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GraphiteDak
GenIII
 
7/03/2005
18:03:44
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 Subject: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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Well I got to witness yet something else engineered NOT to last!
Saturday I got the pleasure of replacing the transmission on my Aunts 1995 Dodge Caravan :(
Not my favorite thing to do. But I'm the one who knows how, and who has some tools :)
Anyway. We all get into my truck to go get some parts. I was turning on the stereo, and when I closed one of the media players and opened another on my PC stereo system. Somehow stupid windows set my volume to 100% and we got a quick BLAST of music that startled everyone in the truck :p
I quickly turned it down, all ok. The windows were up since it's over 100 degrees here.
I get maybe 300 feet down the street from my home and I hear 'TWANG!' and my driver's side window just DROPS to the bottom!
I'm like WTF???
Not sure if the stereo could have done that. I've only got ONE subwoofer.
So I take the sheet apart to see seom cheap engineering compaired to how older power windows were built!
The cable driven window mechanism pulled the end through this cheap plastic mount that broke!
And inside this spool deal, it wound the wire around to where it bound it all up!
A while later (and now my daughters bike being short a brake cable), I got the P.O.S. cable driven thingie back together. I had to install a set screw type cable stop from Checker auto.
It's under warranty, but I don't feel the need to leave my truck at the stealership for a week while they diagnose it and order the part!
I hope it lasts. After seeing how these are made, it makes you want to use the power windows SPARINGLY!
Oh BTW. one of the windows in our 2004 grand Caravan don't work either. Been meaning to look into that some day as well :(
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/05/2005
06:04:12
|  RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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Dude! Is that a scissor jack supporting the front of the van sitting on a ramp??
- Dan M
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Izzy
Dodge Dakota
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7/05/2005
08:36:04
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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I am about to go round #2 with my 00 Dakota drivers door. I have replaced all the wheather stripping/seals and the complete regulator and the damn thing is broke again. It keeps pulling the hardware off the window (glass) and breaking the small white plastic (nylon?) wheels that the hardware uses to travel in the tracks. I am into the whole setup for something like $250 already and its happened again.
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Super-bee
Dodge Dakota
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7/05/2005
11:59:42
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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wait, they are cable driven?
damn, my old 95 has an arm mounted right to a gear box that the motor drives, and that runs right to the window
no cables for me!
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
7/07/2005
00:02:10
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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DanM. Hell NO is that a sissor jack nor is it holding up the van!
But I can see how it looks!
The mini van is suspended by two jack stands under the frame. That jack was there just to lift the engine SLIGHTLY when removing/installing motor mounts. I set it on the ramp just because I could easily move it and adjust it while i was under there.
If I needed to lift some weight, I use the BIG jack you can see on the right corner of the picture :)
SuperB, YES cable driven!!!!
I could not believe it when i took it apart. I was like, WTF???
I too am used to the geared sissor thingie. But I can say this entire assembly weighs next to nothing. But not very bullet proof to say the least!
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ecdak
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2005
00:21:48
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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I am sure they are not the same but I had a 1990 caravan that the power window took a dump on me. Went to the junkyard 2x and spent gobs of money on junk parts that lasted no more than a month eacch time. Imangine that jnk parts from the same year as my van that broke the same way mine did huh? anyway spent 20 bucks at the dealer which was way less than the yard before my time spent retreiving it and it worked till the van finally gave up the ghost. Damn you take alot of pics!!!!!!!!!!! Late btw manual or power the belt driver was the same for those windows. don't know what is in store for you on your van but hopefully did not bore too much.
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2005
08:22:09
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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I sure don't see any jackstands in that picture man! Come on, admit it! you're a redneck like the rest of us!!
git r dun!
- Dan M
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2005
11:02:22
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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If you look reeeeeeeally close you can see one jack stand below the plastic and the other one obscured by the jacks.
Even us red-necks ain't dumb enough to suspend a car on a couple of jack's, maybe a couple of logs, some bricks, couple a rims welded togetha, pile 2x4's, cousin's fat wife and mother-in-law,,,
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
7/11/2005
00:33:01
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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Yes. There ARE jack stands holding that biatch up! :)
However I USED to live in Payson where there are plenty of red necks and when I was young, I'd get under a car that was held up by being jacked up onto wooden beams and drop a tranny!!!!
Not anymore. Today I dropped my Dad's tranny on his 1995 Nissan truck. He smoked the clutch on the way down to my house from Payson.
Damn. That's two weekends in a row I've dropped a tranny in my garage!!!!
BTW. So far so good. I think I fixed my Dakota window good the last attemp. Still have to check out our Grand Caravan though...
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/11/2005
06:03:54
| RE: Cheap power window engineering!!!
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What kind of air equipment do you have? I'm looking at a compressor at harbor frieght. runs 5 CFM at 90 PSI. It's on sale for $99, original price $169.99.
I need one of those big @$$ jacks too. The small one I have, I bought it to use under the wifes old (sold it a few months ago) mustang. This thing barely is enough to jack up tire on her grand am. She ran over a nail in front tire, I went to plug it, had a heck of a time breaking the lugs - stupid dealers over torquing!!
- Dan M
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