1957 Power Window stuck with energized motor

[Kampy]

57 power window.

Window is stuck down. There is power to the window,as activating the switch results in a noticeable sound indicating the motor is energized, but the window doesn't move. Removing the door panel reveals an opening not allowing one to reach the mechanism.

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[Ward 57]

57 POWER WINDOW.

WINDOW IS STUCK DOWN.THERE IS POWER TO WINDOW,AS ACTIVATING THE SWITCH RESULTS IN A NOTICEABLE SOUND INDICATING THE MOTOR IS ENERGIZED, BUT THE WINDOWN DOESN'T MOVE. REMOVING THE DOOR PANEL REVEALS AN OPENING NOT ALLOWING ONE TO REACH THE MECHANISM. LOOKING FOR SOLUTION!

There is an oval access cover near the rear of the door. That panel also has the lower window stop attached to it. It's a good thing you can hear the motor but they rarely go bad. It could be as simple as a loose screw fell into the door and jammed into the teeth of the scissor mechanism. Could also be one of the rollers has come loose.
I had to remove my window to replace a cracked window so I just went ahead and removed the whole mechanism. The shop manual has a pretty good description on how it's done. I also opened the gearbox, cleaned out the old hard grease and repacked with white lithium grease. The helper spring was also broken and replaced that. Just beware those springs are very strong and take a lot of force to reinstall. extend the scissor as far as you can to reduce the tension. I also replaced the front & rear channel whiskers. They are secured with tiny rivets, but I just snapped in the new ones with no issues of them staying in place. The window now zips up and down.

 

[cokefirst]

This can be a simple fix or it could be a BIG job. If this is the original glass runs, motor, window lift mechanism, you may want to look are starting fresh and replacing all the parts. I did this on my 56 and it was a BIG job. getting the rivets properly installed in the front glass run was not easy. I found that you want to use the brass rivets and not the steel ones. the brass ones fold over easy, the steel ones did not. The metal window rollers are also a little difficult and come apart. You can use the plastic ones. I got mine together but the total job took weeks as I would find something else that needed to be fixed as I started the project. If you have never done this before, take your time and I hope you have someone to help you.

 

[Ward 57]

This can be a simple fix or it could be a BIG job. If this is the original glass runs, motor, window lift mechanism, you may want to look are starting fresh and replacing all the parts. I did this on my 56 and it was a BIG job. getting the rivets properly installed in the front glass run was not easy. I found that you want to use the brass rivets and not the steel ones. the brass ones fold over easy, the steel ones did not. The metal window rollers are also a little difficult and come apart. You can use the plastic ones. I got mine together but the total job took weeks as I would find something else that needed to be fixed as I started the project. If you have never done this before, take your time and I hope you have someone to help you.

I was able to just snap in the whisker runs without any fasteners. No issues at all. And if one of those rivets scratches the edge of the glass, tempered glass will shatter. A chip on the lower front edge is what cracked mine. Just replace the rollers. Mine were original pressed steel and can deform. The new replacements are one piece machined units. Very good.
Didn't take me all that long the hardest was pulling the spring "c" clips that hold the rollers on the spindles.

 

[cokefirst]

Yes, the horizontal whiskers are fine (window felts) but I am talking about the vertical glass run that goes in the front door post.

 

[Ward 57]

Yes, the horizontal whiskers are fine (window felts) but I am talking about the vertical glass run that goes in the front door post.

Yup So am I. No fasteners and they stay in place. the window does a good job of that.

 

[Kampy]

DRIVER WINDOW STUCK. CAN HEAR MOTOR ACTIVATE, BUT WON'T MOVE IDEAS?

 

[cokefirst]

Remove door panel, remove access panel on door, first remove motor from brackets and slide it out. Check the rollers to see that they have not separated or are jammed in the slots or track. It could have many causes.