Window winder (or regulator) mechanism

[Keith Wynn]

Hello everyone, I have a 1966 MGB and I have now had most things on the car restored, except the LH and RH door window winder mechanisms (or regulators as Moss refer to them). They are the originals and are very stiff and the winder handle occasionally even jumps a tooth or three. The glass needs a good helping hand going either up or down! Not very satisfactory. Replacements for this item (the model for 3 synchro, push button door handle) are not currently available from Moss.

Has anyone out there already restored or had restored these mechanisms, and can they give me any help or advice. I would imagine that they are pretty crude and were made down to the lowest possible price at the time as they are out of sight, and that 50+ years of winding, dirt, water seepage, and lack of maintenance have now taken their toll. Maybe they were so poorly made they cannot be restored and have to be re-engineered.

I would rather not fit electric window lifts.

All help gratefully received, Keith

[Ian F]

Hi Keith,
the winders on my 72 BGT are similarly afflicted - but they do work albeit not very smoothly. When I last restored the B (owned since 1978) I stripped out the winders, cleaned them up, adjusted them and got them working acceptably. As you say they are fairly crude - but that also means that they can be fixed with a little effort and lubrication! Worth having a go yourself I think,

Ian F.

[Keith Wynn]

Thanks Ian, that is encouraging news. What adustments are possible in your view?
I will have a go at it this winter
Also I hope to get a few more replies with do's and don't do's and tips on sourcing replacement parts maybe.
Cheers, Keith

[Vic Butler]

Evening Keith.
From bitter experience with both my MGB GT and Land Rover I now always source spares from reputable sources and NEVER from the internet. Ignition parts from the Distributor Doctor for instance as he does not sell the cheap and nasty Chinese rubbish that seems to be flooding the market. Find a reputable supplier from the MGCC recommended suppliers' booklet and use them for spares as you'll be getting quality. Avoid cheap replacement components. I had the HS6 carburettors rebuilt by Burlen rather than risk dodgy replacement and the Distributor Doctor rebuilt my distributor to suit the state of tuning the engine has.
Go for the best, it's always cheaper in the long run.
. Vic Butler
.

[Keith Wynn]

Morning, Vic, thank you, sound advice and which I normally apply in any case, having had similar experiences. The problem with these window winders is that as far as I can tell no-one seems to be remanufacturing them or the spare parts, not even a nasty Chinese approximation, which would be a good basis to improve on. If I can find a second-hand pair, in whatever condition, I will have a go at rebuilding them myself with help from some tame engineers, before tackling my originals. Cheers, Keith

[David Wicks]

My window winders were getting very stiff (74 GT), in fact lady Wicks could not even move hers. On investigation I found there was considerable lost motion, ie the windows moved sideways before attempting to raise, because the channel/runner felts were compressed/gunged and the passenger side rear channel top location bolt had come loose.
I gave the channels a generous squirt of WD 40 and adjusted them to take up the slack so that the window could raise up and down without lateral movement - the results were amazing, even Lady Wicks was impressed.
If the stiffness returns I will try Mr Sheen (other silicone polish is available) as I have found that has more staying power than dewatering fluid.
I realise this is not strictly a resto fix but as you may have to "make do and mend" given the current new parts situation, I offer it as a solution. By the way the door cards can remain in place for this as the rear channel bolt is accessible, just, from the top with the seal eased back.

[Ian F]

Keith Wynn wrote:
> Thanks Ian, that is encouraging news. What adustments are possible in your
> view?
> I will have a go at it this winter
> Also I hope to get a few more replies with do's and don't do's and tips on
> sourcing replacement parts maybe.
> Cheers, Keith

Hi Keith,
I think David makes a very good point regarding the channels/runners - I lubricated mine with clear waxoyl - not everyone's idea of something suitable but if you wipe off the surplus a few times you will find it leaves a nice waxy surface for the glass to slide along - and is good for preventing corrosion of course. Getting the channels correctly aligned and not too sloppy, and preventing sideways movement of the glass is important - a major part of my solution. Otherwise reducing any other sources of lost motion and ensuring the mechanism itself is well lubricated and free is most of what is easily done. I see you have occasionally jumped a tooth - if this is due to the teeth being very worn rather than just stiffness in operation, then you may be having to search for replacements. I understand that repairs to the teeth are very difficult to do successfully - I didn't have to go that far.
There are winders on Ebay - have you tried there? Also might be worth trying some of the sources of old car bits - try placing an ad on the MG Enthusuasts website. I got some Midget MK1 parts easily from there - the contact was Clive Murray from Scarborough, but there are other sellers of course,

Hope this helps a little,

Ian F

[Keith Wynn]

Thank you David, and Ian, I now have a feeling that this is a job that is probably going to take all winter, but with all these tips, and plenty of silicone on the channels, plus I was hoping to add weld to any damaged teeth, but that depends upon the metal used.

Anyway I could be back in business, winding the windows up and down even on the move. At the moment it requires both hands and we need to stop the car to do it safely.

All the help is much appreciated and if anyone else has some tips, keep sending them in.

Cheers, Keith