Is This True ?

[eveled]

makes me wonder does anyone still make crank windows anymore?

Ford work vans still can be ordered that way. Luckily they now come with FM radios.

I think having clean windows will help the life of the power window motors. A friend of mine swears by rain ex on his side windows, he says you can hear the difference in the window motors. Less friction equals faster up and down and less motor strain.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I think having clean windows will help the life of the power window motors. A friend of mine swears by rain ex on his side windows, he says you can hear the difference in the window motors. Less friction equals faster up and down and less motor strain.

Hi,

While he didn't say anything about the glass itself, the service writer at a dealership once suggested applying silicone (spray) to the various rubber moldings the glass rides in for that very reason, to reduce friction... How well it works may depend on the design of the door and window, though? After applying silicone, my Camry showed quite an improvement, while the Subie remained about the same.

Rick C

 

[caryc]

I think having clean windows will help the life of the power window motors. A friend of mine swears by rain ex on his side windows, he says you can hear the difference in the window motors. Less friction equals faster up and down and less motor strain.

Hi,

While he didn't say anything about the glass itself, the service writer at a dealership once suggested applying silicone (spray) to the various rubber moldings the glass rides in for that very reason, to reduce friction... How well it works may depend on the design of the door and window, though? After applying silicone, my Camry showed quite an improvement, while the Subie remained about the same.

Rick C

I apply a silicone spray to the rubber at the windows just to protect the rubber from the sun.

Here's another question about windows. Anyone know how to get rid of the vertical streaks that appear on windows? I would imagine this is from dust and grit when rolling the windows up and down. Anyway wax won't do anything. Anybody know anything that will get rid of that look?

 

[Acorn]

If they are scratches a glass shop may be able to buff them out. My ex BIL had a new Hyundai that somehow got a scratch in the windshield. A local glass shop polished it out. However if you looked through it just right you could pick the wave. There is a product We sell at the parts store I manage for the DIYer. It consists of foam discs impregnated with a fine grit mounted on a 1/4" arbor you chuck in a drill. Spray the glass with water and go to it with the disc, back and forth. Never tried it myself though. The rule of thumb I always heard was if the scratch will catch your fingernail it is too deep to polish.

 

[caryc]

If they are scratches a glass shop may be able to buff them out. My ex BIL had a new Hyundai that somehow got a scratch in the windshield. A local glass shop polished it out. However if you looked through it just right you could pick the wave. There is a product We sell at the parts store I manage for the DIYer. It consists of foam discs impregnated with a fine grit mounted on a 1/4" arbor you chuck in a drill. Spray the glass with water and go to it with the disc, back and forth. Never tried it myself though. The rule of thumb I always heard was if the scratch will catch your fingernail it is too deep to polish.

They are not scratches in the "feel them with your fingernail" sense. In fact you can only see them when the sun shines at them just right. I'm sure they can be polished out. I was just hoping there was a do it yourself method like the tooth paste method on plastic head light lenses.

 

[Acorn]

I'll try and remember to check the mfg. of the kits we sell.

 

[caryc]

I'll try and remember to check the mfg. of the kits we sell.

I should have said that the vertical marks are more like hazy streaks instead of scratches. They just won't clean off.

 

[Cholo]

A friend of mine swears by rain ex on his side windows, he says you can hear the difference in the window motors. Less friction equals faster up and down and less motor strain.

Hmmm :? I'm a big believer in Rain-X! I don't believe it causes less friction. I learned on a trip to FL where my windshield wipers chattered so bad it left rubber all over my windshield. In Naples, I bought a can of denatured alcohol and cleaned the $&*! off! I found it worked great if I bought silicone impregnated blades that I use to this day.

Also found out the hard way: Never use it on anything but the windshield. It will leave water spots that are as hard to get off as the streaks caryc's talking about.

Cary, I'd try a good glass cleaner, like Invisible Glass or whatever, with a mesh dish cleaning sponge used in firm circular motions after the cleaner has been on for a couple of minutes. Not a Scotch Brite, just a small mesh covered sponge. I've found they work wonders on stubborn glass stains as well as bugs etc.

 

[737tdi]

As far as the drag on the window when operated. I would think most of y'all have tinted windows. This contributes to the dying of the window lift motors and regulator failures. Keep both sides of the window rubber slick, like said with silicone.

As far as scratches are the inside or outside? Do you have tint on your windows. The best way to remove scratches from glass is a product called Micro-mesh. It is a product for aviation but works on all glass. It is time consuming but does work. I have used it many times cleaning aircraft glass, granted they were acrylic but it does work on glass.

As far as the alternator/battery questions, it varies hugely between manufacturers. Especially when you start dealing with Euro built cars. Remember an alternator produces AC power but your car uses DC power. Why is this important? Because of the identity of DC. Direct Current. DC draw on a battery is huge, your radio, lights and accessories not so much but when you start running DC motors the draw is tremendous. The amperage/current is much much higher with a DC motor compared to anything else in your car. I.E. running your window lift motors directly off of the battery. If your battery is old and weak running a DC motor can cause it to fail, especially if it is an older car because the older the motor the more it draws due to inefficiency. Motors get old just like us and use more energy when put into stress.

In other words your battery is probably OK for starting, which is DC, but continuous use degrades the battery over time, and using the lift motors will degrade your battery, also over time. My advice is replace your battery every four years. I have done this every since I came back from a trip out of town and the battery was kaput. No lights left on or usage, it just died due to sitting and I think all of the crap in the electrolyte shorted a couple of plates. JMO.

Karl

 

[caryc]

As far as the drag on the window when operated. I would think most of y'all have tinted windows. This contributes to the dying of the window lift motors and regulator failures. Keep both sides of the window rubber slick, like said with silicone.

As far as scratches are the inside or outside? Do you have tint on your windows. The best way to remove scratches from glass is a product called Micro-mesh. It is a product for aviation but works on all glass. It is time consuming but does work. I have used it many times cleaning aircraft glass, granted they were acrylic but it does work on glass.

As far as the alternator/battery questions, it varies hugely between manufacturers. Especially when you start dealing with Euro built cars. Remember an alternator produces AC power but your car uses DC power. Why is this important? Because of the identity of DC. Direct Current. DC draw on a battery is huge, your radio, lights and accessories not so much but when you start running DC motors the draw is tremendous. The amperage/current is much much higher with a DC motor compared to anything else in your car. I.E. running your window lift motors directly off of the battery. If your battery is old and weak running a DC motor can cause it to fail, especially if it is an older car because the older the motor the more it draws due to inefficiency. Motors get old just like us and use more energy when put into stress.

In other words your battery is probably OK for starting, which is DC, but continuous use degrades the battery over time, and using the lift motors will degrade your battery, also over time. My advice is replace your battery every four years. I have done this every since I came back from a trip out of town and the battery was kaput. No lights left on or usage, it just died due to sitting and I think all of the crap in the electrolyte shorted a couple of plates. JMO.

Karl

So, what you're saying is that it's not bad for the window motors but bad for the battery?

 

[737tdi]

Howdy Cary: Yes, not really bad for the motors but can certainly could be bad for the battery. In normal use it is not a problem, only if your battery is getting weak. Old window lift motor v old battery=possible failure. Old motors pull more amperage and old batteries don't like high amp. draw. Granted you are more likely to cause a failure with the starter because it is the most power hungry thing on your car and it is very common for one to drive up to 7-11 with a great running car and come out, hit the starter and it doesn't crank. That is due to the initial high amp. draw you put on the battery when you first turn the key and the starter engages.

I know you live in a high heat area as I do and that is very hard on batteries. Change your battery every 4 years, I pick that timeframe because I have been stuck too many times and the batteries were just over 4 years old. Maybe if you live in the north you could go longer but not here.

Karl

 

[Tom W]

My wife's car starts with a push button. The windows can be opened by pushing the button with your foot off of the brake peddle, then moving the switches on the door. Don't use a key unless the glovebox needs locking...And yes, I know that somewhere under the dash is a place to stick a key if need be...