window motor/regulator on 2003 grand caravan

[hammer2]

stopped working a while ago. I recently took panel off and pulled bottom cover off the motor. took out shaft and cleaned/sanded the points where brushes contact. cleaned brushes. put grease on bottom and top of the shaft put it back together and still didn't work. already checked and have power to motor. so, remembering little trick I did on my 2000 grand prix, I adjusted the preload (well sort of) on grand prix, on bottom of motor shaft, there was a screw. if you tightened it up, the preload on shaft was tighter. if loosen it too much, the shaft will flop around and move up and down. on grand prix I think I loosened it up and tad, and it has worked fine for the past 8 years. but not such adjustment on the caravan. so I slightly loosened up one of the two bottom cover mounting screws and it seems to work fine again. any thoughts on this? why would this work? is something worn that causes the shaft to become too tight in the housing?

so if I decide to replace the motor or the motor/regulator I have some questions. how does the motor separate from regulator? I took off a metal cover and can see the pulley that the cable wraps around but not screws. do you just slide the regulator off the motor when this cover is off? or do you have to take off the cover on back side of pulley (the side against the metal of door frame) and then remove some screws? cardone site says something about putting screw in to hold some gear in place before removing motor?

and if replace the whole unit, how does the regulator separate form the window? do the two 3-4" long pieces of metal on bottom of window stay attached to window and you separate the white pieces on regulator from these metal pieces by pulling the pins off?

[jamesslcx]

hammer2 good tip on preload, have to check on the rest.

[RIP]

Should see metal pins where the window attaches. Pull the clips out and the window is free.

A video speaks a thousand words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm3UvktddA4

[hammer2]

great video! very helpful. I was on right track with the clips to remove the window from regulator. so think I will just order new dorman part off amazon for $60 and replace whole thing. nice to be able to go through drive thru without opening the door!