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.