Window went clang, bang

[Jeepboy79]

Well, I've read about it happening to others, apparently quite a common fault but my windows seemed to have been OK till very recently. This morning I was driving up to my work's garage door, opened the window to swipe my ID card and bang, window made a couple of weird noises and down she went. The motor still seems to work, but there is no movement in the actual window which leads me to believe the bracket that holds the actual window has snapped. Right, front window.

It's pissing down in Sydney at the moment so I'm not looking forward to the drive home. Went and bought myself a steiger fix kit which I will try to fit tonight.

In any case, my purpose for writing this post, there were warning signs in hindsight. Out of the blue the window started to make this slight smacking/banging sound whenever I lowered it. All other windows don't sound any different. That went on for about 5 or 6 days. So for those that hear this, I would take it as a possible sign that your regulator could be about to take a permanent dump and perhaps proactively get yourself a fix before you get left out in the rain, literally...

[Stressball]

Welcome to the club.

[Dissociative]

You've had an awesome run, think my first went within a year or so. I'd Steiger them all now as they always seem to go at the worst time.

[Jeepboy79]

A bit of an update, opened it all up, there's is nothing wrong with the factory window catch. It's still attached and looks completely intact. Something else has gone wrong but I don't have the expertise to work out what. Going to the mechanic in the morning. From what I can tell it looks like the flexi rod thing has somehow unhinged and no longer moving up and down the rail to raise and lower the window. Window itself is still attached to the rail and moving up and down just fine, the motor still sounds like it's working. Something else has come undone somewhere. I will update once I know what the hell has gone wrong....


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[Dissociative]

Still sounds like the window reg issue - did you fit the Steiger mod? When it goes the cable runs too far out and can get stuck. You said the window is still attached to the rail, but is the steel cable still attached? Does it have a bit of (broken) white plastic at the end?

Can't recall hearing of other issues with these and you are due for a reg fail! Of course the motor could die and the gears could wear etc, but again haven't heard much of that for the KJ.

[Auberon]

What Dissociative said x2. It is a subtle fail that you cant see until dismantled.
I think the motor is the same as a commonly had part will check against the EL falcon winder motor - will have a look and confirm.
They all fail eventually. Thank goodness for Mr Steiger on our part.

[Auberon]

Re Ford unit: I new this was a capstan/windlass cable drive so very different and not as robust as the Steiger option we have.

The Ford window winder motor is French made and is very close dimensionally to the window winder motors in the KJ. I recall comparing them when I did my KJ many moons ago. They are similar.
The motor could ostensibly be replaced but they are riveted in and I want to recycle the motor and drive mechanism for a totally different duty on my ride-on mower. So I don't wish to disassemble any further.

There's minimal load on these motors in the KJ. It's a good drive mechanism except for materials choice which the Steiger fixes.

Good luck.