Tailgate window motor help

Discussion in 'General Automotive Tech' started by Soopahfly, Oct 28, 2008.

  1. CapriceEstate

    CapriceEstate Yacht Captain

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    Clamshells are awesome, I can't beleive they ever went out of style!
     
  2. Donny Kingswood

    Donny Kingswood New Member

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    I can't beleive they ever went out of style!
    Some of us in The Netherlands try to keep them alive :thumbs2:

    Donny
     
  3. jeffreyalman

    jeffreyalman New Member

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    Wow that illustration is scary. I was amazed when I went to replace the rear speakers that there is zero room in the rear wheel wells. Now I know why. Between the spare and tailgate mechanisms on the right and the fuel tank on the left, everything is jammed in there. Luckily mine all works. Great post, thanks guys.
     
  4. tsynek

    tsynek New Member

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    I heard the clamshell didn't last because they broke alot and were hard to fix. I know an old insurance claims guy and he said when they got rear ended bad often the car was considered totaled because the clamshell wasn't worth fixing, too complicated. What have you heard?
     
  5. Donny Kingswood

    Donny Kingswood New Member

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    I fixed mine, and yes it's very complicated....

    Donny
     
  6. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    Being an old claims guy, I wouldn't be surprised. Now that I think about it, I don't recall doing any inspections on the the rear of a clamshell, and I've been in the biz since '77.

    I've also heard that retractable hardtops are problematic in crashes as well. Very hard to get all the movable panels to line up again.
     
  7. tsynek

    tsynek New Member

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    Hey Donny Kingswood, did you replace the rollers on your tailgate? Has anyone?
     
  8. Donny Kingswood

    Donny Kingswood New Member

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    Hey,

    All roller were good, so i didn't replace theme. I did grease theme with lots of grease, like i used a whole tube!


    Donny
     
  9. Glide-Aways

    Glide-Aways Well-Known Member

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    Any suggestions on preventative maintenance? How to clean, lube etc?
     
  10. jeffreyalman

    jeffreyalman New Member

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    coincidentally I lubed my back window weatherstrips just today and wow what a difference a little white lithium grease on those old dried seals makes, smoother, faster, quiet shhhhhh just great, I got lucky my fully-powered clamshell works great
     
  11. Glide-Aways

    Glide-Aways Well-Known Member

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    Jeffrey, you and me both. Mine works well too. I'd like to keep it that way. For a non-mechanic like me, do you think accessing the glass and gate would be easy for PM, cleaning etc?
     
  12. jeffreyalman

    jeffreyalman New Member

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    to be honest with you, I am no expert, wixom61 is the true expert on this. I just basically wiped the inner weatherstrips with white lithium grease then wiped off the excess, the seals just needed a little moisture, probably had never been done. I believe the cable for the window / regulator is a sealed assembly so no maintenance there, but again, I defer to David.
     
  13. wixom61

    wixom61 Well-Known Member

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    True expert? Me? Ha!...I don't have mine all back together yet! :rofl2:

    It's real easy to take things apart...getting put back together and working right is the real challenge!

    I will go ahead a take some pics of the workings of this whole set up while it is so apart...that way, it won't be so much of a mystery as to how it all works.

    It is really quite simple and elegant in design. I'm mainly referring to the tailgate design, because my window works just fine, and I still have all of the headliner still in place, so it is still quite mysterious to me:confused:.

    I will go out and snap some pics now:camera:, and we will see how that goes:slap:, because...:ttiwwp:

    David :)
     
  14. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    David, self-flaggelation is no longer encouraged. We had a Grey Nun's convent in Canada that did it until John Paul II. I know cause I dated a gal who quit.

    You're one of the tailgate adventurers, take the credits while you get them, already.:rofl2:
     
  15. tsynek

    tsynek New Member

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    Donny said he used a whole tube of grease on his tailgate. I have found that the grease attracts dirt, and powder graphite lube, gun oil, or PB's garage door lubricant don't as much. The grease probably lasts longer, but again just too much dirt build up in my opinion.

    By the way I think we should all pitch in and buy Stormin a clam, cuz he is a true clam groupie right now:rofl2:
     

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