Window regulator DORMAN replacement

tireman

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Ordered a DORMAN replacement regulator from Rockauto for $53. Now the last time I went to my local dealer who wanted $56 I was happy and called them before going to rockauto. But today, the same dealer wants $142 for the same part. WTF? I still have the receipt from the previous purchase. The dealer just said sorry, prices have gone up. I got the DORMAN thinking the quality would be suspect but found the DORMAN to be of higher quality than the OEM from the dealer. Larger better built slider clips. I would recommend them as a direct replacement.
 
Pics or BS !!!

j/k but would be great to see pics of quality clips.
 
Thanks for reminding me my rear window isn't working. The Dorman replacement regulator w/motor on Rockauto is half the price of just the motor? Hope I'm reading this right.
 
Wish I just needed the clips. I'm debating on just letting this be, who needs a functional rear window anyway.
 
You can buy the clips off eBay.

Ordered mine for my front passenger seat Friday after reading off a thread that we can now buy them, cost $23 w/ shipping. Was about to wash the car when the window decided it was time to make the clips break and hide inside the door :shifty:. Beats spending $60+ on the whole damn thing when you just needed two small clips :D
 
We should all get together and change our regulator clips. Mine are sitting in the envelope I received them in for about a month now. I'm hoping to get to this project some time this week. We shall see.
 
I've done both

ok, here's the scoop on the replacement clips, they work fine! You can also fix the old clips with a soldering iron. Yes U can! try it, this plastic can be reflowed good as new.

the reason i bought the new regulator without motor was because the wire had kinked and jambed on the spool messing the wire up, I had replaced the clips on this regulator a while back, they were still good. But the regulator was plain worn out after 11 years.

And for you non-believers the DORMAN has much beefer clips. Yes I was surprized too! And better wire. Not BS.

01V6 150k miles, owned since new.
 
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Just got my clips in this afternoon, two days early! How long does it take to replace them?
 
FWIW, the eBay clips are very beefy and a different material than the others. The Dorman clips look a little stronger than stock. I would recommend keeping a spare eBay set on hand due to the lead time.
 
eh, took the door apart to find out that I actually need a whole new regulator, not just the clips :( the wire for the pulley snap so the cheap fix method out the window no pun intended
 
I have to buy a new regulator. I bought the whole thing at the dealer but I must have installed something wrong so when I hit the button to lower it, something snapped and the glass fell it.
So the motor is new still. The regulator got me so mad that I really messed it up.. not smart I know, just got pissed.
Anyways, I am about to buy a dorman regulator and install the oem motor, I was just a bit concerned about quality but at this point, going oem didnt work (for me) so Im buying a cheaper one this time.

Is yours working fine tireman? Any complaints?
 
I can't speak to a Doorman regulator used on an LS. However, I did install a Doorman regulator on my BMW about a year ago. So far, so good. (Note that the BMW regulators are very similar to the LS ones. They also have similar failures and failure rates.)
 
Hey Joe, thanks for the feedback. I am going to the yunkyard in a bit to buy the glass which got broken a few nights ago in my parking lot.
Some kid probably as they didnt break into the car at all, didnt open the door or anything. Maybe they were trying to roll it down and since I got it stuck in there with not regulator.. maybe they broke it and ran away.
So, Ima go get the glass and see what I do about the regulator.
Im gonna take a good look at the yunkyard's ls regulator and see if I can use it or not. Although I rather get a new regulator in.
 
I have 2 Dorman units in my LS...both fronts...and soon the right rear will be getting it.

I do have a set of clips also...but no one had rears when I last looked....my rear still goes up and down but I'm guessing there is a pin that goes in the window itself.....I have no pin...my window just sits on the plastic piece.

So far the Dorman fronts work great...I bought mine with the motors and just tossed them in. I do know you will break the clips on your new unit if you just put it in and tighten the bolts down on the glass...I had to run it up and down a few times adjusting here and there to get it just right.
 
I do know you will break the clips on your new unit if you just put it in and tighten the bolts down on the glass....

Hey man, I did that with the OEM one which I paid about 130-150 for. So I got the Dorman one with motor. I was trying to use my OEM motor but they gave me the regulator WITH motor for 60 so I thought, wth? lets go. Is not up and running, lets see if it can go to distance.
 
Dorman products going strong. Hey if your clips break just use a soldering iron to melt the pieces back together then add some extra plastic in the thin areas, works great. The new plastics can be welded back together with heat.
 
I can't speak to a Doorman regulator used on an LS. However, I did install a Doorman regulator on my BMW about a year ago. So far, so good. (Note that the BMW regulators are very similar to the LS ones. They also have similar failures and failure rates.)

Well, scratch that. I just had to replace it.
 
Was out the other night and my window stopped going up and down. Got stuck halfway. Tore into it at 9:30 that night and messed with it until around midnight when I eventually admitted defeat after finding this...
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uploadfromtaptalk1379727294746.jpg

Found a trash bag and covered the hole I created when I took my window out and spent the rest of the night thinking about how much easier it would be for some random thief to drive off with my LS.
Started looking around the next day and found that OEM from the stealership was around $130, parts store was around $90 but all special order and at least a day or two away. Wrecking yard wanted $100 for used!! That was a fun conversation. And finally found partsgeek offering doorman w/o motor for $41, gave em a call and received tax and shipping free when I asked about a military discount. Ordered it on Wednesday and got it today.
My impression was surprisingly positive due to redesigned and re-enforced clips with the tension spring moved to the motor mount instead of the clip. Took about an hour to throw in. Thanks LVC for the tip about rolling my window up and down a couple times before tightening the clamps on the window. As far as the zip tie on the cable pulley, I just held it tight with one finger and carefully popped the motor on and screwed it down. Very nice to learn from all the experience on this forum!

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uploadfromtaptalk1379727294746.jpg
 
E-bay front drivers side clips used on my OEM regulator. A lot thicker than original. Better to use these than messing with a stupid soldering iron.
 

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