So I think both of my window motors basically crapped out. I have them on switches, and they worked fairly well for a while, then my left one started acting up. It ended up stopping all together, then my right one just decided to stop working too. I’m getting power at the connectors, but no motion. I did have an issue with my right one before, and removed the rubber buffer inside, and it started working fine before. I put them on switches because they worked intermittently at best in auto. Has anyone found a new motor that will fit and work, even if it means adding a different connector?
Contact Cabriolet Hydraulics in Sarasota, FL…They will rebuild at fraction of replacement costs.
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I pulled the 1/4 window motors out of my 89 convertible early this year.
One was not working.
Both motors were really in good condition, even the brushes had plenty of life.
They did need cleaning up.
I think the one that stopped was a problem with the rubber spider.
After some TLC both motors work fine.
If you go back to the following thread starting about Apr 15 there is info on the issue.
Quite possibly nothing wrong with your motors once cleaned up and the rubber spider
put back with suitable rubber grease.
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I have had my right one out, cleaned it up, and regreased it. However I left out the rubber spider since mine had twisted and had jammed the motor. The assembly is a little bit of a pain to get out and back in, at least I thought it was, which is why I was thinking if I pulled them to just put on a new alternative motor. I did find the part number for the left at least, was used from 92-06 in the XJS, and the xk8 convertible. I’m thinking it was a Bosh motor, but I don’t remember what the Bosh number was. I have considered having my local electric motor shop look at them, but I just thought I’d ask if anyone has found an alternative motor
Figured I’d bump this up to see if anyone has found an alternative for the quarter windows yet. I took mine to a local shop to see what they could do, but I’d rather just get new motors. There has to be one that will bolt in, even if it means swapping out the gear and splicing the wires
Well, yes. In the meantime I fully researched the XJ-S window motor situation and put together a web page documenting the whole shebang. Then I ran into trouble trying to post it on jag-lovers because they had updated to a new system that made no sense to me, so I just bagged it. That lovely web page is just sitting on my own 'puter.
Anyhow, a '93 should have Bosch window motors in the 1/4 windows, with a 14-tooth pinion. These are considered the good motors, and the recommended upgrade for anyone cursed with the earlier Delco motors. If you need to replace the motors, the window motors from a Mercedes W123 should be a pretty good replacement. That won’t help if you need the regulator too, though. Other Bosch window motors will probably work if you can swap out that 14-tooth pinion.
Worth noting that Bosch window motors are stupid expensive new – so expensive that there are knockoffs available for more reasonable prices.
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Yeah I did see your previous post about the w123 motors, and also the possibility of using the front window motors with the different gear. It was good information for sure. I did find new w123 motors listed at about $389 each:disappointed:
. I will say looking at the back of the window transmissions, the back of the w123 is definitely different looking. Possibly bigger, which makes me wonder if that might be another issue. Same motor number, different transmission back. It so tempting to “just order” several of the $30 ones and see if something fits. The wife however isn’t as tempted, as usual. Lol
Just got my motors back from the shop and they said they are in really good shape, and they don’t think they have had a lot of use. They did say, as others had, that there was a decent amount of grease it the motors. They tore them apart cleaned them all out and basically went over them. I don’t know if they actually replaced any hard parts or not, but they had said they would do what they could. Total for both to be gone over was $106 after tax. I brought them home and got them all reinstalled and they seem to be working fine, at least for now. Time will tell I guess! Right now I have them hooked up with paul’s switch set up, but may see if I can figure out if I can hook it up the factory way “and” keep the switches in as a just in case type deal. We’ll see. Fiddled with it enough for today though 
I guess it’s time to publish these on Thingaverse. I did these up based on parts sent to me by a fellow FB group member. So far, they’re untested.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4843223 (I may have to edit this post and correct this link if it gets published w/ a diff URL number).
~Paul K
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Should you start to make these Im in for 2sets.Ill buy them just to have them when they eventually need replacement.
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Welp just a little update. This morning I went to get my allergy shots and took the xjs. I had an early appointment and thought to myself, “these windows have been functioning flawlessly! I think I’m going to wire them in so they work with the top and see if I can leave the switch in line just in case!” I guess everyone can guess what happened next! I got to the drs and went to put the top and windows up and sure enough, the left quarter window decided not to go up with the switch! Argh! So I thought “Well I guess I will just leave the window down for now.” I went to a couple of stores and everything except my left window worked perfectly. I got home, had some lunch, and went out to look into the window. I pulled the rear trim and checked for voltage and sure enough, I had power from the switch. I wiggled and pushed and pulled on the window to no avail. Then I hit the right side window switch and, for whatever reason, that side decided not to go up! ARGH! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I then tried the left one again and after a couple of up\downs on the switch it went up! Yay! However the right side still wouldn’t! Needless to say, I had to resort to the long screwdriver and it finally went up and down then back up! Phew! Of course then I went to go out to the stores again and drrrrrr the right side decided it doesn’t want to go down again! Argh! Amazing how it hit all of a sudden like again! Smh!
Well I just thought I’d post pics of an actual printed gear. I had a reason do to contract out for some other printing and it turned out cheap enough (with the service I was using) to have a test print done (that I’ll send to the owner of the gear it was modeled on).
MJF Nylon 12 dyed black. Very tough feeling. I suspect the glass filled Nylon 12 or even Nylon 11 version via the MJF process would be even better. The service I used didn’t have TPU printing so I didn’t print the rubber cog. There are a number of services that will print in TPU either via FDM or MJF (better), but the costs vary (minimum orders) via Sculpteo, Xometry, i.Materialize, i.FacFox, or Hubs. Hubs looks to be the cheapest, though IDK what the durometer rating of their FDM TPU is. The MJF Durometers are close to tire-rubber which is ideal for the cog that goes in the gear.
With MJF this could probably be done as a single piece (cheaper).
Glued together with UV Glue:
Original VS New:
Cog Fits though broken.
Looks about right:
Gear printed via JLCPCB China - MJF Nylon. Remarkably cheap + good service (but no TPU).
~Paul K.
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That printed gear wheel looks good.
Tire rubber might be a bit on the hard side to do its job.
It does need to compress ( at a guess ) about 10 thou minimum so you can be sure it gives enough kick when the motor reverses that the window is not stuck.
My gut feeling is that half the time windows are
stuck is because the rubber spider has deformed or perished.
I call it a spider because that is a common term for such things.
Google " rubber spider in transmission " and you see what I mean.
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nod I called it a cog but… I see what you mean. That terminology works too. I can say that the one that was sent to me to model is quite hard (of course it’s old). I’d call it harder than belt leather that has a durometer rating of around Shore 80A. The piece I have is a bit harder than belt leather in my judgement. Still flexible but not terribly compressible. So some of the MJF TPU’s print out at between Shore 88A and Shore 95A. FDM TPUs seem to be softer. Tire rubber is between Sore 60A and Sure 70A. This could also be cast out of Urethane in any chosen hardness if one had the mold I created in 3D printed. There are also some flexible UV cure materials for SLA printing that might work.
I’ve looked at the cost of having these printed in various places (where BOTH can be printed because the service has both TPU and Nylon materials. Costs vary greatly due to minimum order sizes (some places) and shipping cost, or setup cost (which not everyone has). Individual parts cost might not be so bad with a few services if ordering more than one but only a couple seem reasonable @ one-offs.
I didn’t include JLCPCB where I got this done (cheap!) because they only do the one type of Nylon.
JawsTech3D $28
Hubs Maybe $10 + $13 Free shipping available? MJF Nylon + FDM TPU
NOTE: Must order different materials separately. Cannot be combined in the same order
NOTE: $80 minimum
Shapeways: Near $40
i-materialize $45 minimum + unknown shipping
Sclupteo $50 (minimum)
Insta3D $61
Xometry $89
ProtoLabs over $100
i-Solids $106
QuickParts (empty your wallet quickly)
~Paul K.
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wow!!!
This thread is opening windows – see what I did there? – for me with respect to 3-D printing and parts re-creation, a subject about which I know virtually nothing.
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