Rebuilding power window regulator for convertible
 

Just got done rebuilding the cables on my 88 covertible's power window regulator. Mazda does not sell replacement cables which is the problem with most power window regulators.

After disassembling mine, I found that normal bicycle brake cables and housings work.

Procedure for rebuilding

To rebuild your cables:
1) Open the power window motor. 4 screws on circular face pop it open.
2) Keep old cables as measurements for new ones. Clip one end of the metal anchors of the cable and keep the cable housings if they are still good.
3) Replace with wire with bicycle brake cable. You may need to grind the stock brake cable anchor end to match the Mazda cable. You can terminate the other end using a circular garage door cable stop.

Replacing the new cables.
1) Reattach the cables to the center slide and loop thru the regulator guides.

Attaching cables to the motor.
(Before disassembling mark the position of the slide with the window in the top position).
1) Start with the top window "up" grey housing cable. With the slide in the window up position. Loop the wire around the center spool.
2) Pull the window "down" black housing cable into motor and attach to the metal gear disc; put metal spool on the matching plastic spool.

Tensioning the cables.
So now you've got the up cable wrapped around the plastic spool. You should have only a short length of the black cable in the motor. Make sure you lead it under the plastic spool's rectangular tab. Both cables need to spool on to the plactic center spool. As one releases off the spool one is winding up. So for this to take place, there needs to be tension in the entire cable system.

Here is the key:

Using a small flat head screw driver, jam the plast spools rectangular tab from moving. There arer vertical slots built in the motor casing to accomodate this. Now using a 3/8 socket and ratchet wrench (it fits over the metal gear's spline and will turn it) turn the gear counter clock wise to pull tension in the black cable. The specially designed gear teeth allow slipping counter clockwise but not the opposite direction. Once maximum tension is reached the gear spool automatically locks the tension in place.

Reassemble the rest of the motor and test before installing.

If you hear any grinding in the motor or lag in switching between movement up or down. STOP and immediately open the motor again and repeat the spooling and tensioning procedure.

I used teflon coated Jagwire brake cables. You don't need teflon coating but I thought it would be nice. Just make sure to clean off the coating when you attach the garage stop as an anchor for one end.

It took me several days of trial and error with my regulator system. But with this procedure, I could rebuild a system in a day. Parts ran about less than $15 for the entire cable rebuild.

Please let me know if this helps you at the_johnster99@yahoo.com

Rebuilding power window regulator for convertible
 

The above procedure assumes you have already removed the entire power window regulator before you begin the cable rebuild. Sorry I neglected to state that Important point. So overall,

1) remove existing regulator
2) open power window motor
3) rebuild cables
4) install new cables
5) tension
6) test
7) reinstall.