How ro repair an E36 convertible rear window regulator and save yourself some CASH

[Mr. Bill]

The passenger side rear side window made an awful crack noise and seased to function. I knew right away something in there had broken. But, like an idiot, I tried to run the window up and down causing it to lock up.

I looked online and saw that even the aftermarket window regulators (if you can find one) are $400-500. I looked on ebay and the used ones have gone up to $200 and for a 25 year old part that could have the same issue didn't make sense to me. Looking further, I found what I suspected was the culprit. A plastic piece that both cable ends fit intol call a "driving dog".

There is supposed to be an article on this forum but I couldn't find it. So I decided to "risk" spending $7 to find out if that was the problem. You can also buy a kit with new cables and a spool for the drive motor but that was another $50 so I decided to take the cheap route.

Here's a link:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Window-Regulator-Repair-Clip-Rear-fit-BMW-3-E46-E36-Convertible-1991-2006/114203235536?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid =p2057872.m2749.l2648
The part arrived in a few days and on Sunday, I decided to take a whack at it.

There is a lot of info out there on how to remove the side panel so I'm not going to dwell on that. But here are couple videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00cVxmRtmvQ&t=140s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWEZEkFv-L8&t=32s

Once the regulator is out, the fun starts.Inspect the extent of the damage. Mine had indeed broken the plastic driver dog. One end was still connected but the other was loose and had gotten tangled in the spool of the drive motor. Here's how it went from there once it was removed- the Reader's Digest version:
1. Slide the window down far enough to expose the bolt that attaches to the window and remove it.
2. Remove the clip that holds the driver dog to the bolt that attaches to the window. Remove the window and set aside.
3. Trace the outline of the window motor onto the regulator with a Sharpie. This will help you orient the motor when you put it back together. Remove the drive motor from the regulator. IMPORTANT: also mark with a sharpie the slots that the cables exit through BEFORE separating the motor from the regulator. Mark them "top" and "bottom". Top being the cable that runs to the wheel where the mounting studs are and bottom being the opposite. This will come in handy when reassembling-trust me.
4. Remove the three torx screws that hold the motor to the regulator and pry the spool from the motor noting the the direction the cables go as mentioned earlier.
5. Unwind the cables from the spool and rewind them so the cable that goes through the top pulley wheel has approximately one wrap on the spool but more importantly is long enough for the end with the spring to be a couple of inches from the bottom of the slot that the window slides up & down in.
6. Wrap the other cable around the spool so it is long enough to almost meet the other cable end but do not thread it around the bottom pulley. Make sure the cables stay in the groves in the spool. Do not allow them to overlap.
Note: another set of hands would be helpful because the cables are greased up pretty well.
7. Make sure you have the cables exiting the correct openings in the motor housing you marked earlier
8. Reinstall the motor onto the regulator. Make sure the three screws ar snug but DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN! They will strip out.
9. Fit the two spring ends of the cables into the new driver dog and snap on the cap.
10. Now, you have to fit the bottom cable over the bottom pulley. But, the cable is too short!
11. Grab the cable closest to the bottom pulley where it exits the driver dog with a pair of vise grips. Be careful not to clamp too hard and damage the cable.
12. Pull the cable toward the bottom pulley. The springs on the ends of the cables inside the driver dog will compress and give you enough slack to slide the cable over the bottom pulley. There is a notch in the pulley that will help you position the cable around the pulley.
13. Reattach the bolt and the clip that holds the driver dog onto the stud that attaches the window. I had to press down pretty hard to seat the driver dog into place so the clip could be reattached.
14. Voila! You should be ready to reinstall.
15. One tip on the install, make sure you have the window fit into the guide track for the rear side of the window inside the body.
16. Tip two: The bolt that holds the bottom left of the regulator. You have to go through a hole in the interior sheet metal to get to the bolt. I lost a bolt and a 13mm socket trying to extract the bolt. I suggest putting some masking tape around the socket and extension so the socket doesn't fall off it you hit the side of the hole while extracting it.

[joselavadia]

I just did this DIY and used your post to help guide me along the way Mr. Bill. Thank you, the information you had was pretty spot on and definitely helped me.

For anyone that plans to do this, it definitely helps to have an extra hand, this job requires you to have control and keep tension on many pieces that it ended up taking me all night.

When I took my rear quarter window out, my cables were broken as well as the driver dog and the plastic disk underneath the motor that holds the end of the cable. It was really tedious wrapping the cables and keeping the tension so it doesn't unwind.
I found it easiest to install the cable end with the spring into the driver dog first, capping it and locking it. then wrapping the cable to their respective pulleys and into the plastic gear. I set it up so the driver dog is at the lowest position, where it would be if your window was set all the way down. that way you have the bottom cable long and the top cable short. then its just winding it into the plastic gear and placing it into the motor. Keep in mind you need to keep tension on the cables so it doesn't unwind.

[Mr. Bill]

I just did this DIY and used your post to help guide me along the way Mr. Bill. Thank you, the information you had was pretty spot on and definitely helped me.

For anyone that plans to do this, it definitely helps to have an extra hand, this job requires you to have control and keep tension on many pieces that it ended up taking me all night.

When I took my rear quarter window out, my cables were broken as well as the driver dog and the plastic disk underneath the motor that holds the end of the cable. It was really tedious wrapping the cables and keeping the tension so it doesn't unwind.
I found it easiest to install the cable end with the spring into the driver dog first, capping it and locking it. then wrapping the cable to their respective pulleys and into the plastic gear. I set it up so the driver dog is at the lowest position, where it would be if your window was set all the way down. that way you have the bottom cable long and the top cable short. then its just winding it into the plastic gear and placing it into the motor. Keep in mind you need to keep tension on the cables so it doesn't unwind.

Great job! Glad I could help. It feels good to give back! I have benefitted a LOT from these forms over the years.