change down the line.

Thank you.

I would wonder if it might not be a good idea to coat that wire wrap with JB Weld. The JB Weld won't stick to plastic particularly well, but it will hold to the wire. Coat the wire with the JB Weld and I would think it would create a stonger, more integrated structure.

You could, but it's pretty strong with the wire and tape. In fact, it's slightly more difficult to fit the regulator back in after this mod. It's a little harder to bend. Not so hard that you have to struggle, but you can definitely feel that it's more rigid.