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  • Vent Window Seal & Window Channel Seal Instructions

    VENT WINDOW SEALS

    REMOVAL:
    To remove the vent window assemblies, I prefer to take out the window regulator and most of the inner hardware, as this gives you a lot of room to work around. First you’ll have to remove the door panel and interior hardware, then move on to removing the bolts and screws that hold the regulator to the door. Now remove the bracket that holds the glass and window lifter to the regulator. At this point, the glass slide channel needs to be removed. This is the channel that is at the top and back inside of the door frame, and guides the window up and down (if you haven’t already, plan on replacing this part while you are replacing the vent window seals). Once that is removed, you can slide the glass out of the door shell and set it aside. Now the regulator can come out through the bottom of the door. Make sure to note the orientation and where each nut / bolt go. I prefer to use a digital camera and take some pics before disassembly, just in case I get confused when it’s time to put it back together. Next, remove the bolts that hold the vent window assembly to the door shell. There are several bolts that are on the inside door shell (under the door panel), as well as a few on the front edge of the shell (near the hinges), and one that hides under a rubber body plug. On the upper frame on the 45degree section, there are a few screws holding it firm. Now that you have removed all of those, there is one more pesky screw that you can’t immediately see. It is hidden under the vent window seals, about 3” back from the latching mechanism. Once that is removed, you can use the base of your hand to tap the vent window assembly back towards the door lock. It’ll take a few good taps to knock it loose. After it’s loose, you can wiggle it around to remove it from the door shell. Now that it’s removed, you will take the vent window assembly to a flat work surface as you’ll begin disassembly. This is a good time to also plan on replacing the glass and metal channel if they are rusted / coming apart (one of mine needed to be replaced). You will find that there are a few metal rivets that need to be drilled out (carefully, so as not to damage the mounting surface). There are several on the divider bar, and there is also a larger one that holds the vent window to the vent window assembly. Don’t fear! We’ll list the correct size rivets we used at the end of this article so you can get it all back together, as good as new! After you remove the rivets, you’ll remove the nuts holding the bottom bolt on the vent window frame to the vent window assembly. Then, the whole glass and frame will slide out. Now you can remove the vent window seal by prying up on it, and pulling from the channel out. I recommend doing one vent window seal at a time, as they look pretty similar from side to side and it’s easy to get confused.

    INSTALLATION: This is the fun part. Set the vent window on a flat, level surface. On the underside, use a wrench to remove the nut and spring. I HIGHLY recommend using ziplock baggies with labels to separate the vent window parts from other windows, just to make it easier when you are ready to go back together. Next, take a drill bit and drill out the rivet on the vent window pivot. Now gently move the window to the side and pull it out from the frame. Be careful to catch the metal plate and spacer from the underside. Make sure to also note the orientation for reassembly. With the glass removed, now it’s time to remove the divider bar weatherstrip. It is held in by 4 small rivets that will need to be drilled out. Once those are removed, you can pull the weatherstrip free and set it aside. Finally, take one end of the remaining weatherstrip and pull up and out until free. Now that all parts are removed, take the new divider bar seal and set it on the frame. Make sure to align the holes before going forward. Once all holes are lined up, with the inside of the channel against the 90 degree in the metal, you can rivet the divider bar seal into place using four 1/8” x 1/8” rivets. Next, take the new vent window seal and mock it up against the frame. Once you have it laid out, you can fully install it by taking one end and bending it at a 45 degree angle, and slide into the frame channel, working a small section at a time. I prefer to start at the corner and work my way out in order to ensure it fits properly. Now that you have the seals installed, it’s time to put the glass back together. Remember the little metal plate and spacer from earlier? Set those back in the metal frame in the correct orientation, and then place the glass and glass frame back into the vent window frame. The bottom bolt on the glass frame will slide into the hole and pass through the metal plate & spacer. Next, attach the spring and nut onto the bottom, but only hand-tight at this time. The next step is to rivet the glass frame to the vent window frame. Both of my windows had little nylon washers between the two frames. I like my windows to be very tight and hold in place when open, so I opted to use some rubber washers. Set the rubber washer between the two frames, and then place a 3/16” x ¼” rivet through the openings (note that some vent windows will need to have their pivot opening drilled out slightly) and once everything is lined up, rivet them together. I originally was going to use 5/32” x ¼” rivets, but found that the rivet heads were just a hair too small, and would come apart during the riveting process. Now it’s time to set the vent window seal back into the door frame, and push it forward until fully seated. Reinstall the four screws at the leading edge of the upper door frame, and then reinstall the single screw that is under the bottom of the vent window seal (remember that pesky hidden screw?!).

    FRONT WINDOW CHANNEL SEAL INSTALLATION: This is extremely easy, as both sides are the same. The seal has a section that is chamfered, and that portion goes into the corner of the door frame. It slides into place by hand, and just work your way towards the vent window area along the top. Next, take the other portion of the seal and install it into the channel all the way down into the door frame. I like to use a ¼” socket extension to run along the channel to ensure it’s properly seated. Screwdrivers tend to tear / grab too much, and the rounded edge of the extension seems to work much better.

    Now that the vent window is installed and the channel seal is in, it’s time to reinstall the glass and lifter bar, the regulator assembly and any other items you removed. I set the glass in first, as when the other items are in, the glass has a lot of trouble moving around. For the vent window divider bar, there are two places where it attaches to the door shell. I prefer to leave both of these loose until everything else is assembled, as you tend to move things around a few times to get everything lined up. Once all parts are in the door shell, I take the glass and lifter bar and set them into the divider bar channel and the rear channel, and put the glass up most of the way (using a screw driver placed across one of the openings to keep it from coming down again). Next, reinstall the remaining pieces and tighten them as you go along. After all parts are snugged up, it’s time to install the bolts that hold the vent window divider bar to the door shell.

    rivets used:
    vent window pivot: rubber washer with 3/16” x ¼” aluminum rivet (5/16” was too small)
    vent window channel: 1/8” x 1/8” rivet, steel
    Last edited by Ryan; 04-23-2009, 03:46 PM.
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