Cadillac Repair: Power window repair 1989 fleetwood, nut bolt, plastic slide

Question
my drivers side front window stopped workink after i slammed it extra hard about 2 weeks ago. i took interior side off and found a lillte metal ball pulled out of a plastic slide piece. that day i popped it back in and window was good for a week. i was warned by 2 friends that it would not last. they were right. so i got a new plastic slide piece but cannot get the little metal ball to snap back into the opening. i feel if i continue i will break the window or at least the new plastic slide. any help?

Answer
Hi Dan, The simple solution is to buy the guide already assembled. You might have to get it from the dealer but a few phone calls to your local parts stores would show if it is available other than at the dealer. Then you would need to unsnap the regulator tape from the 3 regulator pins at the oposite end of the tape that the guide is, push the window switch so the guild block moves all the way off the other end, remove the block from the tape and install the new block and reverse the procedure to install. Or you could try useing some pliers and try to snap the slideing piece onto the ball once you have it off the tape and in your hands. If that happens then reverse the procedure of how you removed the guide block and move it back into position near the bottom of the regulator. You might need to push on the tape so it will engage with the gear on the window motor as you push the up position on the switch. Now you will need to drill out at least 1 and maybe up to 3 regulator rivets to allow it to move enough that the slider piece can go into the track below the glass. It is best if the glass is at or near the bottom of its travel. Then you will need 1/4" rivets and a rivet gun or 1/4" nut, bolt, lockwasher to replace the rivets that needed to be drilled out. Depending on how the regulator is made you might have to drill out a rivet or 2 just to get the guide block off the end of the regulator.

    Hope that makes sense. Let me know if you need anymore help. Bill