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You will or have hit this problem ,be it with the electric version or the manual version,NA/NB or NC makes no difference. This guide will show you what to use and how to use it, and in no way does it ever,ever,ever... entertain or recommend old school WD40 "ever" for doing this, Sorry guys but the OC members seem to be obsessed with using and recommending it for "everything" technology has moved on chaps, it really is not the wonder spray for everything as the Co advertises and is shared by the ill informed that it is.
Now these OEM window mechanisms are cable driven like a brake cable on a bike, they have a outer cover and inner cable, the inner cable is exposed in some places, They get dry as does the rubber and felt guides ,rollers and channels, these units are never the fastest without the engine running to pull and push the motor, but after doing this you will notice a massive difference in operation and takes no more than 20 minutes with the basic of tools.
Items needed.....
1 x tin of silicon spray, needs to be a good branded one,
1 x tin of lithium grease,
rags and latex gloves.
And your ignition key.
Tools needed.....
1 x medium phillips head driver, ( for removing the door card)
1 x trim tool, ( for removing the door card)
1 x utility knife,
1 x 3/8 drive ratchet,
1 x 3/8 drive 14mm socket,
1 x 3/8 drive 10mm socket,
1 x 3/8 drive short extension bar,
1 x set of ignition keys for the roadster
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Step one:- Remove the door card/trim.
Leave the window up at this point until directed to lower further on in the guide...
Now depending on the model,version and mark there was a number of differences over the years to cover them all, so please get in touch with your version if needed so we can advise how to remove the door card fitted to yours.( please be careful on removal as some were fitted with door tweeters that will need unplugging)
Step two ;- Removing the plastic membrane and black goo seal
Now the easiest way we have found to remove the membrane out of the way is with a utility knife and fresh blade, as you pull on the plastic membrane cut through the poly goo seal as close to the inner door skin as possible without slicing the membrane and carry on all the way around gently pulling on the membrane and slicing as you go until free from the door, so you can access the inner door, this is easier done in cold temp rather than warm/hot temp. (See vid)
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Step 3 :- visual check...
While the window is at the top of its travel ,check the guide rollers are complete and not cracked etc, one being on the rear of the door edge on the glass which is brown on the MK 1 and green on the MK 2-2.5 , if the glass guide roller is missing or cracked then it will need replacing, there is a how to guide on this, but for reference, the MK 2-2.5 green ones are a better made roller guide and will fit on the MK 1 windows as a replacement if needed.
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Step four :- Cracking all the nuts and bolts to reset..
With the 3/8 drive ratchet, extension and 10 mm socket, crack all the 10 mm head bolts as shown below, that means loosen them ,do not remove them...
The 1/4 light channel...
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And if the glass sits this proud ,we will reset it correct at the end to....
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Now crack the 10 mm window stops x 2....
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Swap the 10mm socket for the 14mm socket and crack the 14mm nuts and bolts shown below....
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Far guide rail first x 2 top and bottom...
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On to the main lift mechanism now, x 4 , two at the top and two at the bottom....
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Un latch the inner door latch operation rod( this is just so we have better access ) by feeling to the back and the lip and pushing upwards then push the bar out of the hinge....
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Step five :- time to lube up....
So now everything is loose that needs to be , make sure the window is up and put your latex gloves on ,we are about to get really messy...
Starting with the further most channel , get your self a healthy bit of lithium grease and through the hole in the door start to apply the grease onto the channels from top to bottom making sure it gets into the channels on either side, once your happy, apply a good splodge to the guide roller through the opening at the top of the door also...
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Now move on to the main mechanism channel with the cables and guide channel, as before apply a healthy bit of lithium grease from top to bottom making sure it also gets into the sides, don't be shy with it , but this time making sure you put some on the exposed inner drive cables (outside of the channel and in) and cable drive guides at the top and bottom, a splodge on the guide roller from the top of the opening on the door, do not put the grease away just yet, we have not finished with it for the minute...
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Once you are happy that you have got everything needed, we now need to spray some silicon lube spray into the rubber and felt of the bottom half of the 1/4 light guide channel, so grab the tin and spray away , don't be shy as these would more than likely to of never seen lubricant in there life on the roadster so far from even being built, possibly the only thing this may of had is some idiot spraying them with WD40 from listing to total rubbish from a moron on the internet sites, its so the wrong stuff for this job, don't use it....ever ...
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And while you have the correct spray lube for the job in your hand , kill the door lock ,latch and mechanism with it as it will penetrate to make everything free and also stop frost from making them solid as it will also work as a barrier, you'll thank me later for this....
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Also spray the junctions and joints for the latch bars and push the bar back into the junction hinge and push the clip to lock and hold it back in place nice and solid again....
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Step six :- setting up...
Grab the keys and turn on power ( do not start her yet) to bring the window down and switch back off while we finish lubing up.
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Bring the window fully down and leave it there .....
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Spray the top rubber and felt 1/4 light guide with the silicon spray, ( don't be shy), and apply more grease to the newly exposed inner window mechanism cables....
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Now start her up and leave her running while we adjust and set everything back up, bring the window up and down at least several times to work everything in , if you feel that its needed ,spray more silicon spray in the dry channel as you go and stop at half way and leave it there, keep her running so that when we have finished you can test to see if there is any fine adjustment....
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***PIC****
Step 7 :- all back together again....
Then start to tighten everything back up starting with the 14mm bolts and nuts from top to bottom, in this guide we started with the far roller guide , but it makes no difference which one you start with first...
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Then the window mechanism channel guide...
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Swap the 14mm socket for the 10mm and tighten the 1/4 light guide channel..
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Staying with the 10 mm socket its time to set the stoppers for the glass so it stops in the correct place after you have finished with any fine tuning...
Bring the window up so it is flush with the 1/4 light rubber at the top, it may take a few tappy tap taps before you get it where it needs to be as its working a lot faster now...
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Hold the window stoppers in place while you tighten both of them down tight...
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Bring the window all the way down and back up to stop to check its all good , fine tune if needed...
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You tube vids:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTZtZesPq14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1immp9eObuU
*** turn off the roadster***
Step 8 :- your finished....
And that's it for that side, 20 minutes well spent, membrane back on and door card back on and over to the other side .....
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M-m
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