I give up! need help with power window cable replacement!

You only wind one end of the cable around the spool. Also the length on his site should be correct.

However the cable will be slack at times and other times very taught depending on the glass position.

Though I'm not convinced it came like that from the factory.

Some people have installed a spring / tensioner device to take up that slack.

The system does work, it is a PITA and his walk through is fairly good to get the job done.

 

there's a groove in the spool. I wrapped mine til all the grooves were filled with no extra. I think that was 2 or 3 wraps, but i can't remember for sure. certainly not overlapped! I don't think that would even work since it has wire coming from both ends.

I made mine the length you stated and both sides worked right on the first try.

 

No he's ^ right, no overlap. it won't work as the wire coming the other way as it spools on would overlap the wire still on the spool.... make sense?

If you have the old cable just make the new one the same length. Once the window is on and you are testing up and down, play with the cable a bit, try and let some slack out at one position and let some slack out in the other. It takes a bit of time but once you find the sweet spot you can sit back and watch the window slowly go up and somewhat slowly go down

 

I recall the agony trying to get the right number of wraps on the spindle (I was thinking 4 wraps) while fighting an unmounted motor assembly. But if you wrap one too few turns, the window won't do the entire up/down distance and you won't get it tensioned. And if you wrap too many turns the cable will wrap over itself and bind. I haven't read Birdmans treatise but it should have a bold statement not to remove both window motors at the same time, leaving one side intact so you can use it for a guide. Perhaps too late.

I did put a spring on my idler pulleys to reduce and even out the cable pressure, that job isn't tough, but first your drive spindle must be dealt with and for me that took hours before things fell into place.

The main reason for the spring was with relays and a full 12v at the motor, my window speed was scary fast (~2 sec) and the forces bothered me for reliability. In fact I no longer recommend a full 12v accelerator system.

spring details: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=136928647&postcount=6

video: http://www.ferrari308gtbi.com/windo.wmv
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Now that the deed is done...can you explain specific details of replacing the cable. How much total length did you purchase, where purchased, and details of the cable specifications. Also how did you put the ferrule on the ends, rented/purchased tool? Did ferrules come with the cable or purchased separately, if so what are their specs?

 

I learned an interesting trick from my independant mechanic: He cut the cable about 3-4" too long, wound it on the spool and started threading the pulleys starting at the top. When he got down to the clamping washers that hold the cable to the rear edge of the glass he formed a loop in the cable and clamped it in place. Voila! an adjustable cable! I wish I had a picture of this but I have sworn never to go inside a Ferrari door again unless there is a major reason - way too much of a PITA

 

Glad you finally figured it out. Those windows suck. ZFF did a great job writing that article. I wish I could take credit...but I'm just the host!



Birdman

 

It's not as rare as you'd think, lots of companies are going to similar systems instead of a big metal regulator frame..

My first wife's Audi 5000S was similar, and expensive to fix!!