Interior: Getting windows to roll up and down.

[drnittler]

For my 61 Lark, four door, I have three windows which are hard to roll up and down. The driver's front window is tight but ok.
What are the steps to repair these windows?
What lubricant should I use?
Thanks.

[rockne10]

David,
You need to first determine if the issue is simple lubrication, faulty regulator or, as was my case, the flocking in the channel had come loose and wedged itself against the glass.
In any case, you will need to remove the door trim panel to determine your next move.
I've always used lithium as the lubricant but, I suspect others could recommend something better.

[rrausch]

I worked in an auto glass shop in the 1970's, and although I don't recall doing any Larks, I can tell you the general way to go about it.
Pull the door panel, and pull any protective dust-cover that the factory may have used to seal the door. If a dust cover is there, and if you carefully remove it, you can re-apply it after you're done--generally they used a sticky caulk to hold it in place. Now roll the window up and down, inspecting the channels while you move the glass up and down. If you see any fuzzy channels that have slipped or anything else that's jamming the mechanism, remove it. Inspect the rollers on the ends of the regulator arms to feel if they're still in place (They may be broken or missing). You may have to loosen the bolts that hold the regulator to the door, or loosen some of the bolts that hold the channels in place in order to give the glass a little less rolling resistance. Do not grease it yet. After you have gotten the glass adjusted exactly as you want it, after it's rolling up and down with little resistance, and after you have installed new rollers IF needed, THEN you can grease it. Any good grease can be used. Take an acid brush and with the glass up, brush some grease on both the regulator pie gear and pinion gear. Brush some into the steel channels that the rollers slide in. Take some 100% silicone spray and spray the lower fuzzy channels with the window up, and then spray the upper fuzzy channels with the window down. Button it back up and you're good to go for another ten years or so. But if you try to grease it before you work on it, you'll get grease everywhere!

[Peanut]

My brother's '60 Lark had a curious condition with the driver's door window. When you cranked it up (or was it down?), it sounded like a tone-deaf Jack-in-the-Box! I don't know that I ever encountered that in any other Stude (or any other make for that matter). I'm guessing that the spring in the regulator was causing it?

[drnittler]

Thanks one and all. I'll get on it.

[jackb]

....sometimes the regulator springs take on rust and other door debris over time......with the door panel off, I like to (if possible in the door), spray lubricant into and around the spring to try and quiet it down.....

[52 Ragtop]

I started using the silicone grease that is used to lubricate the caliper sliders on my kits, it's also some what waterproof.

Jim

[speycaster]

I have use silicon spray and it worked great