Here's how crank windows work on your old school economy car!
The manually operated windows came on many entry level cars of the past decade. It represented a cost-effective solution to winding down your windows, without the added complication of electronics, motors or gears.
The window regulator is quite simply a 4 bar mechanism, with a pivot in the middle, and two sliders on either end that act like a collapsing scissor.
At the crank, a small gear rotates a 1/4 of a sun dial gear, giving a torque multiplication. This makes it easy for a short rotation of the crank to lift such a heavy window. The dial gear is attached to the main arm that leads up to support the glass.
A torsional spring helps to wind the window up against the force of gravity. It loads itself when winding the window down, giving resistance so the window doesn't just drop.
The door skin on this 2001 Toyota Corolla was cut open to demonstrate how the window mechanism works from the outside of the vehicle.
Dude when I was like 6, I asked my dad when we were driving “Dad how do car windows work?” And he tried to explain it but as you can imagine…. It’s not a simple mechanism and operation to transmit vocally. Thank you so much for making this video. My dad has been gone for almost 20 years and thanks to this video I finally understand the concept (haha it’s only taken 44 years)…. But it felt so good to finally have the question answered and I know my dad is pleased I finally got it. Haha also - love the toothbrush as pointer😂 🍻cheers
Glad you could learn!
"It’s not a simple mechanism and operation to transmit vocally." Um yes it is. "It is a gear that moves a lever up and down" It is that simple.
@@AztecWarrior69 it has a hand crank…. It’s a little more sophisticated than “duh it’s a gear and lever” Your kid is lucky he has a *genius* for a dad🤣
Perfect vid, you told me everything I needed to know about what's wrong with my window, concise and lots of info. Appreciated.
Man! You give me the answers to questions I always had but could never find the answers! Every time I google for an answer to a car mechanism I need answers to, I get directed to your channel! Greatly appreciated!
Great video...thank you very much. Your demo is well done showing the action even though you had to cut the door to show the motions. Have a great day and stay safe.
Doing some work on my cavalier... this was very helpful. Thank you!
This is exactly what I was looking for. Very informative. Thank you!
Excellent video. Had wondered for many years how the mechanism worked and suddenly thought of looking it up. Never imagined it would be so complex.
It sure is an interesting mechanism to do a simple job
That was short and concise, love the evolution of your style. Great work!
+mrjost55 thank you.
I love how you explained it direct to the point. Just the details needed. Thanks!
Awesome thanks
Hey thanks for helping me with my window on my 1987 Aries. This video was helpful :)
Excellent job
Always wondered. Thanks and great job
Good explanation, you made all the technical aspects easy to digest.
Thanks!
Very Cool! I've just spent couple hours trying to get my rear door locking mechanism back in (had to replace the actuator bit on a 2003 Corolla). Given up for tonight, seems I have to remove the window to get the guide/track out of the way first. The plastic shroud and metal bits split apart while being manhandled out so I didn't have to touch the window before. But they won't go back in as one piece (too large). So here I was looking at window videos during dinner after midnight lol. Marvellous to see how these minor mechanical parts all work. Your videos are just amazing fella.
Thanks. They can be tricky to get out...the right way
i likle your vids that cover even the small time cars that also get maintained from time to time. and you explain it very well and take things apart for more knowledge.
Glad you appreciate my work
big respect, opening up that door jist for this vid.
I replaced my drivers door window - got the window for $25 from U-Pull-It. I was wondering how difficult it was to replace the window regulator. Always love your videos. Glad you seem in better spirits this week, was getting a "Fuck my life" vibe from you last week.
+John haha, well my videos are shot out of order so I can't tell you what I'm going to post next
Great video, it helped. Thanks !!!
great video as always
+Odddit thanks
great video and info. bro. thank you so much =)
Excellent video and explanation.
You are welcome
I have been looking for a diagram or any explanatory video about how manual window regulators work and what they look like inside, and FINALLY came across this. better than a picture diagram! I was trying to roll my window down one very cold early morning this winter and it was frozen shut. I figured that out after I heard and felt a snap and the window crank go loose and have zero tension. and was just able to spin around freely not doing anything for/to the window. took apart my door panel and pieces of the regulator and bottom window clamps came tumbling out. I am not a mechanic, just a fix it as it comes, and figure it out as I go kind of person. if I can. so I knew nothing of the composition of a regulator, or inner workings of the manual window. so wasnt sure what I needed to order/fix. this video helps alot! thanks for putting it out there!
I'm glad this video helped, especially in the time where most cars have power windows now
Awesome! Thanks!
Buddy I loved your 18 manual speed shifter sim video and this video helped me at work the other day big cheers 🍻 thank you for making these videos
Welcome! I don't recall making an 18 speed manual video though
@@speedkar99 hahaha your right I’m subscribed to your channel and another guy who did a manual speed transmission for gaming, who kinda has the same voice. After watching a few years back came across your video changing rear break video which also helped me out.
Wow excellent video.
"...Lower the window even further." only now I know how it works. Thanks
Future EngineeringExplained...🤔 Great video as always man!👍
+Jordan V more like Reverse Engineering Explained :)
EngineeringExplained without the bad hair and the unnecessary long-windedness.
Very nice, informative video. I would watch other videos from you that are set up similarly. Straight to the point, packed with facts, no fluff or begging for "likes" or "subs". Thank you.
Man, this helped me out a lot, thank you so much! I am going to grease up the mechanism on my 1966 Volvo 1800S! The window crank is very hard to rotate
Glad you understand how windows work. Sometimes the old stuff is the good stuff!
@@speedkar99 it sure is!
Love the video and the ever infamous toothbrush.
+peaman2424 haha thanks
Awesome stuff, thank you so much man
You are welcome
This video is perfect
Please boss we need a video about how a cable window regulator work .You are the best .
I'll have one on a power window coming soon.
Just wanna say that you are doing a really fine job at what you do and keep it up, just doing you. I have been continuously searching in the past and even to this day at this very moment for explainations on car related mechanisms of all sorts and now i am wondering where you have been all my life. I love when you explain things its rather indept, concise and quick but it doesnt matter because you keep it intersting and I can always pause and pull the video back. Though you surely go all out, while its kinda sad to see things being gutted god knows only a few people are actually willing to put things on the line just for a little education. But that would be selfish of me to say such things. Either way hope you get the attension you deserve because you have quite a cosy channel.
+Inev I'm glad you appreciate my efforts and value my work. I am doing this foremost for my own learning and then for the community. I love learning new things and this is quite an interesting project to keep me busy this summer, while documenting my experiences as I go. I try to make my videos short and to the point so it doesn't get boring.
speedkar99 I am a rather young person not too young however as i am almost out of my teenage years, and i guess comparing to the american education system you could say i am finished with high school. However I am and have had intensions of being an engineer as you are and i was wondering if you could give me some advice..... that being said any advice will do really >
What a neat video! I just picked up a used van and it has manual windows. Was thinking of maybe converting them to power windows. Really cool to see how the manual ones work. Subscribing!
IMHO not worth it. Window motor repairs costly. They do go bad. I wish I could replace my power windows with mechanical. They will last longer.
Really excellent video. Thank you!
+Joy Pruitt your welcome!
Your demonstration is easy to understand. Can I ask what are the measurements of the components? i have been trying to look for a diagram with measurements but cant seem to find any. Would be a great help for my school project
Outstanding video explaining this window mechanism. I have a 1990 Civic sedan and the driver side window is stuck on up, it won't roll down. I already ordered a replacement regulator and just needed to better understand this process. Any idea how I can get the window down first? Thank you!!!! 👍
Thanks Bro. Love the tooth brush.
Glad you appreciate it
Thank you. I just broke mine because i tried to crank it when it was frozen. I will now be able to change it
Speedy your brother is going to be pissed when he gets his car back!
+Tripp M I don't think he's getting anything back at this rate
Thanks 👍 any suggestion for what kind of grease to lube it up ?
Pat on the back for all your advice
Thanks
thanks a lot man
+Syed Usama Manzoor your welcome
Great video sir.I am automobile engineering student 8th semester .You are doing great work,I wish you could do the same video for power window .
Thanks. I'll have a power window video coming soon.
another well produced and expertly described video! Thanks!....altho i was waiting for you to use the "window removal tool"..then SMASH with a hammer!! maybe in a future vid? :)
+asdflkjh yes, I do have a future video on what happens when you break glass
Crack your windows. So you get that WD 40. Windows Down 40mph
+heyitschino Good tip. I did literally crack these windows. You'll see in the next video :)
On my old classic car, when I wind the window fully up, it sinks a quarter inch back down. would that be the torsional spring winding of metal you referenced in the vid to blame for such an occurrence?
Thanks for this super concise and informative video! Could I remove the crank and bolt on a motor if the car came with power windows as an option, or are power/manual regulators different?
I'm curious too
@@chiefdenis Yes that is possible. One of my friends converted his car's manual cranking window to a powered one using some kind of kit. I am not aware of specific details of the kit.
This channel makes me want to buy an old corolla and do all the work myself. I'll fix any computer, but approaching a car gives me anxiety.
+thompson11k haha go for it, corolla is quite simple once broken down.
I am looking to switch my automatic windows to a crank system.. but finding toyota vans in colorado are harder to come by, I am curious if i could use a manual regulator from a different vehicle or if they have to be specific to my car. any advice?
Can I spray the scissor portion, or plastic gear portion with White Lithium Grease or Silicone Grease to clean/renew a 15 year old car?
Yes
I have a 78 and mines is stuck I broke the handle trying to wind em down. What would cause that ?
What is the name of the device that controls windows and lock the car? Thank you
My car is an old ‘82 Toyota Corona RT 140. When I crank the roller to raise / lower my manual car window, the roller doesn’t seem to work. It suddenly disengages out of place spinning freely on its own, losing contact with the mechanism. So I have to pull up to close and push down to open the glass manually by hand. What could be the common problem? Do I have to replace a spare part? Parts for my car is rather difficult to obtain these days due to its age. Your guidance will be greatly appreciated.
My window gets stuck like at 3 different levels/positions when I want to roll up the window. The window handle gets super hard to roll up. Are those signs of a bad window regulator? I tried to use wd40 it helped a tiny bit. I’d buy another window regulator but they seem to only sell the power window version and I have the old manual roll up version.
You are a queen, this is making my homework assignment so much easier omg also i like the toothbrush
Is it possible to remove the assembly without cutting the door panel?
Thanks
Welcome
Ok you removed the scissor mechanism through the outside of the door. But how do you get it out thw right way? (Inside)
Bro is the bill nye of cars I love it
Well thanks for that compliment....I remember Bill Nye
I don't think Gbody's have a torsional spring. Can you confirm or deny this? I'm trying to figure out why my window "rolls itself down" while i'm driving.
I have a question I have a 97 ranger and my window is crooked. I opened it up and it’s on track, but when I crank it all the up al I closes it won’t it just keeps spinning. But when I crank it down it’s fine. I can lift the window up with my hands and it closes all the way but if I move the spinning thing down it won’t go up again; I mean it will but it will be open and to the side again
You have gears that are stripped that's what happened with mine
dde thanks!
thanks! i think this just showed me what is wrong with mine!
They fail? Or slip off the track?
@@speedkar99 most likely slipping off the track. went to my mechanic, will charge about $150 for labor, and i could buy the regulator myself, if it's needed (if they don't i can return it)
@@speedkar99 sorry for slow reply, my mechanic took the door apart & the manual regulator had failed. i had bought a new one, they installed that & it's much better, not perfect but better, doesn't just slip down anymore
My windows crank is loose which made my window worthless unless i push it up or down. Do i need to buy a crank or the whole regulator itself? Or do i just simply put it back in track?
You might need to adjust the arm to hold the window a bit more to hold the glass
So I have manual windows with exact mechanism, would I be able to just buy the OEM motor to convert it into power windows or do I need the whole new assembly?
+Jeffrey Mac yes there's a forum post on it.
speedkar99 Thanks! I went ahead and bought a new window regulator ($113)with a motor thats exactly the same as OEM on my ten year old truck. I’m going to use a relay harness to power them. No more manual windows for me. Dealer ship wanted $1,462 for the regulator assembly with motor and no labor included. Insane.
@@jeffreymac4915 So did you ever end up installing the power windows? I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Just curious if it worked for you.
@@bodang158 yea. Still works perfect to this day 3 years later. It was super easy. Hardest part was getting the wires through the fire wall
My crank window keep coming down every time I push it down and goes up when I push it up without using the handle what’s wrong with it ? I need to fix it ASAP
so when i remove my window regulator from my car, i should cut a section out of the outside first to get it out? :D
Definitely
:D @@speedkar99
I am rubbish at this kind of stuff. I need to see someone else and then practice. My son was trying to force the window crank to lower it, as it was a bit stuck by some stuff the was placed next to it. So then the window suddenly went down by itself. I was able to close it using the crank, but then it would not do anything once it reached the top. And now it goes down by itself, not all the way though. One quarter of the window is open. I am scared to open it and then being unable to fix it and put it back together...
so how do you get the big spiral spring back on?
There is likely a tool that turns it on assembly
Sir i wants to join yr school In which no exam just practicals and nothing else Hahaha👌👌👌
+Ashish Soni Haha yes thats basically what this is...learning for the knowledge
Some kind passenger broke the splined shaft that the winder fixes onto..sure it's cheap plastic ..but how the hell can I replace it ..or do I have to buy the whole mechanism ?
Seems like it's an assembly
@@speedkar99 unfortunately that was the decision I came too ...an expensive replacement because of someone's stupidity
I'm tired of sayin this "Awesome video as always " . Got a question, my car has electronic throttle body and it idle on 500 rpm sometime without ac which make the car vulnerable to stalling at every small hill. Is there any way to adjust that ?? If i turn on the ac it automatically rev to 700-800rpm... !!
+Yathu prem thanks. Did you try cleaning the throttle body and mass airflow sensor?
speedkar99 nope..
If the scissor part of the mechanism is loose and has play with it could that be the reason why my window keeps falling off track? Thank you in advance to anyone that can help
Check the track to make sure they are lined up
I always put it on the track correctly with some tension on it but I’m thinking the “ scissor” part has some play in it pullin on it at an angle and it even finds its way off the tracks again.
“Ever notice how winding your window by hand makes you look lower middle class?”
Haha yep.
Now mines Broke and I have to open the door at the drive thru... lower middle class sounds pretty good right about now ...
niicee
+Healow thanks
My 07 Sierra has cable driven windows. Bit different. I think this way wouldve lasted longer.
Crank windows on an 07?
@@speedkar99 Yup. Work truck. "Poverty spec" as I call it. Manual 4x4, no oil pressure guage, nothing fancy in it at all. The automatic transmission was an option... Paid $950 for it though. Can't beat a v8 4wd with a towing package for under a grand.
In iraq those spare part costs alot Of money maybe 200$ for the window
+انا من الموصل عاشت الذهبيه و الجيش والحشد والشرطه yes but here these are not worth anything
speedkar99 you can make a wealth buy selling spare part to dealers in iraq .... Cars that cost 2000$ in usa sent to iraq To be sold for 10000$ and more Check that on internet i want you to get richer 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
+انا من الموصل عاشت الذهبيه و الجيش والحشد والشرطه nice
So we need to grind a hole in our doors? How about showing how this is done with out the grinder!
It's kinda hard to demonstrate it on camera without having it in the door
@@speedkar99 Yeah it was a good view. I actually did that years ago to a work truck we urgently needed to get opened up. But the magnetic door sign covered the hole fine!
Mine is cable type
how many cars does this guy have
Usually 2 at a time. Why?
@@speedkar99 just asking lmao cause you have so many cars in each video but love your videos
best system ever!!! power windows suck
it's still the same toothbrush?!
Ya but how do I crank that Soulja Boy?
Can I just ask, why are you using a toothbrush to point out everything?
It's my sidekick. RE: throttle body cleaning videos
This video is making my teeth feel funny.
My old renault super 5 as a much simpler and easier one !
first
talking into a coffee can or....
How so?
Perfect vid, you told me everything I needed to know about what's wrong with my window, concise and lots of info. Appreciated.