z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

I wanted to post some pics of a little problem I'm having with my power window mounting rivets digging through the fiberglass inside my drivers side door, causing the window to come up crooked and leak.

Observe this picture and see where all the holes and rivets belong in their normal area just to the right of the magnified picture(found this online):


Now heres some various pics of these rivets with my windows up and windows down.
Window UP distant view


Window DOWN distant view


You can see that the rivets have dug through the fiberglass and move depending on if the window goes up or goes down.

Closer pics of each rivet:

This is the upper left rivet with window up:


Upper left rivet when I put the window down:


Upper right with Window up:


Upper right with Window down:


Lower right with Window up:


Lower right with Window down:


Probably what caused the whole problem in the first place. The rivet had fallen out at some point. This is the lower left with window up:


When the window is put down, the original hole that the rivet was supposed to mount to lines up with this opening:


Has anyone on here had a problem similar to this happen to their door? If so, what was the best way to fix this? The fiberglass is disintegrating a bit so I will need to find a way to securely hold the inner metal bracket to the fiberglass without damaging any more of door.

CW00BlackTA

iTrader: (31)

Drill the rivets out and replace with nut/bolt/washer/fender washer combination. Large fender washers should keep everything in place. You might put some type of adhesive under the fender washers to help strengthen the fiberglass.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for the info. I actually read your advice a while back and didn't post anything until now.

One thing that people should know before venturing into this task is to secure the metal bracket that those rivets attach to, to the anvil gear thing. I didn't realize these two pieces are spring loaded and when I drilled the rivets, the metal bracket flew counterclockwise and caught on a metal piece of the door. Thank god I didnt get hurt.

I ended up securing those two pieces and then pulling the regulator out of the door. I am still working on it and plan on making a metal bracket on the door where the regulator can hold onto.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Here's my solution. I made a metal bracket and secured it to the door and attached the regulator to it:

LTSpeed

Wow, great idea! You could probably sell those plates on eBay.

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (8)

You can see the marks left by a cutoff wheel. Sometime in the car's history a window motor was likely replaced by a clueless mechanic, and his cutting damaged the door to the point that the rivets had little to hold onto. Rivets can be removed without cutting, and removing the regulator rivets really isn't necessary

Hark_Z

iTrader: (12)

LOL. I agree looks like hes on to something.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

lol.... noooooooooooooooooooooo I don't want to deal with window work for a long time

jkichline

iTrader: (1)

I've never had a problem like that... yet... I put a window motor in myself a couple years ago and, luckily, nothing like that was going on.

You did a REALLY NICE job with that bracket! And the informative pictures in your post. I'm sure that'll hold that window for quite a while. Thats an idea that i'll definitely use when the time comes.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Making the metal bracket wasnt bad. Just make a stencil with a piece of manilla folder, get a pencil and scissors. Then cut a piece of sheetmetal to that standard. The hardest part is working with the window regulator's loaded spring and lining up the holes at the same time keeping the spring secure. Keep this in mind because it can be dangerous.

HeapaShifter

iTrader: (2)

I've had this happen on both camaro's I've owned.

You just need to drill the old rivits out and then put new rivits in, but with a washer between the door and the rivit. It stops the rivit from moving. I didn't think it would work when I first heard about it, but I tried it anyways and it does work.

I've tried an adhesive that gets rock hard to patch in part of the slot, but it didn't work very well.

beast69camaro

iTrader: (14)

bitchin' idea w/ the metal plate man. I am having the EXACT same problem with the driver's door in my '96 Z28. I've been putting off repairs because I couldn't come up with a solution other than the washer/bolt/nut method back through enlarged fiberglass holes, which I am somewhat leary of. You don't mind if I copy do you? Looks like I have a project for this weekend.....hopefully i'll be saying goodbye leaks...