Installing the Anti-Rattlers and Windows

INSTALLATION
1. Form the door glass run to the window glass, recommend holding down the door glass run on top of glass by one person, while the other person molds the door glass run over the curvature of the glass.

NOTE: Much has been written about the metal edges kinking and bending when the curve is put into the window run.

If ends don't slide out, the bend will kink!

After looking carefully at the original run and watching as I bent the new run over the window curve I noticed the two metal edges of the run need to slip out through the top end of the run as the curve is formed. Watch the end of the run carefully as the bend is being made and help the ends move out if they get hung up. This will ensure a smooth bend in the run and will create the little metal ends poking out the top of the run that is often found on the original window run from 1966,

2.Slip in the division Bar: Install it at about a 45-degree angle; turned 180 degrees opposite the way it mounts. We slipped the shipping plastic back over the top to minimize scratching the new paint. we loosely connected the top screws and left it hanging. .

3. Door Glass: With the door glass run bent; install the door glass through the door access panel and lean against inside of door.

4. Regulator Mechanism: we attached it loosely with the four screws around the window crank stud.

5. Vent Window: At this point the door glass, regulator & division bar are inside the door panel; with the door glass and division bar laying down in the bottom of the door panel. Insert a nylon rope / string under the outside of the rubber vent window seal; leaving a large portion expose at both ends to grasp when pulling the rubber seal lip over the door frame.

We installed the vent window using two screws along the A post and tighten them about 3/4 of the way. (Ensure the nylon cord is on the outside of the door frame prior to this point). Go ahead and slowly pull the cord to over lap the rubber seal against the outside door frame.

6. Division Bar: Slide division bar into place; making sure the bottom attachment plate is over the top of the regulator mechanism and bolt to the inside two bolts securing the bar to the regulator. Also screw the top two screws (through the door frame) loosely into place. Ensure the vent window screw; that's inserted through the horizontal portion of the vent rubber near the vent window handle is screwed into the division bar at this time.

7. Door Glass Run: With the now formed window run, install run through the top of door, guide door run along the inside channel guide along the door handle side. Reach up through the access panel to guide the dove tail clip into the groove at the top of the metal channel that the door glass run slides into. This channel bar is vertical along the door handle side, bolted through the door panel near the door locking mechanism.

* Use a 3/8" thick wood stick to snap run into alignment holes; don't put pressure into curvature portion only along the top three snap holes and two side snap holes of the trim portions.

8. Door Glass: Lift door glass from bottom of door panel along division bar & door glass run trim. Once align with regulator arm attach with cam roller & clip, (I use new plastic cam roller but found that my original (E clip or Jesus clip) attach cam roller better than my new made in Taiwan clip).
Crank glass up about 1/3rd of the way out; have a person hold squarely the glass for proper alignment while another person tightens division bar bolts and screws; we also tighten the vent window screws securely at this time.

9. Anti-Rattlers: Anti- rattlers are the last item to install and can be snapped into place with your finger and with the thinner portion of the wood shim we use. There are real thin metal pieces on the ends of the Anti-rattlers; we place the ends along the outside of the division bar and door glass run.

After this step just reattach your door trim, armrest, handles and access panel. The DC illustration really helped and we recommend due to having pictures for each step; the main difference between them and us was when we installed the vent window. The write-up by Mitch 'Customcab' on the Ford Truck Enthusiast site (http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/447502-installation-of-door-windows-parts.html) was also very helpful.

Replacing the Vent Window Seal

Vent Window

Old rubber after removing divider bar screw

After pulling apart the door components in preparation to replace the window runners, anti-rattlers and division bar we found that the rubber on the vent windows was rock hard and the rubber seal around the vent window fell apart as we removed the screw that holds the vent frame to the division bar. We had ordered replacement rubber from Dennis Carpenters and I would recommend ordering the vent rubber when
ordering the anti-rattlers so you do not have to wait around for the rubber vent seals to ship separately.

With the vent window removed from the door frame we cleaned the vent window frame and oiled/greased the moving parts. To do this work you MUST remove the vent window and frame from the door.

Pulling Apart the Vent Window

Vent Frame with pivot bolt

Vent Window hinge 

The vent window and frame come out of the door connected to each other by a hinge on the outside of the door about 3/4 of the way up, and a spring loaded pivot bolt located about midway across the bottom of the vent window.

To remove the rubber, we will have to remove the hinge by removing 2 screws holding it into the vent frame and then remove the holding nut, spring and related washers from the pivot bolt allowing the vent window to release from the vent frame. Note the position and order of the washers on the pivot post since these are ribbed and should be put back in the same position they are removed to ensure the vent window only opens half way. We ended up using lots of WD-40 and letting the post sit overnight in order to get the washers off the ribbed pivot post.

Remember the order and position of the pivot post washers

After pulling the old rubber out of the vent window frame we lined up the new rubber. There are some indentations about 3 inches from the top that need to align to similar openings in the frame as well as holes for the pivot post and divider bar at the bottom. When we lined up the rubber and the frame we still had some rubber pushing out of the top and bottom end of the frame, leave this be, when the frame is put back into the door this part of the rubber ensures a tight fit with the window divider.

Vent Frame and New Rubber

   

New rubber was soft and very pliable

The seals were made of soft rubber and we found out pretty quickly that it snapped into place by inserting the side with the big overhang (frame that will be outside door) all along the frame first and then, holding the frame with your hands, pushing the other side until it snapped into place working your way top to bottom.

Once again, make sure the holes for the divider bar screw and the pivot post line up with the holes in the vent frame.

Step 1 - line up and insert side of rubber with wide lip 

Step 2 - align grooves, push in rubber

Step 3 - apply pressure to other side of rubber to snap in place

Step 4 - work your way down to the bottom of frame

Step 5 - ensure holes on bottom line up

Preparing the Division Bars and Vent Window Hinges

We painted the division bar semi-gloss black leaving the bottom 1.5" chrome to match the original bars and painted the hinge on the right vent window chrome silver to match the chrome on the hinge of the drivers side vent window. Usual paint and process gave us an easy refresh to the two parts.

Old and New Divider Bars

Replacement Division Bars Need Tweaking

The window division bars we received from Dennis Carpenter are pretty good replica's of the originals with a few minor exceptions. First we noticed the top portion of the bar that is visible both inside and outside is all stainless steel rather than the semi-gloss back of the original.

Division Bars

Vent frame connector nuts and housings

Second, the nut for receiving the screw attaching the bottom bar of the vent window to the division bar is the wrong size.

Some people wrote on the FTE web site that the 2 screws holding the vent frame to the door frame are the same size just a different length but upon inspection we find this is not true. The screw holding the vent frame to the division bar is a different size, head type, and is pointed on the end.

Vent frame screws and nuts

Painting the division bars: 
After masking off the areas we want to paint, we shot two coats of semi-gloss. We let dry for a few days to make sure the paint had dried. We shot both sides of the bar but taped off the bottom 1.5" of the inside chrome to maintain the original look.

Replacing the vent nut in the division bar: 

With a small flat head screw driver, We carefully bent the housing retaining the square vent window nut and replaced it with the original nut, carefully bending the retention housing back into place.    

Removing the Old Anti-rattlers and Windows

Last Saturday we attempted to follow the step by step illustration for replacing the window anti-rattlers and window division bar from the DC catalog. Old Blue's door hardware was in pretty good shape so removal of pieces went smoothly and no real issues presented themselves as we tore the door down to the shell.

We started with the Passenger Door

First, a quick review of our plan; after all handles, door trim, access panel and armrest are removed, our plan was to release the door glass from the regulator arm; place glass in the bottom of the door (we'd remove it later), remove the division bar, the old wipers/anti-rattlers and then the vent window. This sequence would have worked except the regulator is attached to the window glass by a plastic roller and our rollers were frozen in place by years of rust on the regulator roller post.

Arm Roller is the little plastic thing

So, even though we removed the clip, the regulator would not release from the window. We had to slip the roller out of the end of the channel to separate the regulator and window. This required us to loosened the two division bar 3/8" nuts removed by inserting a socket wrench through the door access panel and reaching up to remove them. We then removed the vent frame screw that is in the bottom of the frame connecting it to the division bar. It was well embedded in the vent rubber (now hard and brittle) and took a little effort to unscrew. Lastly were the two screws on the top of the door frame and the division bar was loose.

We still didn't have enough room to release the regulator from the glass so we removed the vent windows to give us room for some maneuvering of the regulator. The two screws through the front of the door frame was all that remained and the vent frame was loose. We slid it towards the division bar and after closing the vent window lifted the frame out of the door. Note: Removal of the vent glass and frame required the vent window to be closed to allow the spring mechanism clearance through the door shell.

We then slid the division bar forward and by putting the window crank back on and turning as if to roll down the window we were successful in slipping the arm roller out of the channel.

Once the regulator was free from the glass we removed the regulator mechanism (makes removal of the division bar easier) and lifted the window out through the access panel.

Removing the division bar is a bear. With vent, glass, and regulator all laying on the workbench there was not much left on the door by this point and yet we were still challenged to get the division bar out of the access panel. Bottom line is the division bars are a tight fit to remove and install; we rotated them per online instructions 180 degrees to remove (turn the lower mounting bracket that bolts to the top of the regulator towards the outside door skin during removal and install through the access panel hole.

Finally we removed the old anti-rattlers including the door run (pulls right out bottom to top, and both bottom of window runs by inserting a wooden shim (left over from some door work) next to each clip. The clips just pop out releasing the run.The shims are soft wood so no paint chipping occurs - I would stay away from using a screw driver for this reason.

With the various pieces removed from the door we cleaned and lubricated all movable parts. As we said, the plastic regulator rollers were frozen to the regulator arm and we soaked these in WD-40 and then by carefully grabbing the plastic rollers with pliers and rocking the piece, it freed from the regulator post. I believe this was the root cause of the loud squeaking noise the kids hear every time they roll the window up or down. Over the years the rollers had frozen into place and the metal channel that it rides in on the bottom of the glass had cut through the plastic leaving rusted metal on metal rubbing against each other as the window was rolled up and down. We will replace the rollers.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
We replaced all parts with new rubber seals, division bars etc, so my door frames where just a shell for this installation procedure. I had to order, in addition to the anti-rattler kit and vent rubber from DC, new plastic arm rollers for the regulator (I have since seen these same Arm Rollers offered for half the price ..so shop around!).

The replacement division bars differ from the original on Old Blue's Custom Cab by being all chrome on the part of the bar that is visible. The originals are semi-gloss black with the only chrome being the section of the division bar that the vent window latch moves against and the bar edges. We will mask off and paint the new bars to match the old as the vent window frames are also this semi-gloss back and I like the look. I will paint the division bars while waiting for the arm rollers to ship.

Winter Refresh

Now that winter is here, Old Blue doesn't get out of the garage quite so often so we will take this time to do some of the maintenance work that requires longer tear down times. Gracie has been bugging me about the squeaking noise when she roles down the passenger side window and the master brake cylinder seems to be getting mushy so we will take on these two tasks while the rains are falling and hopefully Old Blue will be ready for the spring drives through town.

Squeaky Windows:

Whenever the kids roll down the passenger side window it makes high pitched 'SQUEAK' that makes them recoil and yell 'Dad, we need to fix this ...' so I took to the Ford Truck Enthusiast site to find out what can be done about this noise. Wasn't difficult to find many threads in the FE forums speaking to the issue and the fix, however, all contained warnings that this task of replacing the window felt was not for the faint of heart.

!966 Ford F-250 Door Components

I looked at the usual suspects to procure the parts needed and decided on the Dennis Carpenter option available at http://dennis-carpenter.com/truck57-66/c/13/

I selected the bundle package that included all the parts for both drivers and passenger side doors.

Dennis Carpenter Anti-Rattler Offering

and on the recommendation of many of the people who have updated their windows previously I opted to replace the vent window rubber at the same time since I would be pulling out those windows during the process and looking at them today, they are hard as rock and very brittle.

Vent Window Rubber

Parts should arrive this week and hopefully we can start installation over the weekend.

Rebuild Master Brake Cylinder:

Not sure if this is really the root cause of the mushy brakes but after a little research it seems to be the appropriate place to begin my remediation.