mine does the same thing. only it started when i had the window replaced. due to punk *** kids running around shooting out windows. now im gonna tack a look and see if i can fix it.

 

im having the same problem. How much would a bodyshop charge for this? Should i print the page out so they know what im talking about?

 

yeah lets bring this thread back.. i've been having the same problem for months now and I've just been dealing with it but i'd like to get it fixed. I'm actually on my way to MA (350 mile drive) to get a new door b/c im so sick of this problem. How much did the body shop charge to do that work?

 

i had a window shop use some bigger washers and it resolved it temporarily but now it's sagging again just a bit,
so I'm interested in knowing how much the body shop charged to do this?
thnaks

pat

 

JB weld some washers where the holes are supposed to be and your good to go. worked for me for the past year. JB weld for the win!!

 

i am having that same problem with my window. That idea doesn't sound to bad plus with some adhesive if the motor ever goes out again you can just remove the plate with the motor bolted in. keep me informed on how it works out for you.

 

This thread is an oldie but goodie... i recently bought my 99 and was told by the previous owner that the motor was bad.. i just got around to fixing it today and found that the tracks were gone, motor was gone and it was held up by fukin clothes hanger wire... not to mention the damn thing was all drilled to ****... i fukin hate morons who do **** all ghetto.... i will probably just do the metal plate and be done with it. does anyone know where i can find a diagram of what the door is supposed to look like, and the small track im missing, its the one on the very bottom of the drivers door that the rear/lower regulator wheel rides in.

 

gmpartsdirect has a diagram. Are you sure it isn't there? The inner horizontal track is small and can't be seen from the outside. It attaches to the inner panel with two nuts. You may want to take off your other door panel and compare. ... or maybe you'll find that the other one is held together with superglue or something like that...

 

i found it on here... just had to use better key words... i found a very good writeup with pics on here. Im scared to death to take the other door apart.. hell, every time i fix something on this damn money pic i see another damn bullshit repair... its like they put it together with duct tape and bubble gum just to get it to sell... so far:

 

Looks like to me that teh Camaro has a defect in the door. 1) it's fiberglass holding a stree point, 2) my camaro also did the exact sam thing without user intervention.

 

Unless you are the original owner, you'll need to do some detective work to confirm if the regulator has been removed in the past. Installing the regulator with the wrong rivets will stress the fiberglass beyond its designed strength.

Can you post a pick of your panel and those rivets?

 

I've had the window gap issue for a month on the drivers side door at 23k miles; just took the door apart to find the fiberglass being torn up. The issue started from screws holding the power window motor in place falling out, putting more force on the holes still holding a screw. Well at least I know the driver side motor isn't original.

So my options for repair are:

1. Re fiberglass and drill new holes (Either use a rivet with a steel mandrel and an aluminum jacket, or screws/washers/lock-nuts/loctite)

2. Design two metal plates, one for the inner portion of the door and one for the outer portion to take over the shear stresses

3. Clamp it down with fasteners

4. JB Weld washers in the proper location

And my passenger side window motor died recently. I'm having serious issues with window motors lately.

Bottom screw/fiberglass taking all of the force.

 

If you do a hybrid of 2 and 4, you can only use one plate and adhere it to the door. The adhesive delivers the stress to the door at that point, and you can use any fastener you want to hook up to the plate. (A plate would allow you more precise placement of the holes vs. doing washers individually.)

 

So here is a question on this topic... Has anyone made a template for the plate? Any thoughs on the thickness of the plates for each side? Since the original installation is fiberglass, would stainless steel or some other tought metal be adequaate?

 

I made one about 2 months ago, took me 4 hours.., i made the plate big enough so it would fit in there perfectly and 2 bolts with lock tite went threw the 2 used holes.. and riveted thew the door to the regulator..

 

also it was just made out of sheet metal..

 

ccrook... Did this work out well so far? I want to make my own at home to fix this problem. What tools did you need to cut the metal? How thick is it?

 

I did the sheet metal plate repair yesterday and it is working so far. Pulled the regulator/motor out removed the old rivets and jackets, ran to the hardware store and bought a 12"x24" piece of 1/8" galvanized sheet metal and 4 (1/4" grade 5) bolts that were 3/4" long, 4 locking nuts and 4 washers for a grand total of under $12. Borrowed some tin snips-cut out a piece of metal, clamped it to the fiberglass and drilled holes.

Used the two washers on the outside of the plate for each of the two bolts closest to the door hinge (probably should have gotten 1/2" long bolts but this worked) to keep the bolts from obstructing the path of the regulator gear.

All in all it took me about 2.5 hour to reinstall everything by myself (retracking the rollers alone was a PITA)

 

Thanks crash. I am looking at using the same metal, but I think I am going to rivt it to the fiberglass in multiple places. You think that would work just as good?

 

I'd be really careful doing this. Incorrect rivets or bolts are what usually gets people in to this problem in the first place.

If you go with rivets, you'll need to make sure they are steel mandrel (for strength) with aluminum jackets. (so they don't tear up and stress the composite) As well, you'll need to make sure the rivets don't interfere with the moving regulator parts.

If you use epoxy to fuse the plate to the composite, you can then use anything you want to connect the regulator to the plate since that's metal-on-metal.