Driver's side window crank, near impossible to roll up or down

[bobstad]

I've been putting up for years with being nearly unable to roll my window up or down; always a big thrill at toll-booths, for example.

With enough effort I fear breaking something, the window will roll down and/or up again.

Is there anything I can do; and/or a probable cause of the problem?

[WmWatt]

To get at it remove the door panel. Then lubricate. To remove door panel unscrew arm rest, then pull rag under winding arm to remove clip and arm pulls off, then pry out plastic pins along edge of panel. I use a utility knife on the butyl sealant between door and vapour barrier. Just press the vapour barrier back on after lubricating window hardware. Pretty easy job. Simple household tools.

[Movin]

Oh, hi wmwatt! same line of thought!

This isn't for PB blaster, but something better like justus brother JP80 or Zep 45.
Remove the inside door panel and loosen the plastic cover from the bottom up, leave
it attached at the top, fold it up.
Inside the door is a metal plate with two 10mm nuts at the top and one at the bottom.
remove the nuts and the two 10mm bolts that clamp the window and turn this long plate toward you. On the back side will be some cables. Lube these cables. Put the window handle back on and run it up and down while lubing it some more. Reinstall the bar with all the 10mm stuff. The window guide will be dirty, flush the channel well, front and back
with this spray. Run the window up and down while flushing the guides. Put door back
together and clean window. PB blaster will work but will need done more often.

[KJ4YXY]

I've been putting up for years with being nearly
With enough effort I fear breaking something, the window will roll down and/or up again.

Is it the same type of feeling that the handle might rip off?

[bravekozak]

You could definitely use the power window option from skimsucka! I don't know if it's sold yet or not. I have power windows on my Festiva, and I think they're great.

[bobstad]

Exactly!!!!

Is it the same type of feeling that the handle might rip off?

Yeah; the feeling winding up the window, or winding down; is exactly as you describe. Why the winder has yet to break off is a mystery. I'm going outside right now to look the whole mechanism over a bunch while also reading the posts in this thread, to see if I can fix the problem I've stupidly ignored for about ten damned years.

That always strikes me as really flakey; but, I must've attempted to see what I could do and felt stymied for some reason, as such an essential function as well as a frustrating problem. Hey, you never litterbug that way; on the other hand! The car's interior is a vast testament to that truth, much of the time.

I don't like inner door panels; and haven't had any interior panels on the Festiva for many years; I keep planning to insulate the bare-metal inside of with sleeping bag ground pads meant for being comfortable on snow & ice, I've already done on two other vehicles, which is fantastic.

[bobstad]

Not a plutocrat of Festivas, here!

You could definitely use the power window option from skimsucka! I don't know if it's sold yet or not. I have power windows on my Festiva, and I think they're great.

This would be after the new everything, the car currently needs.

[KJ4YXY]

I see - The electric window option looks good depending on the budget...

[bobstad]

The problem is profoundly obvious!!!!

I just looked, and in both the channels the window rolls up and down in, front and rear; each have an inner channel inside the metal outer one, composed of some sort of plastic material.

Both of those are really ruinously distorted with weathering and age; which once I looked, I easily recalled were getting a little that way and too difficult to deal with a long time ago.*

I now wonder if any replacements can be found; new ones. Or, if anyone might have a plan on how to fabricate some sort of an alternative?

I think when the rainy weather is finally over; I'll take the door window and everything apart to see what I can do. If no one here has any immediate suggestions?

*I think the original problem was the plastic or whatever they're made of, inner channels had come unglued, so were binding; but, I could never figure out how to get them out effectively and re-glue them.

I now have the '91 Festiva Ford factory manual at hand, so I'll look at to see what they say? If I can figure out where to look; always "interesting" with that book.

[Bert]

I have worked inside Festy doors often enough to have eliminated the window handle clips. Those clips drive me nuts. Drill a pilot hole centered in the crank mechanism and also through the crank handle. Fasten the two together with a sheet metal screw through the handle when the panel is back on. The operative word is simple and fast handle removal ever after.
Also, I have not replaced the plastic vapour/moisture seal once it was pealed off and none of my 3 cars seem to be any the worse for it, first one lost the plastic 8 years ago.
Seeing as these Festy panels are merely a fabric/vinyl covered 1/8 inch pressboard perhaps a coat of varnish or sealer on the exposed wood wouldn't hurt.

[bobstad]

The Festiva Factory manual: Section 01-11 Glass, Frames and Mechanisms

What the problem looks like from the drawing in the manual, is the weatherstrip around the window opening the glass slides in or closes against at the top; is totally ruined below the window opening, inside of the door.

So, I'd need to get a good used one complete even below the window opening, inside the door; or else fake something else which could be reasonably effective?

I now worry all those years of forcing the window up and down by cranking so hard when I really had to; may've also tweaked aspects of the mechanism?

Good weather, or simply a tarp since I have one; and dealing with this is something I could begin to attempt soon. I can't drive too much, as I need an alternator and water pump; though neither are totally shot yet so I can get around locally.

Problem being the region lacks any wrecking yards without leaving the county, except the sole one which still exists here; who didn't have any Festivas the last time I asked. Wrecking yard heaven so to speak; is about a hundred or more miles to the south.

[bobstad]

Good wisdom

I have worked inside Festy doors often enough to have eliminated the window handle clips. Those clips drive me nuts. Drill a pilot hole centered in the crank mechanism and also through the crank handle. Fasten the two together with a sheet metal screw through the handle when the panel is back on. The operative word is simple and fast handle removal ever after.
Also, I have not replaced the plastic vapour/moisture seal once it was pealed off and none of my 3 cars seem to be any the worse for it, first one lost the plastic 8 years ago.
Seeing as these Festy panels are merely a fabric/vinyl covered 1/8 inch pressboard perhaps a coat of varnish or sealer on the exposed wood wouldn't hurt.

Good ideas; I'll easily bear in mind, too.

I really like my idea of glueing sleeping bag closed cell foam ground pads onto the inner metal surfaces of the doors; or really anyplace I can inside of the car, bare metal is found. For one thing, there is so much more storage that way.

I got the idea from old sports cars, using the inner door with large pockets inside to store all kinds of things in.

Just "dead air" otherwise so a waste of space; and a Festiva is comparatively close quarters, if not an MGA, TR-3, Austin-Healy Bug-eye Sprite my favorite, or whatever.

I could end up with a plexiglass window with a sliding opening; like old sports car "side curtains" used. Also similar to a '50s or '60s VW bus. Hard to lock would be the biggest problem a person could probably figure out very adequately.
.
.

[bravekozak]

Good news. Green Sales has three of the belt moldings. Bad news is they don't have the drivers side outer. More bad news. They are expensive.

[bobstad]

More details?

Good news. Green Sales has three of the belt moldings. Bad news is they don't have the drivers side outer. More bad news. They are expensive.

Okay, I'm not familiar with "Green Sales" I guess is on-line; I'll have to check, though any hints as how to use the resource effectively would be appreciated.

Well, sort of useless if they don't have the driver's side; but, for future reference.

A weblink could be very handy! I haven't purchased much on the internet except a few books or music recordings from Amazon.com

Oh, and of course Festiva Motor Sports' "lowering/racing springs"

[WmWatt]

While you've got the door panel off consider cleaning and wire brushing the bottom of the door inside and giving it a couple coats of rust paint. Coulor doesn't matter. Whatever you've got on hand. I did that years ago and my doors are still in great shape along the bottom.