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Front Window Regulator - Re-Assembly Instructions.

28K views 14 replies 4 participants last post by  bluebee 
#1 · (Edited)
These are all the parts of the front driver side window regulator. Part number 51338252393. You can check for the other part numbers in www.realoem.com. The body shop that I took my car to, took it completely apart. I had no idea how it was before. I wanted to rebuild it. I will try to give a step my step instructions. It might come handy if you accidentally manage to dismember it, or if you are trying to rebuild one.


1. Connect this piece into the large metal plate. It will snap in.


2. There are two hinges like this one on the piece.


3. They will snap into these holes. Press hard and it is in. It might come out a few times while you are trying to assemble it. Try not to apply force in a direction that will separate the plastic from the metal plate. It will come off many times, but you will get the hang of it after awhile.


4. You should attached the white plastic to this side of the plate.


5. And here it is. The easy part is done.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
The roller that moves the window up and down goes here.


1. This is the bottom side of the wheel. This side will go into the deep inside the plastic plate. Notice the direction it goes in.


2. Here it is again. Notice the little ring inside the wheel. This will snap into the plastic plate and will hold it in place.


3. This side will face up when you install the wheel inside the deep. This side interfaces with the window motor. You will need to connect the motor to the window regulator just before you install it into the door.


4. This is how it will go in. If you will place the wheel inside the deep, you'll notice that it will not go flush with the plate, but it will be about 3mm higher. If you press it with your thumb, it will snap in. You will only be able to take it out using pliers. Grab it by the ribs above and pull up. Don***8217;t pry it out, or you will ruin the grooves. Look at the ring inside the deep in the plastic plate. The ring inside the wheel (picture 1 & 2 above) will snap into this. Don't put it in yet.


5. The ends of the wire needs to go here. The nest pictures will show how. You will install the wheel in the deep after the wire is put around the wheel.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
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#4 · (Edited)
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#7 ·
Hey quick question, my window quit on me today, took the door apart and it appears the cable is frayed... im not sure if there are any other broken parts (need to get the torx bit to take the window out tomorrow), but from your experiance, would I be able to just replace the cable if that is the only problem? Any idea how long the cable is that comes with the regulator?
 
#9 · (Edited)
Thanks for this wonderful thread.

I'm going to use this DIY to put mine together tomorrow morning:
-> E39 (1997 - 2003) > How do we loosen tension on a BMW E39 front window regulator anyway?

You didn't mention HOW you were able to get the ribbed black plastic spring stop tensioner on, given the six-inch spring is very strong.
But, it looks like you covered most of what I'll need.

Any additional reassembly suggestions will be appreciated!
 
#10 ·
Hi everyone.

I need to explain why I stopped midway through this thread... But the stooopid reason is that my camera's battery got drained midway and I could not take more photos. So toward the end I started skipping steps, and then my battery was dead. Bummer.

If anyone in the future wants to ask questions, post the question here, but DO send me a PM because otherwise I wouldn't know you posted here.
 
#11 · (Edited)
post the question here
Oh, I'm asking ... I'm asking .. .and I'm posting! :)

In fact, I have questions galore ... over here are most of the questions already:
- How do we loosen tension on a BMW E39 front window regulator anyway?

The key question, at the moment, is how to get the tension back to what it needs to be.

Currently, this is where I am:


You seem to have stopped at exactly this point! It looks like you have a picture of one side wound, but not the other.
In addition, you seem to have left the big spring in place - but you don't explain how to adjust the black ribbed spring-stopper - which - I might add - is extremely hard to insert (and especially hard with the spring compressed!).

So, here's my key question:

Q: What is the procedure to wind the spool and to adjust the tension?
(keeping in mind that larger spring is very strong!)
 

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#12 ·
I'm in the middle of reading your thread in E39 trying to understand it well before I post some dumb questions or answers. I'll post in your thread, and then we can update this one.
 
#13 ·
You helped a lot!

A tremendous amount, in fact.

It seems we may be the very few who even attempt this.

For others, here's a good set of links:
- How to diagnose and replace a BMW E39 front driver side door window regulator (1) and how to remove a BMW E39 front passenger side door window regulator (1) (2) & the unintuitive trick to effortlessly loosen and tighten the astronomical cable tension without damaging the front door window regulator (1) & how to rebuild and restring your current E39 front door window regulator (1) & scores of pictures showing how NOT to remove & repair your front door window regulators (1)
 
#14 · (Edited)
Isn't there someone who sells (sold?) rollers replacements?
For the record, it was asked today again whether the corner rollers can be replaced:

hello everyone, is it possible to remove the corner roller from the window regulator? If so, how? Thank you guys.
Here is the suggestion I provided, so that, the person who asked stands on MatWiz' shoulders and moves us forward:
Yes.

But you will be on relatively uncharted ground.

You'll find dozens of pictures of all the parts of the window regulator in these recent threads by MatWiz and me (found by typing /window regulator F3 into the bestlinks)...

- How to diagnose and replace a BMW E39 front driver side door window regulator (1) and how to remove a BMW E39 front passenger side door window regulator (1) (2) & the unintuitive trick to effortlessly loosen and tighten the astronomical cable tension without damaging the front door window regulator (1) & how to rebuild and restring your current E39 front door window regulator (1) & scores of pictures showing how NOT to remove & repair your front door window regulators (1) & what is the empty two-wire connector in the front driver side door used for anyway (1) (2)

Note: Your job is to pick up where we left off to add knowledge!

Having read all those threads, I would recommend you start with MatWiz' thread first.
Then head on to my cable tensioning thread, and pay attention to post #43, where we start to answer the question MatWiz asks at post #40.
See also this highly pictorial (but somewhat rambling) thread.

Your role in this is to expand our tribal knowledge in sourcing and replacing the rollers.
 
#15 ·
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