'89 Comanche Manual Window Regulator Interchange

[Dal3]

Mine might be usable with some repair, except the crank splines are ruined and I don't want that bother.  I read an article here about fixing electric regulators by changing snakes.  That article said regulators from Cherokees 'til 1996 will interchange with Comanches. The article also suggested getting rear ones, if used, because they probably wouldn't be so much used.

Is the article correct about the interchange and will  pre-1996 rear Cherokee manual regulators interchange to an '89 Comanche.  I've located a pair that reportedly tested good before removal.

Thanks.

Dale Myers

 

[Warren Mohler]

4 door Cherokee fronts pre 96 will work, I will say from experience manual regulators are easy to fix

[Dal3]

To repair them, I would at least need replacement pinions or pinion shafts (due to ruined crank splines) and I don't know where to get them.   I have removed and assessed the worse driver's-side operator and I think I could repair it, except for the splines.

There is a link below to the article that said rear 4dr Cherokee parts would interchange, but the poster was only switching power window snakes.  Does anyone know if the entire rear regulator assemblies would interchange?

Thanks.

Dale

 

 

 

 

 

[eaglescout526]

If we are on the topic of the actual manual crank regulators, I would like to say they don't. They look to different. But might be useful for parts.

 

But give it a shot. Be mindful, no one is making these anymore.

 

 

Actually. Studying that image makes me wonder if that twist is a flexible tube of some sorts that if straightened could match the same length of the front regulator.

[SVPete]

The physical shape of the rear window regulators precludes their use in the front doors. If you want to try to mod them, sure, give it a shot, but I believe it will be a waste of time.

 

From personal experience, I can vouch that the "snakes" in the rear regulators are exactly the same as the "snakes" in the front regulators for manual window regulators. I have personally repaired my own this way. They are the same left to right also. I do not know if they are the same between manual and power windows. I agree with the comment in the article that the rear windows parts will have less wear.

 

You mention that essentially the "gearing" in your manual regulators is screwed up. It would involve breaking through several spot welds to strip out the "gearing" just to see if it is the same from front to rear (I suspect it is, but have no actual proof of that). So, I think it is technically possible to repair the "gearing".

 

Manual window regulators are out there in junkyards. They are not quite the unicorn. I might even have some extras.

[Dal3]

Thanks for the additional information.  I'm going to compare my operator with online photographs I've found.

The pinion gear might be usable.  Due to binding in the rusting operators, I'm guessing a previous owner, first broke the cranks, then damaged the splines by operating the windows with pliers.

Bad crank splines are the reason I'm looking for complete operators, rather than rebuilding the ones I have.  If I could get window crank shafts, I'd rebuild.

Dale