Slow Windows?

[Turbo1dr]

Here's another method of speeding up your slow power windows. Some g-body cars were equipped with helper springs located on the window regulator. You can check to see if your car is equipped with them by looking down through the top and checking to see if there is a "clock spring" located on the regulator. Some cars have regulators that don't have the provisions for a clock spring to be mounted. If your car does not have clock springs or regulators that have provisions, you can get some from a local salvage yard in your area. It's the older A and G body cars that you need to check. Be warned though...they are wound up TIGHT and if you just pry them off it could cause injury or death...depending on where it hits you. It's best that you remove the regulator from the donor car, carefully take the window motor off while holding the regulator tight and then carefully unwind the clock spring.

To install the clock spring on your car you will also have to remove the window regulator and the power window motor. You can try to install the spring with it still in the car but I wouldn't recommend it...I tried and it does not want to cooperate! That would make the job go MUCH faster and A LOT less work would be involved. Anyway, once you have the regulator out now is the time to CLEAN and LUBRICATE the ALL of the tracks and rollers! This will drastically help the motors since the lubrication helps keep things slippery and the clock springs will help the motor roll the window up!

I can not guarantee that you will have the same results that my car has but I know it does work. I will post a video of the windows going up and down... asap.

Below is a picture of a power window regulator with the provisions to install a clock spring. The last picture is with the springs installed.

WARNING: BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WORKING WITH CLOCK SPRINGS AND WINDOW REGULATORS!!!

 

[Turbo1dr]

CLICK---> Video Video is about 8.5MB

Sort of a bad video to compare since it was raining and probably made the windows work better on the Malibu and the GN. The TurboT was in the garage and the windows were dry.

The first car is the Grand National. Nothing has been done to make the windows faster.
The second car is the Turbo T. I've added the clock springs and lubed the tracks.
The third car is my Malibu. It has a COMPLETE wiring harness from a GN so this should be considered as being equal to the GN. I've also lubed the tracks, installed clock springs and added a "hot wire" to the inside fuse block from the alternator. These mods are about 11 years old and I haven't done anything to them since. Maybe that's why they squeek.:redface:

 

[whitecobra98]

sweet writeup...those things are like lightning compared to mine

 

[chadswe4]

Nice! What year G and A bodies should we look for?
Chad

 

[Turbo1dr]

I've looked at all the years. 78-88. But mainly 78-83's. Manual window cars have the spring but the regulator is different.

 

[turbofish38]

I've known about those springs for years. You won't find them on G-Bodys. Even the 78 G-Body regulator is different because of the style of motor. OK the car you can find those helper springs on are 79-85 E-Bodies. That's Riviera,ElDorado and Toronado. The Seville uses the God awful tape regulator so don't waste the time looking in them. I've often wondered why the windows on my Rivieras were twice as fast as the Regals even though they used the same motors. Well I found out why one day after gutting the door from a Riviera. And as noted not all G-Bodys have the tangs to mount the spring so you may have to replace your regulators too. When I get the time I'll post some more cars that use those springs.

 

[chadswe4]

Thanks for the info. Are they the same? Will these regulators if in the regal doors?

 

[Turbo1dr]

Thanks for the info. Are they the same? Will these regulators if in the regal doors?

You have to have 78-88 A&G body regulators. I don't know for a fact but I feel almost certain that ALL manual window equipped a&g body cars have the clock spring. I'm also pretty certain that other makes and models use the same spring too. You just have to install them on your regulators providing they have the provisions for them to mount.

 

[liquidh8]

I did this mod on my wagon. I used the old crank window clock springs, and put them on the power window regulators before doing the power window swap. Good mod to do. I also have 1978 motors, the BIG ones, that I am putting in in place of the later SMALL motors, like the one turbo1dr has in the pics.

 

[dabobbo]

OK, so I'm a bit confused here (what else is new). My '87 GN does not have provisions for the spring, so I need new regulators. I'm not worried about the motor, I'm going to get new ones anyway, my window takes over 10 seconds to roll up and I figure while I'm doing the motor I may as well go all out.

What year and model cars should I be looking for, that will fit the GN door and use the GN window motor? I don't want to have to rewire. Thanks!

 

[sshoureas]

where do you find those 1978 motors at ? If you order them at the parts store do you get the big ones or do they give you the newer, smaller motors ?

I did this mod on my wagon. I used the old crank window clock springs, and put them on the power window regulators before doing the power window swap. Good mod to do. I also have 1978 motors, the BIG ones, that I am putting in in place of the later SMALL motors, like the one turbo1dr has in the pics.

 

[turbofish38]

where do you find those 1978 motors at ? If you order them at the parts store do you get the big ones or do they give you the newer, smaller motors ?

You need the correct regulators to match these old style motors. IMO these are a waste of time and money. There are too big,bulky and require a different wiring connector to work properly. You would get better results just putting new motors in your car.


BTW you can pull those springs off of almost any GM car built in the last 15 years. I've noticed them on Northstar Cadillacs and 97-05 W-Cars(Impala,Regal,Century)

 

["Turbo-T"]

Thx 4 posting

 

[BandAid]

its spring time...windows will be open:smile: