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Rear door windows: Power operation, removal, increasing travel, etc.

32K views 86 replies 57 participants last post by  Kacclauson 
#1 ·
I've never been a big fan of the "pop-out" rear passenger window. Has anyone ever seen or done a swap to replace it with one which rolls up/down. Preferably a power window. Preferably, one which rolls *all the way* down.

?
 
#59 ·
Yeah, that post is what had me thinking. Replace the bendy "hinge" with the hasp to allow it to open either the front edge, rear(stock style), both or remove the thing entirely by pulling out the cotter pin on the hasp pivot. I know that opening the front edge will catch more air/ increase drag and possibly pull out at highway speeds (not sure how much drag it could create).
 
#61 ·
So, anyways, the motors that people are talking about are called "window vent motor" and there are bunches of them on eBay. However, I'd have to inspect an Odyssey or similar vehicle and see the motors in person to see how large they actually are. Preferably, find a vehicle in a junkyard and take everything out so I know how it all works.

I do fear that one might have to weld on some bosses to securely mount those motors. I am sure they will generate quite a bit of torque to keep a seal and prevent them from being pried open. That will require repainting the exterior of the door unless there is enough sheet metal wrapped around in the door frame to mount the motor to.

I also need to see the interior of a rear door as well. Hrmm...

BUT, doing the sunroof seems a lot easier as there is plenty of room and a brace right in the back or close to it. IIRC
 
#63 ·
I do fear that one might have to weld on some bosses to securely mount those motors. I am sure they will generate quite a bit of torque to keep a seal and prevent them from being pried open. That will require repainting the exterior of the door unless there is enough sheet metal wrapped around in the door frame to mount the motor to.
Shouldnt be any more torque than there already is in the manual bracket.
Something I have really thought about, but still have so many projects I want to finish first. The OEM mount should be plenty strong enough, the motors themselves are weak. The torque they create is a product of the leverage created by the bracket shape. There should not be any more force introduced than already existing, because once closed the holding force is in the bracket not the motor holding it closed.




on the otherhand... i dont think ive ever seen a rear clam door with anything other then a pop out window
Gotta weight the cost/benefit. These tiny windows do not do a whole lot when open, so the added cost of powering them at a manufactures level is easily value-engineered out when bottom line vehicle cost is as big of a priority as it is.
 
#62 · (Edited)
from what i remember a 2000+ dodge caravan/grand caravan motor should be small (the area it was in was small) a caravan latch mechanism and it shouldnt be too hard.
i think im going to the junkyard tomorrow

you can also make a worm drive or a weedwacker flexible drive to remote mount the motor itself.


on the otherhand... i dont think ive ever seen a rear clam door with anything other then a pop out window
 
#64 ·
I actually spent some serious time looking up window parts and what not to see if a roll-down window could be fabricated. It could, but at great cost for what it is. Basically, you would install a sunroof on both doors that slides into the interior. You would then just cut the sunroof glass to match the E windows.

So, two interior sunroof kits, plus customization, plus labor, would be the cost for that. Totally possible, just expensive.

Unfortunately, I don't think the E windows could be reused as they have the holes in them for the hinge and for the clamp.
 
#70 ·
You must not have looked very hard because replacing the manual latch with a motorized one should be fairly simple & straight forward. The hardest part is finding a motorized one that would fit the easiest. You would reuse the OEM window anchor and reuse OEM door mount. Fabricate a bracket to position the motor in the right place, wire it up to a control module & switch, and fabricate a cover panel to hide it if an OEM look is desired. The vehicle itself could remain 100% intact & fully reversible.



The windows are far larger than the openings in the door, so trying to fabricate a roll down option would never work & if it did would no doubt look like complete ass. The sunroof mod idea would only work if the glass stayed outside of the vehicle, and either option would require MASSIVE amounts of fabrication.
Replacing the window with plastic or meshing would look equally bad, because of the glass being oversized. Not to mention the plastic would be loud as hell at higher speeds.
 
#66 · (Edited)
What if instead of full power operation had a power release to open them, and you closed them manually?

A 12VDC solenoid lock could latch the window in place, working against a coil spring the would push the window open. Think of it like an apartment building lock with the door opener backwards.

Mount the lock on the door frame, working as a strike. The "latch" would be be a piece of flat steel bent into a U attached to the window that passed through a bracket that served as a limiter. The coil spring would surround the latch, compressed between the window and the bracket.

The window could be opened manually by pushing in the solenoid, closed from the inside by pulling on the latch.
 

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#68 ·
Maybe both... an external, non-removable net to keep the bugs out and an internal, zippered, clear plastic. That way you can keep them open for dogs and ventilation while camping and close it if it rains. All from the inside!

I think I'll make a set and see if its doable for mass production.

Other than the few people who have posted, who else would be interested?
 
#69 ·
I saw someone earlier was going to try and find a old grand caravan and scavenge the motors.

When i was younger we had ano oldsmobile silhoutte (a.k.a chevy lumina a.k.a pontiac can't remember) that had electric popouts in the back. I remember them being pretty low profile so this may be a possiblity.
 
#71 ·
So, looking for minivans that have the motorized pop-out windows with the most external motor. That way you get a larger motor covering. It would be nice to use all Honda parts though.

I'm going to a salvage yard tomorrow for a part for my Suzuki Aerio. I'll took a look around and see if they have any of those minivans.
 
#72 · (Edited)
it would be nice if honda had these? i didnt look when I had the rental odysee does it have em? i know the ridgeline had a power slider.

the grand caravan motor should work the stalk is a tad short. I may try to extend it. otherwise the hardest part to me is hiding the motor. as our windows are square and the caravan and most with power option have triangle windows with a short reach motor and plastic to cover it.

we have bare metal in the area of question.

maybe il smooth the motor case and cover in carbon fiber and keep it visible or paint to match body.


and your idea of a spring and a latch would also work well

BTW if I fabbed up a kit of sorts. pair of motors,pair of latches,all required wireing,a modified driver window switch pod. and some sort of motor cover that blended well with the rear door(you paint or cover to your liking)

what would you guys be willing to part with price wise?

btw NM on the odysee motor its huge
 
#73 ·
I hate to double post but I found some other info. this is a power vent window from an 80s chevy malibu


yes its a remote mount motor.





just some food for thought.
 
#74 · (Edited by Moderator)
You'd also need the part that goes onto the window that the motor attaches too. I doubt the stock window pieces will work (aside from the hinge).

I think the Ody motors are huge as the Ody windows are bigger and the motor is probably embedded into the interior molding somewhere. On eBay I am seeing smaller and cheaper priced motors.

Also, I like that remote motor idea... that reminds me of a telescoping, power, antenna. Where there was a plastic cable that spooled in/out to cause the action. That pic looks like it has a cable with a threaded end that the motor spins to drive it in/out.

Any ways, I found this motor



A bracket will have to be made to achieve the proper angle of it. I think that is one of the bigger issues. As I noticed that the sides of the door there are sloped. This may or may not affect operation but might tilt the motor away and out of range to attach to the window.
 
#75 ·
I was at some salvage yards the other day. The good news is that there are plenty of minivans with the power vent motors. The bad news is that those motors are pretty big. I don't think there is enough space on the exposed interior door frame to mount the motor without the motor "hanging" out a little bit.

The roof one is a little easier as we have plenty of mounting space.
 
#77 ·
The screw or cable method is best. I was looking at the rear doors again and it's still not gong to happen with the way that they are. So little space is available for the motor assembly. Maybe detaching the motor from the actuator and connecting both via a cable is best. Then it will look stock and work.
 
#80 ·
the accord has the rear quater pop out surrounded by plastic interior panels to hide an actuator. As we know the E is a door popout with NO plastic around the window itself.

i think i found what may be the best thing to start with is the rear quarter glass motor/actuator from a 93-95 Mercury villager. The motor mounts in the door while the mechanicl assembly mounts to the window frame/window. Looks as though there is about a 2ft screw type cable seperating them
 
#82 ·
wickster: awesome find!

I was looking for those older Malibu ones and I could not find anything. But, on eBay I found two of those Cougar ones for like $35 and $45. They certainly looks smaller than the all-in-one units.

AUGH, if I had not already sent my monthly ebay allowance already, next month then! :)
 
#83 ·
Removing rear windows

Is there a quick disconnect kit for the rear windows on the suicide doors? I searched for this, but didn't manage to find a matching topic.

My son likes the car, but misses being able to roll down the windows. Since the windows are pop-outs, I figured having some sort of a quick disconnect would be the next best thing.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
#86 ·
Did not know this option was available, but saw a Chevy Silverado this week with a roll down power window for the extened cab door. This window is similar in size to the Element window. It also had a power sliding rear window. I remember years ago a neighbor had a Datsun 310. It a couple of levers between the drivers and passenger seat that used a cable to open the rear pop out windows.
 
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