Replaced gear in window-motor Colony Park

Thanks a lot for the gear info. It sounds exactly like what I'm going through right now with my Country Squire. I've got to do a search for one of those gears.

 

Does anyone know how to remove and replace the power window motor in the tailgate of a 1978 Ford LTD?

 

Yeah, but we won't tell!

Some had a carpeted panel on the inside to conceal the bolts that hold the hardware, or there's a removable steel panel. The motor is fastened to the lever main tongue with 3 bolts. Disconnect and drop it to bottom and drag it out. FORD is a military acronym for alot of things, including: Fix Our Rear Doors, especially after 32 years.

Don't forget to grease up the gear drive and pivot points and slider tracks when you reinstall.

I've got the 1979 Ford Shop manuals. The only 2 types of tailgates mentioned are the Ranchero and Fairmont/Mustang/Pinto Liftgates. Andy's 1978 manuals don't have anything either. It should be in the body manual, in a missing section called 47-05 after these other ones.

I hope other guys chime in and fill in the blanks. But you might look at Dr. B.'s 1967 Wagon project or gpdxxx's Floor board repair project because they don't differ very much.

 

Thanks Stormin for the info. I saw three relatively small bolts that looked like they were the ones that held the motor in place but I could not believe that would be the ones, but they are. I thought they might be alignment/ adjustment bolts. Anyway, got the motor out and the problem is the gear assembly. It has eaten up the nylon gear. Any ideas where a new gear can be purchased. The motor is good. The same problem mrobers had with his door window motor.

Thanks again for the help.

 

Nice job! Funny that the metal one was the culprit and not that plastic one. Where did you get the parts? I need he big plastic ring for the rear window of the 62.

Dave

 

Yes, the nylon (plastic) gear is the one that is chewed up. The metal part is fine.

 

From another motor? If you want a new one, try a Ford dealer. They used the same ones right through to 1989, maybe later. Most Auto Electric shops will sell you one.

 

Fix the old one! Remove the gear and clean out all the grease. Remove the center piece that has the small gear on it and after getting all the crud out of the center of the plastic gear, mix up some Bondo (yep...body filler). Fill the cavity of the large one with the Bondo, set the center section down inside like it came out, wipe of excess filler and place lightly in a vise overnight clamping the two pieces together. Install in the morning and if done correctly, the repair will outlast the car. Done this several times.

 

Now that's a tip I've never seen anywhere. Wow! Thanks!

 

Don't forget to re-grease the big nylon gear. I usually use white grease (Lubriplate).

 

DG, Ford manuals keep mentioning Polystyrene grease. I know to feel it and see it but I can't find any on a shelf. It looks like regular bearing grease and peaks like it, but sticks like bear poop in a diaper.

They use it on the door rails and sliders, hinges, etc. Once it's on, it skins a bit and keeps dust out. It used to come in tubes and small tins, back when my dad bought it. Lasts eons.

Any idea who makes it or sells it? I guess I could ask a Ford Partsman with some gray on the roof.

 

Norm...I don't know of anywhere to get Polystyrene grease. I thought the gears were nylon. Anyhow, the grease is sealed in the unit, so most any kind of solid, sticky grease should work. The only consideration being that it not attack the gear. Maybe Polyethylene like used in boat trailer wheel bearings? Or maybe disc brake wheel bearing grease? Like I say, I use white grease as a replacement.

 

That's what I got, in frustration, but that stuff is great on door hinges and internal door hardware, latches. Better than the white stuff, which cakes up and dries up when exposed to the elements. The search goes on... Thanks.

 

Alternative

Thanks for the pics. Helped me decide to dive into fixing the tailgate of my 1985 Colony Park.

In doing so I discovered a cheap shortcut, an alternative the the bondo idea. Not that its a bad idea or anything, but personally I'd be afraid my gear would be off center and wobble, causing the bondo to pulverize under the torque and get into the grease, just as my old spacers had. I'm not patient enough for precision work. I initially did this because I could only find one gear kit in town and didn't want to wait for shipment, but the cheapskate in me loved how it worked out.

I bought a new gear kit. I discovered when I opened up the gear set on the car that the gear was fine, it was just that the spacers had pulverized. I got the spacers out of the new set. They measure .485" in diameter by .435" tall. I went to Lowes and to the hard to find hardware drawer and found some nylon spacers. They measured .492" wide and tall. Close enough! I just trimmed them down closer to .435" tall and worked at getting them squeezed them in there. That extra .007" on each spacer makes it rough. I guess I could have chucked them up on a drill and sanded/rasped them down to spec, but I was tired of messing with this window and ready to get it in. I used these on all my windows where I could hear the motor running but no up n down.

I ended up fixing the rear window for the $15 gear kit and all the other windows only $2 each thanks to Lowes. Here is a pic of the OEM spacers and the Lowes spacers that worked out just fine: