Gen 2 tailgate window speed in cold temps?

[giro]

I switched out my tailgate window motor on my 92 a couple months ago with one that seemed to be in better condition that was a pull. But the window is still only crawling up when in the 20-35°F range.

My battery is only a couple years old, though the window goes up better when the engine is running. I haven't greased up anything back there yet, though things seemed decent when I looked it over and I've pulled out any rocks or wood chunks that were scraping on the glass.

I'm curious how a new unit performs in colder temps (like these or colder) off the battery. When skiing we use the tailgate glass 2-4 times per day. Previously there were some good prices from rock auto, but I don't want to bother if a new unit will still perform poorly when it's below freezing.

 

[RAD4Runner]

My battery is only a couple years old, though the window goes up better when the engine is running. I haven't greased up anything back there yet, though things seemed decent when I looked it over and I've pulled out any rocks or wood chunks that were scraping on the glass.

Good electrical power helps, but it's most likely mechanical restriction/lack of lubrication; That old grease gets caked up and hard after any years. Also try some silicone spray on the rubber tacks.

 

[541joseph]

Mine does the same thing. I can hardly get it to go all the way up when it's below about 20

 

[giro]

Just checked the sticker and the battery is nearly 4.5 years old. If it was still under 3 I'd see about a free replacement from Costco.

But the battery is at 12.4 volts, after only a couple short trips today and it being almost back down to freezing outside. Not perfect, but pretty good, and well within spec.

It still isn't quite as bad as last year, where I had to push up on the glass while it was trying to go up a couple times. I'll see about cleaning up any old grease and spraying some silicone.

If anyone has put in a brand new motor into a 20+ year old 4runner's tailgate window, how did it then behave in sub-freezing temps?

 

[El Brujo]

Suffered the same problem. I began by parking the rear of the rig towards the sunrise on very cold nights--after an hour or so it warmed up enough to roll the window down. Got tired of that though and after a good cleaning of the track and the rubber gaskets I then sprayed some silicone lube on the track and voila--it rolls up and down pretty well now. My battery is more than 4 years old too. I'm just over the hill from you and know what you mean about cold mornings when you want to get the skis into the car and the window won't roll down.

 

[RAD4Runner]

Just checked the sticker and the battery is nearly 4.5 years old. But the battery is at 12.4 volts new motor into a 20+ year old 4runner's tailgate window, how did it then behave in sub-freezing temps?

You're lucky have have a battery that lasted that long. 12.4V without load does not mean a thing. Measure voltage with headlights on. Should be above 11V or so.
A new motor will perform just as well on a 20-YO truck as it would on a 2-year old truck if your regulator is in good condition and well-lubricated.

Suffered the same problem. I began by parking the rear of the rig towards the sunrise on very cold nights

Meaning it could be hardened old grease.

O.P., Bite the bullet, do the right hing, face the problem head-on and stop guessing, test the battery, open the access panel, inspect, clean the regulator and re-apply grease. Then worry about replacing things if you still have the problem.

 

[giro]

You're lucky have have a battery that lasted that long. 12.4V without load does not mean a thing. Measure voltage with headlights on. Should be above 11V or so.
A new motor will perform just as well on a 20-YO truck as it would on a 2-year old truck if your regulator is in good condition and well-lubricated. Meaning it could be hardened old grease.

O.P., Bite the bullet, do the right hing, face the problem head-on and stop guessing, test the battery, open the access panel, inspect, clean the regulator and re-apply grease. Then worry about replacing things if you still have the problem.

Ok, just finished cleaning things up a bit. I cleaned out the tracks I could get to in the tailgate, plus the top edge, and then all the areas the glass goes into in the back of the truck. Didn't really find any problems or get much of anything from them. Then I sprayed all those areas with silicone.

The regulator didn't really have any grease on it. I wiped off a tiny bit on the teeth and then sprayed some silicone on them and on the middle joint of the regulator arm, where the spiraled spring is. I did not take it out to get behind it, but didn't feel any grease back there either. [MENTION=80771]RAD4Runner[/MENTION] is there a particular place there that should be greased, with either silicone or a heavier grease?

Then I cleaned the window, inside and out, at both partway up (to get the edges) and all the way up. And finally I cleaned it with Rain-X (denatured alcohol) figuring it would get anything else.

It's a warmer day, currently 41°F, and like El Brujo (yep, just over the hill and around the lake....nice!) my truck warmed up in the sun, so not the best for a test. At the battery with the headlights on the battery was a couple hundredths over 12V testing the battery leads, or a couple hundredths below testing positive to engine ground. After all of this cleaning it seemed to work better, and went up in 5.1 seconds.

I'll see how it does at below freezing. Normally it was slowing down a lot at the end, so maybe only taking 7-8 seconds (guessing) but really struggling trying to close that last half a foot. I would't mind if it were slow, but wouldn't want it to fail at a bad time.

Let me know if there's a place on the regulator I should grease. I took a pic if we need it.

 

[541joseph]

Ok, just finished cleaning things up a bit. I cleaned out the tracks I could get to in the tailgate, plus the top edge, and then all the areas the glass goes into in the back of the truck. Didn't really find any problems or get much of anything from them. Then I sprayed all those areas with silicone.

The regulator didn't really have any grease on it. I wiped off a tiny bit on the teeth and then sprayed some silicone on them and on the middle joint of the regulator arm, where the spiraled spring is. I did not take it out to get behind it, but didn't feel any grease back there either. [MENTION=80771]RAD4Runner[/MENTION] is there a particular place there that should be greased, with either silicone or a heavier grease?

Then I cleaned the window, inside and out, at both partway up (to get the edges) and all the way up. And finally I cleaned it with Rain-X (denatured alcohol) figuring it would get anything else.

It's a warmer day, currently 41°F, and like El Brujo (yep, just over the hill and around the lake....nice!) my truck warmed up in the sun, so not the best for a test. At the battery with the headlights on the battery was a couple hundredths over 12V testing the battery leads, or a couple hundredths below testing positive to engine ground. After all of this cleaning it seemed to work better, and went up in 5.1 seconds.

I'll see how it does at below freezing. Normally it was slowing down a lot at the end, so maybe only taking 7-8 seconds (guessing) but really struggling trying to close that last half a foot. I would't mind if it were slow, but wouldn't want it to fail at a bad time.

Let me know if there's a place on the regulator I should grease. I took a pic if we need it.

Id use a heavier greese. Just used wheel bearing greese a nice coating over all the metal tracks on a Chevy and it made its nice a fast!

 

[RAD4Runner]

I used general purpose grease - same as I used on U-joint, etc. Lubricated everywhere there are gear/teeth, pivot points and sliding areas.

 

[giro]

Thanks guys!

Yea, I grabbed some slightly heavier spray on grease too, but it didn't have a tip. It's easy enough to get in there that I'll just put some general stuff waiting for the U-joints (gotta do those) on if it slows down....though I'd prefer to keep that off the rubber. I really haven't been using anything on those rubber strips, so I'm thinking that's a big part of it.

This morning, around 32 out, it was 5.3 seconds off the battery before being run. And with the truck running after school drop off, using the inside switch, it was 4.1 seconds. Sounds about right, and I'm perfectly fine with that. If it starts slowing down again I'll look at doing a better job of greasing the regulator joints. I sprayed some silicone in their general direction, but the silicone is lightly light enough that it will move away in the summer time between heat and sun. On a constantly moving part I'd be worried, but here is doesn't matter too much.

(on a bicycle, it's a big no no to spray a light oil like Triflow into a place that need heavy grease, like old-school bearings or bottom bracket....it will work for a while, but it's too light for those constantly moving things)

 

[nevada]

ive considered running some heavier power wires, and wiring in a relay in the gate. there does seem to be a pretty good voltage drop at the motor.

same with the rear defroster, I think it would also benefit from having a relay back at the gate, with a better power supply.

that said, I recently cleaned up, and greased everything back there. now when not running, its as fast as it used to be when running. there was a significant improvement.

its been bumped down to occasional driver/wheeler/spare vehicle now, so the relays are on hold...for now.

 

[giro]

Yep, I've heard of people running new lines. I don't use the rear defroster, and my relays appear to be working fine after switching out the board 9 years ago. If I was keeping this rig for another 10 years I'd probably just pick up a new motor, or look around for something with a slightly bigger electric motor that I could fit in....since it's all manually turned on and off it could be pretty easy to switch out. While that was my main question about how much better a new replacement motor would be, it looks like I don't need it right now. No reason to spend time and money on it.

But at this rate the ski season could wind down pretty quick, and I just don't use the tailgate window as much in the summer. Taking my girls (3 & 4) out this morning, while the snowpack on the run was fine, the snow that was under the lift 6 days ago is now gone. We're supposed to possibly get some cold storms starting halfway through the month, but until then things are going to be melting, and some of those iffy runs will be closing. Luckily we hit a couple of the black diamond runs with the 4 & 7 year old last Sunday.