Hi,

 

Just thought I would share my experience with a window regulator replacement on a 2007 Octavia 2. This is the left rear regulator.

 

I used a bodywork dent puller suction pad and a ratchet strap (strap not really needed as the suction cup rests against the window rubber) to hold the window up while I replaced the regulator.

 

The plastic window holder on the regulator had broken, along with the cable. I bought a 2nd hand regulator with the motor from an auction site for £16 .

 

I didn't fancy re-fitting the regulator to the door with rivets as I don't have lazy tongs (large hand riveter), so I decided to buy a set of Aluminium Rivnuts with steel thread inserts from an auction site for £6 for a 100 mixed set (25 each M4, M5, M6 & M8).

I bought aluminium Rivnuts because research showed that fitting by hand works best with Aluminium Rivnuts, without the need for special tools.

 

I used a tube or cone drill (2nd from the right), from Aldi for £4.99 for the set.

 

I opened the holes in the door frame to 9mm, which is the required size for an M6 Rivnut.

This type of  cutter is much better than a standard HSS twist drill when drilling sheet materials as a tube drill doesn't "grab" as breaks through the material like a twist drill can, plus, a twist drill can leave a slightly "out of round" hole, whereas a tube drill makes a perfectly round hole.

 

Once the hole is drilled, remove the burr from the front and rear of the hole, using a counter sink bit (included in the set I bought).

 

Now insert the RIvnut, with an M6 bolt, an M6 nut and two washers. Make sure the bolt is screwed in flush with the end of the Rivnut, to ensure and even spread of load on the thread as you set the Rivnut in place.

 

 

 

Using a socket drive, hold the bolt (and the Rivnut) square to the hole in the panel, and using a ratchet spanner, tighten nut onto the RIvnut. The Rivnut may spin at first, but keep going and eventually it will bite on the rear of the panel. Then it will start to deform as it is drawn towards the panel. When the spanner starts to get tight, slow down, otherwise the Rivnut thread can be stripped. Once spanner is tight (don't go mad), slacken the nut, then remove the bolt from the Rivnut.

 

 

The use of Rivnuts made it possible to remove the regulator unit for test purposes, which would not have been possible if rivets had been used.

 

To get the glass to sit in the plastic holder on the regulator unit, remove the motor from the regulator (3x Torx T30) then move the plastic glass holder on the regulator up to the top of the movement, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LET THE PLASTIC GLASS HOLDER GO OFF THE END OF THE REGULATOR TRACK, AS THERE IS NO END STOP!!!!

 

Remove the rubber grommet, which then allows you to see the regulator track and the alignment hole on the plastic glass carrier (can only seen when the glass is lowered).

 

With the glass slightly lowered (about 50mm opening) offer the regulator into place, while locating the glass in the plastic carrier. Now move the regulator into place and locate the metal dowels (on the rear of the regulator) into the locating holes in the door frame. Now fit the M6x25mm screws to hold the regulator in place.

 

 

Once all screws are refitted, lower the glass using a pair of needle nose pliers to drive the regulator gear, until the hole in the glass is visible through the access hole (access hole in panel is approximately 40mm diameter). You can now push the larger plastic dowel into the glass, through the plastic glass retaining bracket (it should "Click" into place in the glass). Now gently push the small dowel into the larger dowel, which causes the larger dowel to expand slightly. Re-fit the rubber grommet.

 

Check that the window can go up and down by turning the regulator gear with the needle nose pliers (carefully, but don't put anything in the splines of the gear, as this is what the motor drives). When you are happy with the operation, re-fit the motor with  3 screws. Re-connect the multi way plug to the rear of the motor.

 

When you try the window, it will not do "one-shot" function until the window has been lowered fully (and is held there to mark the end of travel position) and the same for the upper movement. Once you have performed the upper and lower end of travel operations, the "one shot" function will work.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Russ

 

 

i have to do this too at some point...

 

did you use the rivnuts to put the door panel cover back on too?

thats my main thing... i dont have a rivetter, and i dont feel like buying one for one job. 

that and i read somewhere here that the regulator rivet (i think) is a stainless steel one for the load it carries? maybe? its a while ago..

HI

 

When you say "door panel cover" do you mean the metal one I pictured here?

 

 

This is the part, I was told, was "the regulator". So this is the part that I secured with Rivnuts.

 

I purchased this as a whole part, including the track, the cable and the motor, so I did not need to rivet the regulator track on to the regulator panel.

 

This is on a Mk2 Octavia, I think Mk1 Octivia is a different regulator unit. The internal door panel trim (AKA Door Card) is fitted with some screws and a few clips.

 

The other side of this regulator panel (the inside) looks like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353189547441?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=353189547441&targetid=1055001932367&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9045641&poi=&campaignid=10204071303&mkgroupid=104953043274&rlsatarget=aud-629407027585:pla-1055001932367&abcId=1145987&merchantid=7410404&gclid=Cj0KCQiAifz-BRDjARIsAEElyGKLLlbJDP1VkTkcLhhA2e8KyLDpvPvZpNEYZ8Df3WPNsl3kHIsxVqwaAhbQEALw_wcB

 

The white plastic glass carrier runs on the black metal track and has a pair of cables which wind around the gear unit (white triangle bit), which is driven by the motor (through the panel).

 

The cables/plastic carrier/gear are available as a kit:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001562354481.html?src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=494-037-6276&isdl=y&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&aff_platform=google&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&&albagn=888888&albcp=9604713100&albag=99283534296&trgt=296904913880&crea=en1005001562354481&netw=u&device=c&albpg=296904913880&albpd=en1005001562354481&gclid=Cj0KCQiAifz-BRDjARIsAEElyGJz0nOR8ugCgr8mA1Ivl0lbBHteINA69JRND7kUK0cIW81yanu33o4aAp6REALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

But as both the cables are sprung at the carrier end, they can be difficult to fit, so I opted for a used one, for ease.

 

It took me a total of about 5 hours including taking the internal trim off, drilling off the rivets, fitting the Rivnuts and re-assembling.

 

Good Luck

 

 

thanks.

 

i didnt realise the panel acted as the regulator too!! godamn it 🤦‍♂️😅

i thought it was just a metal panel instead of the plastuc sheeting they used on the mk1 which, while terrible in one way, was a lot more accessible for working through (as long as you took the time to re-seal it properly)

 

thanks for the links, they may be getting another sale added to their listing

 

well, i have a new full regulator Panel with cable sets ordered. mine is the front left door. 

go buy some rivnuts and m6 bolts next. 

 

 

then... start building up the courage to tackle it

 

 

i have to say though, that rivetting the panel on has to be the stupidest way of doing that design?!?!

Edited 21 December, 20205 yr by mac11irl

I agree with you about using rivets. At least Rivnuts are a viable option.

 

I would say the trickiest part is drilling out the old rivets and removing the two part, plastic dowels, which hold the glass into the plastic carrier(s).

 

Its one of those jobs which isn't technically difficult, just a bit fiddly, but having the Rivnuts means you can at least remove the regulator panel if needed, which you cannot do if you use normal rivets. Pushing the dowels into carrier can be a challenge, because you need to be careful not to press on the glass too much as you could break off the lower part of the glass which has the hole in it, which will be the weakest point of the glass, due to the hole(s) .

 

Regards

 

Russ

 

I have looked at the Haynes manual, and the instructions for refitting the glass into the regulator, state that you should replace the two plastic "spreader plugs". Also, it states to fit the larger plug into the hole in the glass, then fit the smaller plug into the large plug. Then you should lower the glass (with both plugs fitted) and engage the plugs into the plastic bracket on the regulator. I had fitted the glass into the plastic bracket on the regulator, then tried to fit the plugs into the hole in the glass, but i found it difficult to push the smaller plug inside the larger plug, using the access hole in the panel.

 

   

thanks.

 

my rivnuts arrived last friday

and my new regulator panel arrived today

 

just need to get a pack of m6 bolts and then a few hrs to go and do the nasty...

Good News!

 

When you get your M6 set screws (Setscrews have thread all the way from the end to the underside of the head, bolts have a plain section under the head, then thread to the end), get some washers too. Make sure the screws are not too long. Mine are 10mm long, with a Torx T25 pan head (had some kicking about), but I would say 12-15mm would be better, to give a bit more thread into the RivNut.  I would advise to keep the head choice as low profile as possible (say 4mm max) to avoid it fouling the door card when it is refitted. Remember that the factory rivets would only be about 2-3mm above the surface of the regulator panel, but with a screw and washer, it will sit a bit higher off the regulator panel. I don't know how much clearance there is between the regulator panel and the door card.

 

Let me know how it goes.

If you use rivnuts without the setting tool then drill a hole in a piece of metal strip to hold as a handle to prevent the rivet from turning and you will make a much better job of setting them.

 

You will probably have something in your scrap bin, a repair bracket or even a piece of Meccano.

 

If you want to start using flush thinsheet nutserts (Avdels) then a setting tool is a must, they are a fraction of the price today that they were 35 years ago when I bought my Avdel set for £40ish.

Before you try and get the regulator off, you need to separate the glass from the regulator panel track!!

 

Assuming you already have the door card off, disconnect the motor plug, then remove the 3 Torx screws holding the motor and remove the motor.

 

Remove the black rubber grommet which is just below and to the left (in this picture, you can see the hole where the grommet was).

 

This will allow you to see the spreader plugs which hold the glass to the plastic regulator bracket, once you lower the glass - you can see the hole where the spreader plugs fit.

   

 

Using some straight circlip or needle nose pliers, turn the white gear where the motor was fitted, and lower the window glass. As your plastic regulator bracket and or the drive wire are broken (which is why you are doing this job) lowering the glass may be a struggle, or may be easy, just make sure the glass cannot fall, so use a dent puller on the glass, like I did, to limit the travel of the glass or ask someone to hold the glass.

 

When the glass is almost at the bottom of its travel, you should be able to see the spreader plug through the hole where the grommet was fitted.

 

Use a M5 x 70mm screw, insert it into the smaller plug, then pull it the plug out, then use an M8 x 80mm screw and repeat the process from the larger plug. This will separate the glass from the plastic bracket. You can now lift the glass manually by pulling it up, then secure it with some tape or a dent puller on the glass.

 

You can now drill the rivets out with a 10mm drill. Once all rivets are drilled out, you can extract the regulator panel downwards as the top of the regulator track extends a bit higher than the panel.

 

You can use a length of woor to support the window from inside the door cavity for extra security while you fit the RivNuts.

 

You can now open the holes out in the door panel (I would recommend a cone drill as above), then fit the RivNuts.

 

Fit the large spreader plug to the hole in the glass (the large plug has a groove around the middle of it which allows you to locate it centrally in the glass) then fit the smaller plug into the large plug.

 

Now offer the regulator into the door opening (remove wood if used), and adjust the position of the glass, to allow the spreader plugs to locate in the hole in the plastic bracket.

 

Once it is located, adjust the regulator (using the gear where the motor was) and glass position, so that the regulator can fit into the door panel (there are 3 or 4 large metal dowels on the rear of the regulator panel to allow the regulator panel to sit correctly.

 

Now fit the screws and washers to secure the regulator panel. Now fit the motor screws then re-connect the motor.

 

Run the window up to the top and hold it there on the switch and then do the same at the bottom travel. This will allow the system to set the top and bottom travel, and then the window will work with the "one shot" function.

 

Refit the rubber grommet

 

Refit the door card.

 

Good Luck

 

I just remembered that yours is the front regulator, so you will have two plastic brackets and spreader plugs to deal with, accessible through the holes circled.

 

20 minutes ago, J.R. said:

If you use rivnuts without the setting tool then drill a hole in a piece of metal strip to hold as a handle to prevent the rivet from turning and you will make a much better job of setting them.

 

You will probably have something in your scrap bin, a repair bracket or even a piece of Meccano.

 

If you want to start using flush thinsheet nutserts (Avdels) then a setting tool is a must, they are a fraction of the price today that they were 35 years ago when I bought my Avdel set for £40ish.

Good Tip - I watched a few You Tube videos, some used a "handle", some didn't.

 

I didn't use a handle, and they worked fine, but I guess a handle would help.

It means that all the force is resolved axially as it should be, as you say it can be done without once it has nipped up slightly but the force applied will try to rotate the nutsert and would strip its grip if you fully tightened it, the handle avoids that or simply leaving the final tightening till the component is secured in place will suffice.

 

For flush rivnuts (thin sheet nutserts) a handle (good name) is essential but not as good as the correct setting tool.