• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

window regulators

middleson326

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MA
I have owned my 98 XJ for 10 years or so. The power windows have always been slow and now getting worse. So I have finally decided to replace the regulators. As I search the web I have found many options' but I've noticed that most of them are of a different design than original. Also on some youtube videos that I've watched the windows really didn't seem to operate much better than mine after installing the new regulators. So I'm looking to see what results you out there have had and any recommendations on design and brands.
 
Have you tried improving the wiring yet? The XJ Cherokee wiring is notoriously undersized and the deterioration from years of use has not improved the performance.
 
I did not specifically try relays. I did however use jumper wires direct from the battery to the motor with no improvement
 
Have you tried rebuilding them? I have had great success doing it on my 2000.
 
I am responding only to RCP PHX's comment since the OP seems to have tried this with a direct wire to the battery.


Where are going to get the power for the relay(s)?


In my '90 XJ, I installed relay's for both front windows. AMAZING difference in performance.


I didn't take a "before" video but below is an unedited "after" video showing how they work now.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UrLJr04QOw


As for the power, I simply tied into the 12V coming into the door for this circuit. The issue isn't/wasn't lack of power, I believe it was corrosion in the switches/connectors themselves. Copper will always tarnish up over time and while I could probably have spent hours taking the switches apart and trying to clean the connectors, installing the relay's solved it very cost effectively and permanently. I also avoided the poor ground issue in this model year entirely by grinding the paint off at the point where I mounted the relay's and used it to attach each relay to ground through the chassis. I posted about this some time ago...


HTH
 
Last edited:
I have 01 windows and regulators in my 95. I also have a one touch module in my driver window fed from a relay that draws directly from the battery post and triggered by keyed ignition. For 5 months of the year I roll my window up and down a minimum of 100 times a day, 5 days a week. These are not quick windows by modern standards, it would be interesting to see a video of the ops window to compare to anyone else's.
 
I can't say that I "rebuilt" them . I did however clean the window tracks and clean and lube the the metal track that slides the glass up and down. Again with no results. I did this to both front windows. Also took the the switches apart and cleaned the contacts, not a difficult job, but time consuming. While the doors were apart I looked for anything broken or loose and found nothing.
It's not just the fronts but the rears as well. I've come to the conclusion that they are gradually approaching the end of their usable life.
really what I'm looking for are some recommendations for a good set of replacements. The web is full of options and was hoping for some feedback from others experiences on which are good and not so good.
 
If all are too slow then it is either a common cause for all of them, or your expectations are too high. There is no way all 4 windows are worn out. Like I tried to illustrate, I use my window more than anyone in this forum and it's still as fast as ever.
 
All 4 wouldn't wear at the same rate. Even allowing for the age factor, it's really use that wears them out & in most cases the driver's get used more than the other 3 put together - in fact for many, the rear windows are never used at all.
 
I did not specifically try relays. I did however use jumper wires direct from the battery to the motor with no improvement


Note that the power wire is only half the equation. This test should be run with a power wire from the battery AND a negative wire from the battery. Just because the power can get in doesn't mean it can get out.....
 
Have you checked/cleaned/lubed the vertical channels the glass slides in as it goes up/down? I had debris once cause false pinch alerts with one window on my VW daily driver, a quick clean/lube resolved it.
 
He said he did but I've found it's gear motor section that all the grease is dried up that causes all the mal-function!
 
Whoops, missed that. I take it that by "gear motor section" you mean that worm drive part when you talk about the grease drying up?
 
Whoops, missed that. I take it that by "gear motor section" you mean that worm drive part when you talk about the grease drying up?

Yes, it is a little more than just a gear but...... you can also buy tubing to repair the guides.
 
Ah. Mine, being a 92, I don't think I have tubes - mine look (last I checked) to be small metal box tubes with slots the whole length. The spinning shaft is inside, and the whole thing appears to be packed with grease. The tubes may have been an evolution for the 97+ models...
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all your suggestions. Since they all do work , although very slowly, I guess I'll just wait it out and see what happens.
 
Back
Top