Window winder mech regulator alignment?

[thebluepotato]

All - I secured a couple use regulators and starting to see some inconsistencies in the positions of the arms when fully UP.  See image below of the mech with the red grease - this is the one I am about to install, but you can see the the smaller left gear edge is not lining up like the two other ones I have.  I drew a red line so you could see where that edge line is angled when fully up.

The pics of the other two mechs show that line almost parallel with the mech plate - meaning those lines are almost flat....not angled down like the red line I drew.

Can these things/gears be adjusted?

[MiniDave]

When the arms are straight out there are two lines on the gears that should line up, much like lining up the dots when setting cam timing.

[thebluepotato]

When the arms are straight out there are two lines on the gears that should line up, much like lining up the dots when setting cam timing.

Dave - yes, not seeing them...wiping off grease now.  Are they on the edge of each gear - like near the edge where the gear teeth are?  One on each gear?

[MiniDave]

yes, exactly....on a line with the arms when straight out, in the center. You can see the marks in your second pic, opposite the big pins just below the springs

[thebluepotato]

yes, exactly....on a line with the arms when straight out, in the center. You can see the marks in your second pic, opposite the big pins just below the springs

AH!  So that line will be in-line with the other line mark on the bigger gear as well when arms are straight out.  Ill take a peek now...thanks!

Also do you know how to adjust if needed?  Im sure  I have to remove that 2" brass bar/plate in order to allow the gears to be moved....and then re-rivet into place (the bar plate) again?

[MiniDave]

Yep, that's how I did it, took that center plate off and riveted it back on again. On mine that center plate was loose, that's how it slipped teeth I guess, cause once I put it all back together again it worked perfectly.

It was a real "Ah Ha!" moment when I found those marks!  :-[ 77.gif

[Willie_B]

Look at the second red grease pic. You can see the lines just under the big round head at the base of the arms.

[drmini]

Wow, all these years of playing with Minis and I learned something new today.  I never knew there was any alignment marks on them.  Never really thought about it, everything always worked when I installed them in the past. 

[thebluepotato]

After 3 used regulators, 2 taken apart and built again and after a looooooooong time, me and my mini mechanic finally got it right.  I am still not sure why the one that we rebuil, put back into alignment, lubricated, tested, and tested again....kept slipping or allowing the window to tilt forward when rolling up.  All I know is these things are a PITA and you cannot source these new.  And I did learn that you should always go with OE vs the repro ones that where done a few years back.  You can ID the differences on the back plate.

[94touring]

Glad you got it working again.  They are a major pita once they start acting up.