MG MGB and MGB GT Tech Talk
The teeth on my window regulator have either worn down or become so sharp that the handle gear is unable make solid enough contact to smoothly roll the window up. I can't seem to find replacement plus it looks like a bear to replace. I have thought about welding additional steel onto to the missing/sharp teeth. Has anyone had a similar problem or more importantly a suggestion on how to fix? thanks
Sorry to say it, but I tried the way that you are looking at, and I had a guy weld some new teeth to a regulator, but that didn't fix it. I think it had to do with the teeth on the handle side of the regulator were also worn, along with the bushing that keeps the handle from wobbling around.
I lived with it for a while, but was able to find a replacement on ebay. I have a spare, but I have push button door handles.
Oh, I see you are new here, so let me say welcome aboard.
This has been a problem with the window regulators on MGA Coupes forever, the star gear wears and there's really no way to replace it and put the mechanism back together. If I were going to try it, I wouldn't try to weld it up. I'd try re-cutting the teeth in bronze or steel on a CNC and slotting the bottom arch below the teeth. Then I'd cut the teeth off of the original gear and slip the new set over the remainder of the old gear (sliding the slot over the old gear wheel) and rivet or weld it together. I'm not sure how cost effective it would be but I'd guess that a good CNC shop could make the piece you need with a tracer quickly and without too much cost. Someone here has got to have access to a CNC mill and a tracer - maybe there's a short run for repair pieces for several guys :-)
Besides MGA coupes, early MGBs were also notorious for having bad window winders. We sold every one that came in out of the wrecking yard back in the early 70's. I wish I had an early skin to see what the differences are between the early and late winders. The later ones are much more bullet proof, so if you could get around the handle attachment and then look at other differences, you would be golden.
I welded on Late model Toyota window regulators:
http://www.rc-tech.net/MGB/reg/regn.htm
There is a regulator on ebay right now. I'm not sure it is the right one, but it looks the same as mine. I am currently rebuilding my doors.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MG-MGB-Left-Side-Window-Regulator_W0QQitemZ320165684402QQihZ011QQcategoryZ6781QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Another option would be to cut and paste the mechanism from a later model. There are a couple 1970's on ebay as well:
http://motors.search.ebay.com/MGB-window-regulator_W0QQfromZR40
gow589 Wrote:
Thank you all for responding to my post. I guess there is some comfort in knowing I'm not the only one to have had this challenge. I will let you know which of the suggested methods I tried and the related success.