Windows binding after silicone

[isaac65]

Need some help. Both my windows started biding after lubing them up with silicone lubricant.
I used silicone spray like it's recommended here. Also, the previous owner said he used to do the same thing.
The windows were working alright, they were just a little slow. So, I figured it'd help if I lubricated them a bit. Well, now they go down smooth as butter, but when they go up, they bind at the front and lean forward making the rear of the windows come off the track.
Any ideas as to what I should do to fix this? I was thinking of opening up the doors and cleaning everything out and maybe using graphite instead.
Thanks in advance!

[Gussie2000]

Need some help. Both my windows started biding after lubing them up with silicone lubricant.
I used silicone spray like it's recommended here. Also, the previous owner said he used to do the same thing.
The windows were working alright, they were just a little slow. So, I figured it'd help if I lubricated them a bit. Well, now they go down smooth as butter, but when they go up, they bind at the front and lean forward making the rear of the windows come off the track.
Any ideas as to what I should do to fix this? I was thinking of opening up the doors and cleaning everything out and maybe using graphite instead.
Thanks in advance!

I'll suggest you to get the rubbers out & clean/lube them.

If the rubbers looks craked/dry up think about new ones

While the rubbers are out look at the tracks to verify they aren't twisted or probably need to be widen a bit,specially at the side mirrors,mines use to bind exactly at that spot.

Hope it helps

[pbkid]

I'll suggest you to get the rubbers out & clean/lube them.

sorry i couldnt help it...maybe im having an Ldub kinda day...

[Gussie2000]

sorry i couldnt help it...maybe im having an Ldub kinda day...

bad boy

[VX KAT]

I'll suggest you to get the rubbers out & clean/lube them.

sorry i couldnt help it...maybe im having an Ldub kinda day...

Gussie, you gotta admit that was a good one!!!!!!

[Gussie2000]

Gussie, you gotta admit that was a good one!!!!!!

Yeah I got too

You guys don't miss a shoot at all eh ?

[rowhard]

Gussie, you gotta admit that was a good one!!!!!!

borderline classic Sue

Anyway, to fix the tilt, get the SBC brackets

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...&highlight=SBC

[VX KAT]

OK back on topic, what Gussie was trying to say was that many of us have found that by widening the FRONT metal vertical track that holds the rubber weatherstripping, we can reduce and/or eliminate the binding. I messed with mine at least 4 times till I got it just perfect.

Take your inner door panel off (carefully), see instructions posted here somewhere if you need guidance on it.

Open/lower your window all the way.

You can pull UP on the front vertical rubber weatherstripping to give you best access to the upper portion of metal track directly. Pull up on it right by your side mirror and let the excess you pull up just lay there on the top of the open window. I even ended up pulling it up entirely, so the entire front metal channel was accessible. (You can also raise window, then just grab & pull rubber out/away from track to get it out of your way, but since it's attached to rest of the strip, it can be a bit hard to gain access to very upper track- which is where mine was binding the most.)

Then I used an adjustable wrench to reach through some of the openings in the metal door to reach the front vertical channel "or track" and pulled on the edges to widen it. I kept testing my window as I proceeded. The window glass will work normally even without the rubber weatherstripping in the track. No damage to glass either. If the glass still seemed to bind going up, I'd then target the area for further widening, knowing once the rubber weatherstripping is back in place, it would still bind in that area.

Some also then bent the small horizontal metal brace that secures the front track forward a bit. This further reduces the pressure and binding on the front/leading edge of the window glass by the rubber.

After I felt it worked w/o any binding, I cleaned out the front rubber track and then applied pure silicone spray, rubbed it throughout, then reinserted the weatherstripping. I used my hand stuck inside the metal hole to pull it down as I slowly lowered the window. Popped right back into the track easily.

I'm attaching a picture of Tim at SBC installing my metal brackets (see separate thread on that topic...you should get those for your windows if you don't already have them). I'll include them just because it shows the inside of the door and you can see the metal track I'm talking about. Or go to my gallery and look at the pics, look for the front metal track I'm talking about. Between that and getting the SBC brackets, it will fix your window problems.


edit....p.s.....hubby & I lived in Plano for 11 yrs, LOVE TX, we moved to Northern AZ about 18 months ago, boy I don't miss that heat! Whewew!

See the scratches on the burgundy vertical track, that's from my wrench grabbing it to widen. I've done more widening since pic was taken, all along up and down as far up as I could get the wrench.


This pic just shows you overall what the door looks like behind vapor barrier.


This shows SBC's brackets glued onto glass

[isaac65]

Wow, thanks so much everyone for the help. I guess I better get those metal brackets and get those on while I got the doors taken apart. Looks like I'll have another summer project to do, haha. Good thing I'm a teacher and have the whole summer off.
I just think it's weird that they didn't start binding until I applied the silicone.
Do you guys think that, after I'm done cleaning/widening/installing metal brackets, I should use silicone again or maybe try coating everything with graphite?

[SomeBeach]

Last week I decided to work on my window. Had same problem as you. It binded when going up and tilted forward. I took my laptop out to the VX and started doing what the forums said. So here is what worked for me:
First you don't need the new brackets. If both of your clips are attached to the window, they aren't the problem.
Take the door panel off (very easy - remove screw at top corner where tweeter is, remove two screws at door handle, and pry door panel around edges to release clips)
Put window all the way up.
Pull rubber off track (not all the way - just up to bottom of window)
Take the handle of an adjustable wrench or something that wide (I used a chissel) and put it in the track pulling back to widen track. Pull back so you don't accidently dent the door . Widen track a little all the way down (metal bends pretty easy)
Take a rag and spray silicone on it and use that to clean the inside of the rubber. After all clean spray the inside of the rubber with silicone.

NOW THIS IS WHERE I HAD TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS ON FORUM. The bracket at the bottom of the rail - instructions said to bend it towards front of car away from window. When I did that the window almost fell out. Window needs the rail to be close to avoid window tilting. I moved the bracket back (I could basically just pull it with my hand)
I put window down and put more silicone in the rubber piece between top of door and where window goes into door.
A few up and downs and it worked perfect.

[tom4bren]

The reason that your windows probably started tilting AFTER the lube is that the silicon decreased the friction on the rear track more than on the front track. One other fix you can try is to put a couple of washers between the tabs on the glass and the bracket that they attach to. This will force the center brace against the regulator and will help if the glides are worn or broken.

[etlsport]

i had that problem too, when i used WD-40 in my window tracks the binding got worse, so what i started doing is using Jig-a-Loo.. i spray it into the tracks, leave it for a minute or two, then run Q-tips or some other cleaning device on a stick through the tracks to get all the gunk out, once the gunk is out i spray it down again with the jig-a-loo.. knock on wood my windows still work very well and i havent done any mods other than spraying them down