Mordachai

Ok. Here's the thing. MY power windows are done, well, at least the driver's side is.
I drive a 91 Vert, and know that the Vert and coupe window assemblies are different, but my question is of alternatives to Mazda's Cable system.

I have searched and searched and searched. I have come up with the conclusion that Many many of us have had power window problems. I'm trying to get to a better alternative.

First Question, If your cable is completly shredded, how can you get a measurement to try to do the bicycle cable repair?

Ok now on to the more important 2nd Q:
Has anybody attempted to do a complete regulator swap. What I'm thinking of is the kits that Autoloc makes. They make numerous kits for different purposes(door lock, windows, remote start, etc) I purchased thier power door-lock kit years ago, and the kit was great, had every kind of bracket you could ever need to mount the hardware. (BTW the power locks were for a Pick-up not the 7)

What I'm thinking of doing is to try to fit the autoloc assembly into the 7. This would entail my removal of all the stock mazda parts, except for the front and rear track/channel. Then I'd mount the new drive track and regulator, and then mount the motor. IT is a motor witha flexible cable attachment. The cable spins inside and turns a worm gear at the new regulator track. This flexible set-up is supposed to make for limitless instalation possibilities. I have already talked to a bunch of hot rod guys, and all have said(more or less) good things about Autoloc.

One of my reasons for even thinking of this is that the cost of the complete Autoloc kit is less than a sinlge motor/reg for the 7. Either from Madza themselves, or Mazdatrix or anywhere else I 've seen new ones, they up there at around $400 a part or more!
and I don't really like the idea of replacing a poorly thought out system with the same poor system.( I have already had to put the cable back on the pulley/bushing on the passenger side- and now it's off it's track again)

So what I want to know is:
if anybody has done this or any similar kind of swap?
Does anyone think this is a terrible or genius idea?
If I do it , do you want to see a write-up on how to ditch mazda's system?
and , are we all nuts for dealing with these crazy problems?


BTW- I do know and realize that the cable system lasted for 15 Years of up and down action. I'm just kinda stubborn, and dont' feel like relenquishing a weeks worth of pay for a window drive unit. but I know that If I get it I can probably count on another good 10 yrs + of good service>!?!?!?!?!

HELP WHAT SHOULD I DO????

kiyoshi

I ditched driver side PW on my 88 vert since partially broken cable stuck inside the regulater. Now I'm using manual crank from coupe. It's kind a hack but is okay for me for now.

Parastie

I ended up breaking down and buy the damn part from Mazda.
There is a writeup for using Bike break cables as replacement cables, but my stuff was too screwed up fro that.

If your plan on using the aftermarket setup works, i want a writeup and pics!

Icemark

Actually it is the same system used on many cars including Ferrari and Lexus.

Cable systems are very lightweight, quiet, and cost effective. The only reason the vert one is rather expensive is because of the relitivly few numbers of production.

But it is anything but a poorly thought out system or poor system. If you really think so then I guess you think the power windows systems on more than 30% of the cars made today use a poor system.

Frankly I blame the owners more for failure than the system. the owners are the ones that don't have the windows checked out when they start moving slow, and don't pay any attention when the guides and cables get all gummed up leading to breakage.

But in your case I am sure the cable just broke because they wore out.

SureShot

Have you searched the "2nd gen for sale" forum for anyone parting out a Vert?
A fair used unit, cleaned & greased should last the life of the car.

White grease in a spray can - wonderful stuff - last year..

RotaryWeaponSE7EN

iTrader: (6)

I did too. I couldn't believe how expensive some of the window parts are.

Mordachai

-fortunatly or unfortunatly, I've been leaning towards buying the mazda part. At Least I know I'll have years of service and it will work.

I really don't want to hack the car apart at all, so I was kind of hoping to hear from someone who has done any kind of regulator swap. I'm not about to start cutting holes in the door and hacking into those door supports at all. I'd like (Idealy-yeah right) to be able to mount the thing with only drilling holes.

I found the write up on the bike cable fix before I made this thread, have it right in front of me actually-printed. The only thing is in the write up and all the threads about window cables I could find, there was no cable length, inches or cm, just says to use your old cables to measure the length. Well, when I try to match up the 2 ends, not even close- could be an inch or more off. I think before I get anyother system it'd be worth a brake cable or two to try out. the worst that could happen is not getting it to work = still broken!


or I might just buy the aftermarket parts to see if it looks feasible or not to do the reg swap.
AARRuggghhhhhh the descisions!



oh- I thought I'd add a little background. About 3 or 4 years back both windows stopped working.Called a local mechanic, at a Japanese auto shop. He told me that if I wanted to save a few hours work(labor charges), to go ahead and take off both door panels, so he wouldn't have to waste his time with that. Then he traced it to the switche(s). Both window switches were replaced and everything worked fine. When I picked the car up, he showed me how the cable system worked. It was the first time I'd seen a cable drive window. He said it was really important to make sure that the window always moves smoothly and at the same rate of speed the whole time in motion. If not he said it was a sign of trouble and to definitly not force it.

Ok so one day the passenger side window just completly gives up, not funny click click noise, no weird motion. It was down, and just wouldn't roll up. With a little coaxing I was able to get it back in up position. Then about a week ago I'm rolling my drivers side window down, and about halfway down it dropped(froma slow decent to SPEED!) about 2 inches and somehow stopped. Then if I tried to put it up or down, nothing happened for window action, and the motor didn't make any funny sounds. Turns out when I pulled the panel, the cable attached to the rear of the window was caught in one of the door cross-members and the door frame itself. It was already frayed and snapped. ( I knew I shoulda taken a picture- Off subject- I just replaced all the shifter bushings and boots, etc. Amazing how bad it was in there! took pictures all the way!)

Guess preventative maintence could really really pay off~!!!!!!!

|M|

Mordachai

Ok everybody
I have decided to try to fit the aftermarket power window unit into my vert.
I am now just waiting for the autoloc kit to arrive.

before I start ripping things apart, I'm gonna see if it looks like it will work out or not.

I will take pictures all the way, and providing that it works out pretty good, I'll do a full write up for anybody else who's having the same problems

|M|

Mordachai

Ok I just wanted to drop an update.
I paid for the damn things a month ago( I say the damn things, because I could have already had the windows workingwith M parts!)

I have been in contact with Autoloc directly. Seems I ordered the part the were out of stock on, and the girl who took the order didn't care to tell me.

After 2 weeks, the first call gave me a bunch of 'uhhhhh's and 'oohhh's and no answer to when they'd be in

a week later I called and raised hell and got the name of the Head sales manager of autoloc( I bought directly from autoloc- they use the hoffman group for fullfilment and the hoffman group was really uncooperative. once I got eh guy at Autoloc, everything is cool)

The autoloc people were really apoligetic and gave me dates to arrival.
They were supposed to land ( coming by sea from china or taiwan) in Port of San fran on friday. I didn't call to confirm on friday.
After a day or so to clear customs and a day to get to thier warehouse they will be shipping.
I will call on monday to confirm.
But it looks ok for now, I'll probably get the parts this coming week.

I still plan to do a full write-up including detailed pictures all the way through it

PEACE
|M|