1997 America Dream / Driver's side Electric Window

2bzy2c wrote:
I really enjoy your posts. Very detailed and well done. You should be a technical writer for the RV industry. You make it appear easy and clean, even though clearer thinking knows that is not the case.

Thank you for your efforts.

Thanks for the kind words.

Ok, part 2!

THE FIX

So I came up with the idea of reversing the cable in the regulator. Putting the damaged end at the window end and the end that was at the window in the motor. This end has never been through the gear drive in the motor so is like brand new.

To do that I had to open up the end of the regulator (note the hose clamp, more discussion on that a littler later)



I pulled the cable out of the regulator.



I found two areas of the cable drive that were damaged. It appears this has been a problem in the past. What was done is the downward travel of the window was limited by the hose clamp. I always thought the window should open more than it did, now I know why. I suspect the motor was replaced as it seemed in very good shape. No play in the gears within the motor.



The window bracket needs to be removed from the cable.



Looks daunting and like a machine would be needed to recreate the crimp, but the only other option is to buy a whole new regulator, so there is nothing to lose in trying.



It turned out the metal of the bracket was quite soft and a pair of needle nose pliers EASILY unwrapped the clamp. It does look like there is no hope in getting it back in place but again nothing ventured nothing gained



Here we go in an attempt to put it back together.



You know what it actually went back together rather easy. To finish the process off I took to large allen wrenches and put them on either side of the bracket, just below the cable (should have taken a picture) and put it in a vise and squished it together. You can hardly tell the factory job from my attempt.



Close up



I put the cable in a pan of paint thinner to clean all the old grease of (turned brown from all the dirt and rust, and old grease). Grease the cable and the cable channel.



Cleaned and greased the motor gears.



Put the thing together and it works great,
Sort You Tube video of the test

I didn't like the custom bin top separator the past "repair" person used.



I have watch a number of custom car builds on TV and seen them use Luan plywood to create door cards, so I tried it. A 2 X 4 foot sheet cost $11.00, a little trimming and this is what I got.



I replaced the one drywall screw that was holding the wall panel in place.



Got it all back together and discovered I had installed the spot light control rotated 90 degrees from where is should be (when the knob was pressed down the spot light turned right) I had to take it back apart and correct that mistake.



I believe in installing things so that they can be taken back apart, so the crimp but connectors installed by the RV service(?) that removed the seat to install the new carpet, ....



Had to go, replaced them with a weather pack connector as it should have been done in the first place. I really have no use for inept RV service techs. Please shoot me if I ever have to go back to a service center.



Everything has been tested, all works, all done.



The custom parts installed by the last repair have made their way to the garbage can (two bin tops, three conduit clamps, two dry wall screws, one small hose clamp, and one stripped bolt and nut (from a small side project to be documented later (it is now 12:41 AM))).



Stay tuned for more exciting antics from this crazy person.

Follow them here on my projects thread.

I really enjoy your posts. Very detailed and well done. You should be a technical writer for the RV industry. You make it appear easy and clean, even though clearer thinking knows that is not the case.

Thank you for your efforts.

bsinmich wrote:
When I worked at Burroughs Corp. (1958-61) I serviced bookkeeping machines. The time allowed for one repair was ridiculously short. I went to Church with the man who had written the book and asked him how it could be done so fast when it took more time that that to get the carriage & case off. His reply was "their machines didn't have those parts on when they were timing them" I think he may work for Fleetwood now.
I would suggest NAPA with their books of power window pictures. I would be willing to bet Fleetwood used an existing part there.

I did go to NAPA and they said they could find nothing, a friend over on the other board found these which are almost identical. My NAPA store seems inept at looking things up

"Look here at this one > Fire Truck Parts Muncy Corporation Window Regulator Here's another Dorman # > Dorman 740-5507 Front Driver Side Manual Window Regulator "

I have actually come up with what I think is a good idea and am in the process of trying it. I pulled the cable out of the regulator and reversed it. The bad section is now at the window end and the section that never went through the gears so the motor are at the motor end. I have the cable reinserted and it operates smoothly. I have enough confidence that this will work that I will try putting it back into the coach.

It is bolted back in the bus and seems to work perfectly.

Pictures will be posted in My projects thread

When I worked at Burroughs Corp. (1958-61) I serviced bookkeeping machines. The time allowed for one repair was ridiculously short. I went to Church with the man who had written the book and asked him how it could be done so fast when it took more time that that to get the carriage & case off. His reply was "their machines didn't have those parts on when they were timing them" I think he may work for Fleetwood now.
I would suggest NAPA with their books of power window pictures. I would be willing to bet Fleetwood used an existing part there.

Laman wrote:
Well I was going to post that AC left me a message that the seat would have to be removed but I see that is not necessary. Many, many thanks for the great pictures because I am about to embark on the same repair. Good luck on finding your parts and please keep those pictures coming.

The seat absolutely does have to be removed, the pedestal does not. To remove the seat is unplugging one electrical lines and four small bolts between the pedestal and the seat. It will take all of ten minutes for this part of the task.

Well I was going to post that AC left me a message that the seat would have to be removed but I see that is not necessary. Many, many thanks for the great pictures because I am about to embark on the same repair. Good luck on finding your parts and please keep those pictures coming.

trouble is Mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, and interior designer

the designer of the interiors is the one who decides where the holes are
and he his not there putting it together or doing any repairs

Ok guys, first project for the season.

I need to resolve this window issue. I looked at it and decided to remove the drivers seat to make it easier to get to the control console.



Four bolts hole the seat to the pedestal, I did not want to pull up the carpet so I removed those.

Last RV repair center cut the plug for the power to the electric seat, so I had to cut the wires. I will install a weather pack connector when I put the seat back.



With the seat removed I now have access to the control panel which covers the window regulator



In the engineers great wisdom they did not put plugs in, so that the wiring harness could be unplugged to remove the control panels. The wires have to be unplugged from the individual switches so that the wires can be feed through the holes in the panel so that the panel can be removed. This is 1 of 9 pictures taken from different angles so that I can be assured of plugging the correct wires back into the correct location. A camera and MANY pictures are your friends here so if you do this project take lots of pictures as you go.



Spot light control panel (has to be removed also)



Sorry for my dirty hands, I have been doing a lot of landscaping lately

Here is the back of the direction spot light control. A previous technician made a cut in the control panel so that the switch could be removed from the panel without removing the wires. A lazy man's way of doing this, but I can almost understand why he did it. I did use his trick and did not unplug the wires.



The control pod has now been removed from the side panel. Note the small hole in the side panel that the wires now have to be feed through to remove the side panel.



Another treasure of a past RV center repair. A new use for dry wall screws



The engineers strike again, in there wisdom they ran the wires for everything through another hole in the side panel. This makes removing the side panel very difficult.



A closer shot.



I was able to tilt the steering wheel all the way up, and telescope it all the way out, and the panel fit under it so that I could get to the window regulator without pulling the wires through the hole. Engineers should be required to work on the stuff the design!



Did you note the custom attempt with the bin tops to hold the wire harness out of the window mechanism? I'm sure I will be able to come up with a better solution. Already thinking of cutting an aluminum plate to run from the support of the regulator to the floor.

In straightening out the wiring harness I cam across an interesting harness. Note the harness wire tied at the bottom of the window sill



Here is a closer shot.



I clipped the wire tie and laid it on the floor.



It connects to nothing but itself!!!!!

The regulator is out, whole operation took less than an hour.



It did create a mess.



This is the regulator out on the work bench.



I tested it with a battery, and it would only move a half inch, time to go deeper.



I think we found the problem, time for a new regulator.

The motor itself looks ok, but depending on price I may replace it also because of what you have to do to get to it.



I wonder if this will help, part number on the motor



Tomorrow I go part hunting, I will update this thread with the search results.

Glenn, not the exact model but on my '98 Eagle I am having issues with my drivers window also, had the control rebuilt but it still does not operate but at least it is up. I tried to get to the window motor but it looks like the drivers seat will have to be removed so you can get to the door panel. I actually have a call into American Coach now to find out if removing the seat is the only way. I will post what they tell me.

There is not door on the driver's side, just a control consol. Yes I suppect it will have to come off.

Not a fuse or electrical problem.

Just got back from picking the motor home up.

The window is down, but will move up and down about a half inch.

When moving up it comes to a mechanical stop, not a grind, but a crunch.

Pulling up on the window as it starts up does not help.