'94 rear quarter window

A couple of days ago I was raising the left rear quarter window when I heard a "bang" and the window stopped moving. I could hear the motor running, at least for a while, so I'm pretty sure the cable snapped:crying: .

I've read through the instructions on replacing the cable in my '94 Service Manual, and it looks like something I don't want to try - even though I'm a pretty good shade tree mechanic. Has anyone out there done a cable replacement? Any tips? Also, any good sources for the parts I may need - cable and motor?

What's a shade tree mechanic? O_o

Oh and yeah, this is rare. The back windows ALWAYS go bad, but none snap cables, the motors are too much exposed to the elements and freeze up in the winter, and sometimes stay frozen (not cold-frozen, frozen as in stuck-frozen). Anyway, my Baron's back window quit working this winter and I figured I would remove it and rebuild the motor. I got pretty much there, but it was late, so I slapped it back together and left it for another day, then the motor started working all of a sudden like it did last year. Anyway, if you have 1-2 hours to do it, it's not that hard. I would recommend putting the top down while working, I think you need to have it down to pull the window assembly out anyway.

Ok, so put your top down. I THINK you need to remove the bottom door frame trim, next to the seat. It has like 5 rusted out screws that you may need to drill out. If you get the first 2 screws towards the back of the car, you could probably manage with that. Then, remove the back seat. You do this by digging your hands between the top and bottom half of the seat and pulling the bottom part out. Then it has some stupid clips in the front, holding the seat there. I think I broke my clips. But if you pull the seat up, so it's sitting vertically, you could probably stick a big flat head screwdriver into each clip and it should release them. Get the seat out. Then take off the upper seat, it has 2 bolts on the bottom and just slides off once the bolts are off. Then you need to work on the plastic panel, the one with the chrome clip that holds on the convertible boot cover. It also has the speaker on it. The screws are in plain sight once the seat is out. There's one screw on the boot cover clip. I think it may have a screw by the door frame too. The whole thing just picks up and you can swing it out of the way, or unplug the speaker and remove it completely. Now your window motor is visible... barely. I stopped here, but I noticed that it looked like the whole window regulator and motor are bolted on with about 4 or 5 bolts in plain sight, and I think you can take off the bolts and pull the whole assembly up. You'll probably have to unplug the motor about half way up though.

Oh, and... I have talked to my local parts stores, and no one carries a regulator for the LeBaron convertible rear windows. I think the motors *MIGHT* be interchangeable with the front. So you'll have to repeat the above procedure in a junk yard to get your part. Even if a parts store carries this part, I'll bet you it will be about $90.

And once you get your regulator out, be sure to check if it really is your cable. If your motor is shot, or a plastic gear is broken, you'll have the junkyard regulator and motor. Hotwire both your's and the junkyard's motors to see if they work. You might have to rebuild the motor. Depending on the Chrysler window motor, that's either impossible or extremely easy... Look up a general guide to rebuild motors. Pretty much you just open it up and sand off the rust.

I'm in the same boat as MADMANMAPPER... though I did get a result as both motors where siezed. Anyway, I did replace the drivers side regulator and motor got it off Ebay for under $50. Bad news is I need to recable the passenger side. You can get a repair at http://www.regulatorusa.com/

Good luck

Thanks to madmanmapper for the detailed reply, and thanks to Joric Lebaron for the parts source, which I've already checked out.

In the South, a shade tree mechanic used to refer to a bubba who worked on cars under an old shade tree in his back (or front) yard, with one or more up on blocks. It now refers to any amateur mechanic who works on his own cars, and rarely owns one that is less than seven years old.

Purchased a reconditioned regulator from www.regulatorsusa.com (http://www.regulatorsusa.com) as recommended by Joric Lebaron. Unit arrived in about five days, very reasonable price. Removed the inop regulator exactly as described by madmanmapper and as outlined in the Lebaron Factory Repair Manual. Put the new one in same way.

One minor problem. The rebuilt unit had some loose pop rivets holding the upper brackets, and this allowed enough motion to cause interference with the door window. Managed to tighten some of the rivets by screwing a sheet metal screw into them to spread them, but this didn't work on one of the brackets. Had to remove the window lift mechanism and drill out the loose pop rivets and replace them with #8 machine screws with nuts and lock washers.

Then, also, the mounting brackets have adjustment sliders that are tightened with bolts accessible when the back seat and quarter panel are out. Took some trial and error adjustments to get the new rear quarter assembly to work without interference with the door window.