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Replacing power window motor w/regulator have questions

Indian Joe

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Delaware
The passenger side motor went on my"97 XJ. Looking at the replacement part it appears to be fairly simple job. But before I attempt it, are there any special tools I might need etc? Any suggestions to make the job go smoothly?
Thanks!
 
My stock regulator was rivited in, So check that. You can just drill out the rivits, but you will need some nuts and bolts to put it back together with. It may be bolted in on your model though.
 
The passenger side motor went on my"97 XJ. Looking at the replacement part it appears to be fairly simple job. But before I attempt it, are there any special tools I might need etc? Any suggestions to make the job go smoothly?
Thanks!

I just did this on a 98 passenger side front power window. About a 30-45 minute job IF (and I mean only IF) you stop for cold beer while working. Yes, it's pretty much yank and replace. Be careful with the window glass and make sure it gets in the rails going back up. The hardest part is taking the door panel off, but if you've done that for speakers, then it's the same. 10mm and 12mm sockets and a Philips screw driver were all I needed if I recall.

Oh, and watch out for the black goo used to hold the vapor barrier onto the door. Yuk!
 
my 2000 was all bolted in. Pretty easy.. just lower the window all the way first, unbolt the glass, raise it up and hold it in place some how... securely. I used a clamp with a rag under it.
 
You can pick up replacement aluminum (or better, steel, if they're available in the size you need) pop rivets from Home Depot. Worked great and faster than screws with less chance of loosening up.
 
He wouldn't be replacing bolts with rivets: he'd be replacing rivets with rivets. You'll have to ask Jeep why they used rivets but I suspect that it was cheaper, faster to install and doesn't require any fiddling to get the 'tightness' right.

I know that it seems intuitive to use nuts and bolts (and will no doubt work) but pop rivets were in there from the factory and I'm sure will far outlast the window motor.
 
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Plus, mine was riveted in with some huge rivits. Like 1/2in expanded rivets. I actually looked around for some and could not source them from anywhere local. So I used some extra hardware from a grill I bought and was shipped with two hardware sets.
 
No, the stock rivets do loosen up and his 97 has bolts from the factory. So, its just a bad idea all around.

Well, all I can say is that mine was riveted in from the factory and they weren't loose when the motor died and that was about 13 years ago and I put rivets back in with the new motor then and their not loose now (13 years later -so I guess it was a good idea for me - funny how that works). Your experience may differ so please do what works for you.
 
Plus, mine was riveted in with some huge rivits. Like 1/2in expanded rivets. I actually looked around for some and could not source them from anywhere local. So I used some extra hardware from a grill I bought and was shipped with two hardware sets.

Ya, that sounds like the same rivets used in mine and I was able to get them from Home Depot.

Maybe WolfPack doesn't know what a rivet looks like? :)
 
My 98 just has nice stout flange head bolts, and it was super easy. Why bother with rivets? The new regulator will probably come set up for bolts.
 
You guys sound like an Abbott and Costello routine. Who's on first? What's a rivet?

Earlier XJs had the regulators riveted on at the factory. On the 97+ models, they used bolts instead of rivets. So it is a much easier job to replace the regulators.

It all depends on what year XJ you have. The OP has a 97, so his are bolted in.
 
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