Window Regulator - permanent fix for stretched cable
 

I finally got around to opening up the door panel to install my (hopefully) permanent fix for the problem of too much slack in the window regulator cable. The sympton of my problem was that the window would not drop enough to clear the top when I opened the passenger side door. The window would still roll up and down properly, it just wouldn't drop enough to clear the top. The window had excessive play in the cable system, which could be felt by rolling the window 1/2 way down and then pulling up and down on the glass. The window would easily move at least 1/2 inch up and down. (Update: I used to think it was because the cable stretched, but someone in this thread pointed out that there is a small plastic guide that breaks causing the cable to have excessive slack. - So I now believe this is truly a permament fix if done before the cable frays at the motor.)

I used a $3.00 bicycle brake cable adjustment barrel to take up the slack and add some adjustability to the window regulator system. Hopefully this will be a permanent fix. It was pretty easy to install and did not require the window regulator to be removed from the door.
I had to drill out the front lower corner bracket a small amount and I had to remove the original factory end from the cable housing. All of this was easily doable while installed in the door. This what the final fix looks like:

http://i44.tinypic.com/2vs0uoo.jpg

You may remember my temporary fix from another thread:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2ahywya.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/2554co9.jpg

Nice DIY. Thanks for the update.

Very, VERY, ingenious!

You should patent this idea!

Thanks for sharing. :cheers:

Regards, Maurice.

I can adjust the tension on the window regulator cable now by simply removing my aftermarket door speaker to gain access. Somebody shoulld send this thread to Porsche. Too bad for everyone that they didn't think of it.

Interesting idea, though not terribly convenient. Having to screw around with one adjustment in a rain storm after going through a toll both, for example, would really piss me off. Then again, if I couldn't (or refused to) spring for a new regulator I'd probably be figuring out ways to avoid using toll roads and bridges, because everyone know what a gouge they are.

The window operates perfectly, like new again. I don't expect to ever have to adjust this again, but just in case, it's now a very easy task. I suspect that if the cable stretches more, I'll have to bite the bullet and replace the regulator. It will be interesting to see how permanent the fix really is. For the time being I'm very happy with the way it worked out. Took less than an hour total time to do it, and I got the adjuster barrel for free from a friend who's into bicycles, so not much of an investment.
Oh, and I'm not poor, just frugal ( - and not crazy frugal or I wouldn't own a Boxster in the first place). I thought I'd pass along this tip because of the huge number of these that fail early in the life of our Boxsters - mine had 20,000 miles on it. Why throw away $140-$200 when you don't need to, only to buy the same crappy part that will fail again in 20,000 miles?

I think that's a great mod Dave. Very clever and simple. Thanks for posting!

The cable really doesn't...
 

... stretch.
There's a plastic guide inside the regulator that breaks (with age) and lets the cable have a bit of slack.
That's why people tend to think that the cable has stretched.
I love your inventiveness.
I had done something similar with a ferrule cut to size, but it was not adjustable and it moved a bit.
Thanks for sharing your solution.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Now that makes a lot of sense as it seemed pretty odd to me that the cable would have actually stretched. I have only seen a couple of pictures of the regulator removed from the door. Any chance you might have an illustration where the plastic guide that fails is located? I'd like to learn more about the failure mode.

Permanent fix for window not dropping when door opens
 

I've received a few PMs regarding this mod. Just thought I'd post that a year later (4k miles) it still is working fine. Admittedly I only drive the car on nice days, usually on the weekends, so it doesn't get that much use. My wife is usually with me, so the passenger door gets almost as much use as the driver's door.
I have never been back into the door, so no adjustments have been required and it still works like the day I did this fix.
I think ppbon is correct that the cable never stretched as I orginally thought. His post regarding a plastic guide that breaks causes the excessive slack in the window regulator seems right on the money. I wish I could change the title of this thread to read, "Permanent fix for window not dropping when door opens".

Dave S.

Yes this does work, I did this to my driver's side regulator cable and it's holding-up fine. Although if I rememeber correctly I used tie wraps on just one end of the cable (one location).

Just one more example / reason I love this site so much!!

Chuckbh
 

Thanks DaveS
I just saw your post and I had the same problem with my window. I had a cable adjuster from a bike laying around and I just screwed it into the blue plastic piece and it works GREAT !!! I didn't need to even to adjust it plus I checked the cable tension and it is not too tight and just a little slack.What would we do without the internet?

Glad you had the same results I did. Nice to fix for pennies as opposed to hundreds of $$.

was it hard to take off the door to access this cable?

Not too bad. I followed these instructions:

Boxster Projects | Power Window Motor Repair

thanks Dave. any else try this mod? i called my local bike shop and going to pick up this brake cable piece tomm. im not very mechanically inclined though i did switch out the ignition switch :)

yeah my problem also, when opening the door, window does not completely go down so than i push glass down, shut it and it goes up tight.

for now. before exit, i use button to lower the window slightly. when out, i use my key to turn the key to the left and it makes the window go up to seal. pain in the butt but ok for now.

Did this "fix" on Monday. $2 part at the local bike shop. Or, if you've got a good reputation with them, free!

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1346283253.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1346283273.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1346283341.jpg

Or, you can buy an OEM replacement part from an eBayer for $108.99 shipped. From others on these forums, I hear it's a quality part:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150590554947?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p398 4.m1438.l2649

so those green pieces are the oem and you got rid of them ? did you have to wedge the brake piece into the housing?

In photo 1, you can see the green piece broke into two, and was binding on the pulley.

Photo 2 shows the barrel adjuster. It's the perfect size to fit into the groove of the frame.

Photo 3 shows the other end of the frame, with an intact green piece, just for reference, to see how it's supposed to fit when it doesn't break and look like photo 1.

thanks for explanation! that makes sense!!

when you take off the door, what position should you have the window ?

in my experience, if you're going to work on the regulator, anything butt the fully lowered postion. half way if i had a choice, makes getting to the regulator feet easier, as well as removing the speaker box.

When I did mine, I had the window fully open. But when I had to loosen the clamps that hold the glass, I fully closed it. When fully raised, there are openings that give you access to the clamps.

great thanks very much!!!

When I fixed mine, I left the window almost all the way up. I didn't remove the regulator or the glass, just added the barrel adjuster to the front lower pully by accessing through the opening in the door after removing the interior panel. It is really very easy to do

Lucky dog, Dave S. My regulator (and glass) had to come out because the part that broke was at the top/rear. Not accessible from the bottom of the door. :(

just bought two of them. will try it this weekend. thanks Dave for the innovation and others for guidance.

bar10. did you take off the circle adjustment in yours? i see it in the first but not the middle pic(installed)

I did. I found that the nut was not necessary. At least, in my installation. Others may have varying needs.

bar, w/o it, are you worried it might pop off cable?

No, there's plenty of tension on the line and the opening on the barrel is facing inwards.

bar, did you just cut open the green adapter? i have everything open. mine appeared in tact. or should i just add zip ties like chuck did.

ok i added three zip ties to tighten the cable at the top of the spring. like in chucks original temp. fix. do you guys think this will hold up? will wait for advice before sealing up the door panel. thanks in advance!

dave, how did you remove the green fact housing to keep the cable tension? just dremel it off? mine was intact.

ok i tried it with the zip ties. no diff. :( the tension was def. a lot tighter but it didnt seem to make a diff. do you guys think i have a diff problem?

Yes, but only because mine was broken, as you can see in the first pic. Since appears yours are intact (by your posts) then you should not cut yours.

In fact, the whole basis of this thread is to repair the broken green piece with a bike cable barrel adjuster. If all your green pieces are intact, your problem lies elsewhere. More troubleshooting would be required.

Go back and search/read through a few of the threads that talk about the window not dropping properly and you'll see ways to check yours out. There are many sensors that can be at fault. Two in the door (outer/inner handles) one in the convertible top portion of the top center of the windshield, can't remember the rest right now.

If your window isn't dropping when you open the door, is it the same with both the innner and the outer handles?

Others will chime in, I'm sure, to try to help you out. However, since you've got the door apart and probably want to resolve this rather quickly so you can get the car back together, you may have to resort to just searching/reading older threads on your own to save yourself some time.

Good luck! I know how much of a pain it is to have a car half apart just sitting in the driveway... :)

The green end of the cable sleeve was intact on mine, but it didn't fit well with the barrel adjuster I was using, so I cut it off. I think I just used a plier-like cable cutter to break it up and get it off the cable.
If it fits into the barrel adjuster you are using, you might want to leave it on there.

yeah thanks guys for your advice. i put it back together. yes window does not come down from the inside and outside. but if i push it down when im outside, and than close the door. it ll come back up. I'm thinking now it might be one of the sensors. but ill inquire in another thread. dave. so both your green adapters were intact also?