How to Replace a Power Window Motor 1973-87 GMC

Have slow window operation? This is a fairly easy repair. I would recommend spraying down the electrical connections while you have the door apart. Catch my other video on how to remove a factory door panel. • How to Remove The Inte...
Tools Needed
-New Motors
-Basic Socket set
-Brake Cleaner
-Electrical Cleaner Spray
-Motors Used: amzn.to/3lT6mRg
Link is affiliate link, I receive a small commission when used at no cost to you.

[@glens1joy]

Very good well explained video. I have looked at several and none are as easy to understand. I fought with a window regulator assembly and started to throw the window down the drive way 3-4 times but finally decided to call it a day and drink a glass of tea cool off and browse vids on you tube for help. Yours is fantastic thanks for posting!!!

[@HDFatBob08]

Thank you for sharing this. I was successful in replacing the entire window regulator assembly thanks to your description and display of removal and reinstalling the mechanism.

[@MechanicLife]

Awesome job! Nice working tackling this project...its not an easy one for sure.

[@santiagorubio4593]

thanks buddy your the only one that has the greatest step by step detailed instructions on how to complete this task...greatly appreciated

[@MechanicLife]

Thanks to you! Are you working on a squarebody too??

[@buckbradley3285]

Very good tutorial video. I appreciate your skill and ability to communicate the steps needed for this project.

[@MechanicLife]

Thanks! Glad it helped you out.

[@breamanacarter5400]

I wanna take the time out to thank you sir you video was very detailed and I did everything step by step I gotta k5 and it went smooth and I just wanna say thank you because you made my day I really appreciate it thank you 💯🙏🏽

[@MechanicLife]

LOVE A K5 Steve! Glad to hear it went well man

[@MiscDotGeek]

I just got this job done on my 88 Suburban. The only thing that caused me grief is that I replaced the motor and regulator at the same time, and it sure helps to have the regulator and motor in the exact same position as the old one came out in. Had to fiddle with that 4 or 5 times before it went in. Great video, and I really appreciated it. I posted a video about my own, which was not really instructive, just a 'show and tell' type video on my channel that'll be up in an hour or two.

[@MechanicLife]

Very cool! Ill check it out for sure.

[@johntadey3543]

I failed to make note of original position of where the oem motor and regulator was...is there a good way to "TIME" this assembly so I don't mess with it a dozen times? tia

[@gravelman5789]

TAPING THE WINDOW IN PLACE!!!! Youre a BAD MAN!!!! 👏👏👏👏😆😆😆

[@richardabbott5601]

Thanks for your video. Already got a new motor but now I find out I need a new regulator too. But was able to get what was laying on the bottom of the door working until new parts come in. Thank you so much

[@MechanicLife]

You bet! Glad it was helpful.

[@USAFMXVET]

This was a great help. I just did my connector and motor swap on my 86 suburban today. Only tip I would add is you have to get the motor back on the splines in the exact same position or it won’t go back in. That took me some time to get right. Thanks for the help!

[@MechanicLife]

Thanks for the info!

[@lokoltube]

Used your video to help me switch out the window motor in my '86 C10. Much appreciated.

[@MechanicLife]

NIce! Glad it worked out

[@soldozer]

I did mine a tad different (1984). Once you bang out the two mounting bolts, you can slide the whole contraption on the rails backwards twords the lock. The bottom wheel can come out the back of the rail on the lock side. You can then slide the top wheels out the slot on the top rail as shown in the video.

[@FreedomLandTrucking]

Thanks x2. Did this once, but got a bad motor from LMC. Had to do it again. Fingers crossed. Either way your video was a life savor. One tip for putting it back together too. Put window down about 3 inches. It'll help all the door bolts line up easier.

[@tommyhamiter9530]

Great video-helped me out a lot on a 1985 GMC. Thanks for posting this!

[@MechanicLife]

You bet.

[@masonwinfree4965]

If the bolts won’t line up when installing, plug the electric connections back up and roll the window down until it can be lined up

[@shooterpcb]

Very good! I'm about to do this to my 1987 Silverado. Nice hospital towels there too.

[@MechanicLife]

Your the first to understand the blues!!! They are awesome.

[@shooterpcb]

I use same ones. I have piles of them from hospitals Cath lab.

[@mattdimick5422]

Forgot to mention the spring load tension on the track arms when taking the motor off, be prepared

[@hermyherm365]

Subscribed thanks brother I have a 1991 suburban I need to do this too ! I also need to repair the cruise control and the windshield wiper Spray motor

[@UrbanMisfit]

Thanks for the video man. Very helpful 💯

[@MechanicLife]

You bet!

[@Remme69]

This video is a life saver thanks man

[@MechanicLife]

You bet Jared!

[@DR_Bloom86]

Im looking to tackle this job over the weekend on my 84 C10... not looking forward to it lol

[@Capppytahn]

how did it go?

[@stevenboy4996]

This video is amazing but sadly it’s taking me three hours just to put the entire regulator won’t go back in the way it’s suppose to, I might have to drill new holes into the door because it’s impossible to put back for some reason 😞

[@Shar22xl]

Thank you 84 c10 Ls swapped bad window motor

[@MechanicLife]

Nice!

[@memberberry8455]

Thx you. I have a 1988 blazer, everything looks the same i think.

[@MechanicLife]

Should be the same. Good luck!

[@dude3640]

You rock! Thanks for this!

[@MechanicLife]

You rock! Thanks back at ya.

[@jaymartin5434]

The great help did 90 suburban same exact two tone color

[@MechanicLife]

Nice! Love the color scheme.

[@jaymartin5434]

@@MechanicLife I wish I could figure out how to send a picture

[@igivezerofox926]

Thanks so much for wisdom and passing on your knowledge. I didnt want to mess with these motors so tried to get a body shop that had to retouch a bad paint job they did to do them while they fixed their paint and they kept giving me excuses that they couldnt get the window down when its so easy to do it this way. Like duh I know u cant get the window down thats why I want u to fix them lol anyways much appreciated!

[@MechanicLife]

Nice!

[@jmedlock95]

we have the same truck paint and all, except mine is the GMC Suburban version

[@justinrives]

Great video. I feel like i'll still yell, but maybe less now.

[@MechanicLife]

:) :) Probably...little spaces!! Good luck

[@SxFive0xS]

Great tutorial video, But my question is how can i test the motor i bought before installing it ?

[@SxFive0xS]

And the motors are self grounding ?

[@tim619guy]

This really helped me out a whole lot. However the motor I installed works but it’s not coming up? Any reset or fuse issues?

[@MechanicLife]

Is it a new motor or rebuilt?

[@calebbuis9577]

I loved the video having slight issue on my 87 c10 getting the motor to line up with the bolt holes. Did the bottom track go on before you mounted the motor?1

[@MechanicLife]

Yes

[@jacobbullis3280]

After getting all wheels back on their tracks, did you have any issues lining up the holes to mount the motor assembly?

[@montanamade1114]

I had to adjust the arms to make it fit back into place. If your arms on the assembly collapsed or spread apart that would keep the holes from lining up.

[@bryantellston6221]

Plug in motor us windows switch to inline screw just had this issue

[@hippiblue]

My 79 chevy don't have any openings in the door. I'm lost on how to fix.

[@markgladysz2574]

Great video I have to do this same job this weekend. On my 85 c10 but My window is all the way down am I able to still get out the motor

[@MechanicLife]

Yup most of the time when you open it up you can hit the button with the vehicle on and push the window up. Otherwise you can manually move it up.

[@markgladysz2574]

For some reason I can’t get the window high enough to pull the wheel out of the track. Do you think I could just replace the motor inside the door

[@montanamade1114]

www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/power-window-stuck.26896/ Check out this thread. This will help you out.

[@montanamade1114]

Once you have the window up in order to remove the wheels from the track you need to find the grooves in the track These are the locations that the wheels can come off the track at. You will pull it toward you. Shows them at 4:49

[@markgladysz2574]

Thanks for your help I finally got the whole thing out know just trying to put it back to line up the bolt holes

[@trinidadgallo2639]

Was the regulator assembly under tension when you removed motor?

[@MechanicLife]

Nope

[@drakealderson15]

did you replace those plastic caps that held the motor in the door after the nuts were taken off?

[@MechanicLife]

Nope. I reused the ones that were in place.

[@CamaroMan79]

Im currently trying to do this on my 84 and am having major problems. I can only get one of the threaded studs lined up with the holes. The other is a 1/2” off and no matter how much I move the regulator and work with it, it will not line up. Ive been messing with it for 3 days and no luck.

[@stevenboy4996]

I’m having the same problem

[@stevenboy4996]

Any updates on it tho?

[@CamaroMan79]

@@stevenboy4996 Yeah I finished it up months ago. You have to get the regulator studs as close to the holes as you can then hook your switch back up and tap the button. The motor will pull the regulator studs into place.

[@gerardovazquez4665]

How do you remove the power window lever/ button

[@gerardovazquez4665]

From the door panel

[@MechanicLife]

You remove the whole door panel and it unclips from behind.

[@Blakep7704]

What brand lift motor are you using?

[@MechanicLife]

Dorman

[@saulcamargo5324]

Is the motor the same for both left and right sides ?

[@MechanicLife]

Yes

[@JulianFRosales]

Great video, but I definitely won't be trying this on my own.

[@nessie42786]

You forgot to mention the bracket you need to swap to the new motor from the old one.

[@MechanicLife]

Good tip

[@bryantellston6221]

You are fucken awesome thanks👍👍👍🏿

[@MechanicLife]

Back at ya!;)

[@G31mR]

Aaaarrrgghhh....! Those are not 7/16" bolts....they are 1/4-20 bolts, which have 7/16" heads. This stuff drives me crazy. Greasing the OUTSIDE of the pivot points has no benefit; they need lubrication INSIDE, on the wear surfaces. The only way to get lubrication INSIDE is to use oil. Oil that will migrate into the tight clearances, which grease cannot do. I use 5W- or 10W-30 synthetic motor oil and it works fine. Put the grease on the motor's pinion gear and the teeth on the large driven gear. Also be VERY careful tightening the three bolts that attach the motor assembly to the scissors assembly; the sheet metal that they thread into is really thin, has only two or three threads, and is easily stripped out. Use about 20 inch/pounds and threadlocker to keep them secure. Other than that, thanks for a pretty good video.