Window fix

[b3lha]

Upon arrival at the UK SVX meet last weekend, I closed the drivers window and heard a crunch noise from inside the door $$. After that the window would not open. As I was driving home, the window slid open from the vibration of the car and could not be closed. So when I got home I took the door apart to find out what had happened:

The window is driven by a steel cable with a small barrel attached to it. A plastic clip fits over the barrel and clips into a bracket that is fixed to the bottom of the window. ie. The plastic clip attaches the drive cable to the window. But my plastic clip was broken and the drive cable was no longer attached to the window.

First I went to my Subaru dealer and asked for a new clip, but they couldn't find it on their computer. Then I phoned a friend who is breaking an SVX. He offered to sell me a complete door for a great price. But I didn't need a complete door, just the little plastic clip. Then I had a look at the service manuals and I discovered why the Subaru dealer didn't have it on their computer. The clip is not a separate part, it is part of the mechanism. To get the clip I would have to buy the whole mechanism.

So, in the spirit of British "engineering", I decided to have a go at making some sort of half-assed clip that would attach the cable to the window. In the photo below you can see the remains of the original plastic clip on the right. On the left is the new one that I came up with.



It is made from a piece of aluminium angle that used to be part of my neighbours greenhouse. The cable runs through the corner of the angle, the barrel fits in the notch, the top piece keeps it in place and the nut & bolt holds it all together.

Here's a photo showing it installed. After taking the photo I added a blob of silicone goo to stop it from rattling. So far it seems to work fine.



Materials: Piece of scrap aluminium. Small nut and bolt. Silicone goo.
Tools: Hacksaw, Drill, File, Screwdriver, Pliers, Vice.
Cost: $0

[Earthworm]

Nice writeup!

You could have also bought the Sleeve Lock

(look up the part on a 94 SVX rear window)

[gtdanielgt]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

Nice writeup!

You could have also bought the Sleeve Lock

(look up the part on a 94 SVX rear window)

David, you wouldnt happen to have a part # would you? I need one of these 'clips' for my passenger side rear window..

Thanks!

[dynomatt]

Phil,

Do you know if the rears operate in the same fashion?

If so, would British (or Aussie for that matter ) engineering be able to remove the mechanism and lock the window in place for a similar cost?

Ie, take out almost everything, but just ensure the glass stays up and in place.

M

[Trevor]

Greetings Phil,

You are a man of my sort, i.e. the number eight wire brigade. Not that I am surprised as John Bolster and Bloody Mary provoked my first effort into special building. I have used aluminium extrusions for all sorts of things, there being so many odd shapes available. Those in glass houses should beware of you !

But back on topic.--- I had no problem obtaining the required idiot clip from our local dealer. Although one was not in stock, it was obtained quickly by air from Japan at no extra charge. You guys up there should put the heat on.

Important, as I found to my sorrow. ---- Do not let anyone wind away with the mechanism if it fails. The result is a tangled and damaged mess of cable, which is very difficult to restore.

Cheers, Trevor.

[svxcess]

Originally Posted by gtdanielgt

David, you wouldnt happen to have a part # would you? I need one of these 'clips' for my passenger side rear window..

Thanks!

The sleeve lock regulator part number is 62101PA081

It is a redesign of the clip and is found starting with the 94 SVXs. It will clip onto the place where the 92-93 window clip used to be.

.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

Phil,

Do you know if the rears operate in the same fashion?

If so, would British (or Aussie for that matter ) engineering be able to remove the mechanism and lock the window in place for a similar cost?

Ie, take out almost everything, but just ensure the glass stays up and in place.

M

When I first got my SVX the regulator was bad, I removed the entire regulator/motor assembly and used some plumbers strap to hold the drivers window closed. (Plumbers Strap is a thin metal band with holes in, used to hang pipes from the joists in basements and such. It is stiff, but easy to bend/cut with pliers/tin snips. It also has pre-punched holes every inch or so.)

I took about a ten inch piece of strap, and used one of the bolts that attached to the bottom of the glass. I ran the strapping up and inside of the glass and then pushed the glass up into place fully closed. This left the piece of strapping poking up above the frame. I used some pliars to bend and crimp it over the frame and then cut off the excess. The glass will not go anywhere, until you unbend the strapping. You should be able to do a similiar set up in the rear.

[b3lha]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

Phil,

Do you know if the rears operate in the same fashion?

If so, would British (or Aussie for that matter ) engineering be able to remove the mechanism and lock the window in place for a similar cost?

Ie, take out almost everything, but just ensure the glass stays up and in place.

M

I reckon the easiest way would be to drill a hole through the window slider track and put a bolt though it.

[b3lha]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

Nice writeup!

You could have also bought the Sleeve Lock

(look up the part on a 94 SVX rear window)

Thanks.

Now you've got me wondering if I should stick with my fix or go and buy the proper part. My only concern is whether the motor causes the cable to twist. In the original clip the barrel is free to spin, but mine clamps it solid. I'd hate for the cable to chew up the pulleys and then snap.

[solarsvx]

i had the exact same thing happen to me im on my 2nd clip, luckily there is a svx in a local junk yard after epoxying the heck out of it i think the 2nd clip is staying in from breaking i also adjusted the cable tension,

[mikecg]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

Phil,

Do you know if the rears operate in the same fashion?

If so, would British (or Aussie for that matter ) engineering be able to remove the mechanism and lock the window in place for a similar cost?

Ie, take out almost everything, but just ensure the glass stays up and in place.

M

THe rears are the same. I had a clip break in the 92 I had breifly. I took one from the rear and moved it to the front window. In the rear, I cut a 2X4 to length and wedged it in to hold the rear window closed. It was suppose to be temparay until I found a better solution, but I sld the car a couple weeks later. I did tell the person that bought it about the wood holding to rear window though.

[1320boy]

Man if i could find an SVX at a local junk yard i'd try to buy it. If not much was taken from it i could totaly rebuid my car.
But not to Hijack the thread or anything but i had a similar problem where my window wouldnt roll down someone told me that if i put contact cleaner i would work but now it rolls half way down.
could it also be a clip problem .

Originally Posted by solarsvx

i had the exact same thing happen to me im on my 2nd clip, luckily there is a svx in a local junk yard after epoxying the heck out of it i think the 2nd clip is staying in from breaking i also adjusted the cable tension,