Rear window mechanism advice ?

[AussieBob]

14 year old car and 5 year old daughter who loves opening and closing windows means broken rear window regulator. The metal part that holds the cable crimp in place has bent open at the top end, which seems to be a common failure for the E39.

I've just used JB-Weld to epoxy glue the cable and crimp to the window lifting metal so in the morning I'll see if the JB-Weld is as strong as it says it is. It is good for repairing cracked bumpers though.


Does anyone know if the sliding window lifter is removeable from the regulator mechanism? I haven't removed the regulator from the door but I'm assuming you can slide it off perhaps the top end.

[edjack]

regulator out, you need to remove the glass, so you can access the top bolt.

Take a look at this repair kit: http://www.bmwrepairkit.com/

You must know that you can lock out the rear window controls, via the bottom button on the driver's door window controls?
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

[AussieBob]

I've found the slider replacement parts on the Net, the metal part that holds the cable crimp in place and the glass window. Some are made from metal others seem to be from plactic with thicker design around the top and bottom sections of the slot that holds the cable crimp. They are around $10.

There must be a way to release the rivot crimps at one end of the slider rail in order to remove and replace the slider part.

I'll be in Germany in April so I think I'll try and track some down - they must be displayed on hangers in the Auto aisle of the local "K-mart" in the land of the E39.


I'm still to check the JB-weld solution later today, but I think it will hopefully give me a few more years of operation.

The daughter knows already about the stop switch on the driver's door, the wife seems to forget all about it. But windows are meant to be used so the daughter has free reign I guess.

[edjack]

You need to buy the entire assembly. I did, along with a new motor. It is possible, I guess, to move the old motor to the new regulator.

If you'll be in Germany, consider picking up a pair of Euro headlight assemblies. If the Oz headlights are like those in the USA, the Euro setups have superior beam patterns. Our DOT prevents us from getting good headlights here.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

[AussieBob]

The JB-weld epoxy has worked, the rear window is working fine

I'm starting to believe the marketing on the product, every toolbox needs some; "don't scrap it! JB-Weld it!"


I also used it with some fibre glass sheeting to repair the inside surface of the polypropylene bumper and fill the crack from the front side a few weeks ago - it's good stuff and very easy to work with and you can also paint over it to match the bumper paint, something that the PP-EPDM doesn't take to all that well

[edjack]

flexing will break the bond.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

[AussieBob]

The wife caught the front bumper at a parking lot again. The wheel-arch screw tab had broken off the bumper again and some of the front plastic grill parts were out of shape again. So it must have been a good rip she gave it (which seems to be the case based on her facial expression when I told her the bumper was damaged again and the damage that was evident).

But to my suprise the bumper repair I did with the JB-weld and the fibre glass matting was completely intact. Only the first part of the crack where I could not put fibre glass on due to the clamp I was using to hold it together re-craked. It cracked for about 1/2 an inch and stopped right where the fibre glass matting started.

So I re-JB-welded the bumper tab piece but this time used fibre glass as well. The fibre glass seems to be the key to flexible (or in-flexible) strength as only the tabs and area that I repaired with the epoxy only had broken, the other joins with the fibre glass had all withheld the rip force and twisting of the bumper.


I also re-applied the duct tape to hold the under side of the bumper up to the plastic under engine cover piece, it seems to stop the bumper from getting snagged on the carpark obsticles - just one little negative from a lowered front end.

And yes, I reminded the wife to be careful with the front end and carparks.


I notice the bumper on my M3 has a purpose built thick black plastic edge on the bottom of it so it can take a bit more abuse. It is however not as low at the front as the E39 which also helps.