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Window regulator & door lock replacement
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 11
From: Chico,ca
Year: 89
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
There has been some question about how to replace the window regulator motor. I thought my motor was going out so I started to replace it and found out it was just the connector was loose,but I went ahead and completed the process without actually needing to replace it.
You will be able to see all the steps required to replace the regulator.
I will also include how the electric locks are replaced.
The tools I used were a large phillips for the door handle and a small phillips for the switch plate,a cresent for the nut that holds the window,and a cordless drill with I think it was a 1/4" drill bit for the rivets.
1. First thing is to raise window up about halfway and hold it in place with tape or another way that will hold it up securley without falling on your hands.
2. Then remove the door handle screws,they are large phillips head screws.

3. Then lift handle up to the vertical position and it will slip out of its holder,do not try to pull it out when it is horizontal.

4. Then remove the 3 phillips head screws from the switch plate,I am pointing at one here,there is 2 more just forward of the switches.

5. Pull out on the bottom of the door panel easily,it is held in at this point by little plastic ribbed holders,(shown later)

6. Once you have the door panel loose,carefully push the switches back through the panel,set panel aside.

7.Unplug the power to the motor,then You will need to drill out the rivets that hold the regulator in place,these 2 are at the top of the door.

8. These 2 or at the bottom of the door.

9. These 3 are what actually holds the motor in place,the regulator consists of a motor,and track for the retractor to ride on,when removed it is more than just the motor.

9. Remove the top screw here and slide it out of the way,It may go past this without but I had already drilled it out.

10. Remove this nut,this all that holds the window up,so once it is removed the tape is all that is holding it,you may want to have some help at this point to keep window from falling unless you are sure it will not. At this point just replace the regulator,you will need some small screws and nuts with lock washers,better if you use nylocks instead of nuts. If you are not sure what a nylock is it is a nut with nylon in it to hold better,in my opinion they are better that using loctite.

This shows the rear left door,and the rivets to remove to replace the regulator. The top 2 are for the door handle.the rivets to the left bottom are for the door lock,the regulators are remove the same as the front except there is 2 less rivets to remove,the regulators are not interchangeable with the front.

This is the white tab that holds the door lock rod to the door latch,showing it so you can see it better,my other pic for the front is not very good.

11. This is just showing a common issue with jeep doors,it can be repaired with a small piece of metal and screws,just lay the metal over the crack at a 90 degree angle and screw it on. You can also just below my finger one of the nuts and bolt I used.

12. This is one of the plastic holders that hold the door in place.

13. This shows the plastic holders position around the door.

14. If you wanted to replace the electric door locks,all you would have to do is drill out these two rivets and the plastic tab that holds the metal rod to the door latch,see next pic.

15. You can see at the top here the white plastic clip,sorry about the bad pic,but this connector is snapped in place and just needs to be removed from the metal rod and turned enough to allow the rod to be removed from the latch. It is very easy to see once the panel is off.
You will be able to see all the steps required to replace the regulator.
I will also include how the electric locks are replaced.
The tools I used were a large phillips for the door handle and a small phillips for the switch plate,a cresent for the nut that holds the window,and a cordless drill with I think it was a 1/4" drill bit for the rivets.
1. First thing is to raise window up about halfway and hold it in place with tape or another way that will hold it up securley without falling on your hands.
2. Then remove the door handle screws,they are large phillips head screws.

3. Then lift handle up to the vertical position and it will slip out of its holder,do not try to pull it out when it is horizontal.

4. Then remove the 3 phillips head screws from the switch plate,I am pointing at one here,there is 2 more just forward of the switches.

5. Pull out on the bottom of the door panel easily,it is held in at this point by little plastic ribbed holders,(shown later)

6. Once you have the door panel loose,carefully push the switches back through the panel,set panel aside.

7.Unplug the power to the motor,then You will need to drill out the rivets that hold the regulator in place,these 2 are at the top of the door.

8. These 2 or at the bottom of the door.

9. These 3 are what actually holds the motor in place,the regulator consists of a motor,and track for the retractor to ride on,when removed it is more than just the motor.

9. Remove the top screw here and slide it out of the way,It may go past this without but I had already drilled it out.

10. Remove this nut,this all that holds the window up,so once it is removed the tape is all that is holding it,you may want to have some help at this point to keep window from falling unless you are sure it will not. At this point just replace the regulator,you will need some small screws and nuts with lock washers,better if you use nylocks instead of nuts. If you are not sure what a nylock is it is a nut with nylon in it to hold better,in my opinion they are better that using loctite.

This shows the rear left door,and the rivets to remove to replace the regulator. The top 2 are for the door handle.the rivets to the left bottom are for the door lock,the regulators are remove the same as the front except there is 2 less rivets to remove,the regulators are not interchangeable with the front.

This is the white tab that holds the door lock rod to the door latch,showing it so you can see it better,my other pic for the front is not very good.

11. This is just showing a common issue with jeep doors,it can be repaired with a small piece of metal and screws,just lay the metal over the crack at a 90 degree angle and screw it on. You can also just below my finger one of the nuts and bolt I used.

12. This is one of the plastic holders that hold the door in place.

13. This shows the plastic holders position around the door.

14. If you wanted to replace the electric door locks,all you would have to do is drill out these two rivets and the plastic tab that holds the metal rod to the door latch,see next pic.

15. You can see at the top here the white plastic clip,sorry about the bad pic,but this connector is snapped in place and just needs to be removed from the metal rod and turned enough to allow the rod to be removed from the latch. It is very easy to see once the panel is off.
Last edited by Abovetimberline; Jan 28, 2010 at 05:56 PM.
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