Ford Escort window replacement tips

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Thu 30 Jan 2003 22:06
Ford Escort window replacement tips - RichieW
I had my car broken into a couple of days ago. There was nothing stolen, just a broken window to replace. My present employment situation leaves me time rich but cash poor so I have tried fitting the new glass myself without success.

My car is a mark 4 Ford Escort, five door and it's the front passenger side that got smashed. With the help of my Haynes manual I have removed the trim and the old aluminium mounting frame but I cant fit the new window and mounting frame onto the rollers. The glass payne restricts the degree of orientation available to fit the frame on to the rollers. I can refit the old mounting frame onto the rollers the glass no problem so I know what is required.

Does anyone have any experience with this model? Is there a set height I should have the rollers at or is there a particular knack to this operation?

All I get from the Haynes manual is the usual refrain of "Refitting is the reversal of removal." It does say that the rollers should be at the bottom but I've tried this without success.

Thanks in anticipation.



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Mon 3 Feb 2003 15:22
Ford Escort window replacement tips - AR-CoolC
Think of the rollers as a ball-socket. I presume the replacement glass you have has the aluminium runner on it already.
use te old runner to pop the blue rollers off there ball, put them into the new runner with a little grease, lower glass into door nose first make sure it is in the front and back guide and pop the ball-sockets back together.
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Mon 3 Feb 2003 22:52
Ford Escort window replacement tips - RichieW
Thanks for the advice. I had in the mean time taken it to a glass fitter who did it for me. I had removed all the trim and didn't have it hand so he didn't have too much to do, showed me what to do in future and only wanted a fiver for his trouble which I thought was very nice as he was doing himself out of some possible future jobs. I think he saw the car and took pity.

I previously tried having a go at removing the rollers as it was mentioned in the manual but the the illustrations didn't look the same on at least two points so I wasn't sure that the design hadn't changed. The rollers didn't seem to want to come off and I didn't have the confidence to persevere for fear of breaking something. Still, I have definately learned a skill this week. Thanks again.

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