Window Regulator URO.... [emoji1751]

[Yonkers320is]

Had to replace the right rear window regulator, and FCP, ECS, Turner, etc had all of them on backorder, only BMW at $400 or URO, at something like $100. Even local stores had nothing.
Ended up buying the URO since it was an emergency, and I would advise to stay away or be prepared to curse and modify it to fit.






Sent from my motorola one 5G UW using Tapatalk

[cnn]

- It is NEVER an emergency. One can always get a broomstick and cut to length (cut a 5-mm deep groove for the glass). Hold it with zip tie until one can fix it permanently. Info in forum.

- It depends on the mode of failure. If the slider, then ebay sells it for $15-$20. I posted info for my 1998 528i in forum (later years such as 1999-2003 are different).

- For PN 51358159836, google "VDO 51358159836", it is about $88 on ebay.
VDO is a good brand for WR, I use it in my 2006 X5.

[Mvibe]

Good info as I have this problem. My right front window motor works but glass apparently detached from regulator. Right rear still connected but sounds like the cable is binding.

Any tadvice on parts to buy before I take the trim panels off? Thanks

[Yonkers320is]

- It is NEVER an emergency. One can always get a broomstick and cut to length (cut a 5-mm deep groove for the glass). Hold it with zip tie until one can fix it permanently. Info in forum.

- It depends on the mode of failure. If the slider, then ebay sells it for $15-$20. I posted info for my 1998 528i in forum (later years such as 1999-2003 are different).

- For PN 51358159836, google "VDO 51358159836", it is about $88 on ebay.
VDO is a good brand for WR, I use it in my 2006 X5.

It broke at the top pulley. The cable guide tore of from the guide and it twisted itself into a knot. It works ok, but will look for the VDO or Febi brand. Mine was the original BMW from 1998 i think.

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW using Tapatalk

[Dking078]

Was it the Basic uro or premium uro?

[URO Parts]

It broke at the top pulley. The cable guide tore of from the guide and it twisted itself into a knot.

Hi Yonkers320is, you're saying the OE regulator broke at the top pulley?

Which part number did you purchase for the right rear regulator? We'd really appreciate it if you could email "sales at uro parts dot com" with any info about how you modified it, and if you have any photos. We sell more than 600 of these annually and this is the first time anyone has mentioned having to modify it during installation, so we definitely want to investigate.

[dtw]

Hi Yonkers320is, you're saying the OE regulator broke at the top pulley?

Which part number did you purchase for the right rear regulator? We'd really appreciate it if you could email "sales at uro parts dot com" with any info about how you modified it, and if you have any photos. We sell more than 600 of these annually and this is the first time anyone has mentioned having to modify it during installation, so we definitely want to investigate.

Well, here's data point #2.

I somehow ended up with 2 of my E39s needing right rear window regulators and oddly, had none in my pile of used regulators. Having heard good things about the premium version of the Uro window regulator, I bought two. Upon install and repeated adjustment attempts, I noted that the bracket for the glass was interfering with the frame of the regulator itself. Finally, I carefully compared the Uro frame stamping to the original BMW stamping. The Uro stamping appeared to be insufficiently/incompletely pressed, leaving the frame channel flared into the travel path of the glass and bracket. A drift and dead blow hammer solved the issue.

Insult to injury: when I opened one of the Uro boxes, I was greeted by a large and lively cockroach. FML. Never had that happen before.

Every couple years, I try Uro parts because, honestly, what company could consistently turn out this many SKUs with such poor quality and survive year after year, without improving? To date, the only parts that were even remotely acceptable were the upper and lower steering column clamshells for the early 911.

[Jason5driver]

+1...

[URO Parts]

I noted that the bracket for the glass was interfering with the frame of the regulator itself. Finally, I carefully compared the Uro frame stamping to the original BMW stamping. The Uro stamping appeared to be insufficiently/incompletely pressed, leaving the frame channel flared into the travel path of the glass and bracket. A drift and dead blow hammer solved the issue.

Thanks for the regulator frame details DTW, we'll have engineering grab some from the warehouse and check it out ASAP.

The cockroach tale is wild, have never seen one in our warehouse here in SoCal, must have climbed into the box along the way to NC. Regarding our number of SKU's, most of our parts sold on Amazon actually have 4 or 5-star reviews. We actually watch Amazon for any parts that get 3 stars or less, and report them to engineering. Especially on inexpensive items, Amazon reviews provide more accurate product feedback than looking at return rates. That's why you'll see some items with poor reviews posted in 2012, and then recent reviews are 5-stars.

[URO Parts]

Dtw, did the channel flare at one of the locations below? If so, which number location? One of our engineers thinks he sees what could be the issue, but would appreciate confirmation. Thanks for your help!

Stamping-areas.png

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Hey URO parts, I have always been skeptic of your products for the E39. These URO Premium refs, I do pay attention, and some of the guys have given you guys some credit, are they really that good? I don’t know, but what I do know is, I don’t buy your product because of all the past stories.
On these E39 Premium regulators, how about you have your engineer draw up some aluminum cable pulley wheels, you do that, maybe I’ll look the other way and try your stuff.... again.

[URO Parts]

BMW window regulator design...leaves a lot to be desired.

Even if you try to improve the trouble spots, it's still a problematic design. Biggest issue is the window glass sticking to the rubber seals. When the regulator motor is activated, the cable tension loads up until the glass breaks free of the rubber, and then a shockwave of cable slack goes backwards through the system. If there's not enough spring tension in the opposite direction to take up the slack, the cable jumps off the pulley, and then bad things happen. To resist this, our Premium regulators add a ball bearing pivot so we could increase the cable tension, and made the grooves in the pulley deeper to help retain the cable. It helps quite a bit, but the snap from a sticky window popping free is still a lot to handle.

The best thing guys can do to minimize regulator issues is to keep their glass and seals clean (no tree sap or hitting window button while glass is frozen to seal), and periodically lube the glass/rubber contact areas with a wipe of Honda Shin Etsu grease (which is also great for squeaky door seals). If the glass doesn't stick and the motor never puts an excessive load on the cable (that's suddenly released), the regulator assembly stays happy.

[ross1]

BMW window regulator design...leaves a lot to be desired.

Even if you try to improve the trouble spots, it's still a troublesome design. Biggest issue is the window glass sticking to the rubber seals. When the regulator motor is activated, the cable tension loads up until the glass breaks free of the rubber, and then a shockwave of slack goes backwards through the system. If there's not enough cable tension in the opposite direction to take up the slack, the cable jumps off the pulley, and then bad things happen. To resist this, our Premium regulators add a ball bearing pivot so we could increase the cable tension, and made the grooves in the pulley deeper to help retain the cable. It helps quite a bit, but the shockwave from a sticky window popping is still a lot to handle.

The best thing guys can do to minimize regulator issues is to keep their glass and seals clean (no pine tree sap or hitting window button while glass is frozen to seal), and periodically lube the glass/rubber contact areas with a wipe of Honda Shin Etsu grease (which is also great for squeaky door seals). If the glass never loads up the cable and then jumps free, the regulator stays happy.

Agreed, mostly. My belief is that certain assumptions are made about car care that don't always apply, especially in the US. If the felts were always clean, as you suggest, there wouldn't be any problem. Window tinting exacerbates the situation. I'd be tempted to wager there is a line for this on one of the prescribed service schedules.
Didn't see that coming did you?

[blarf]

Especially on inexpensive items, Amazon reviews provide more accurate product feedback than looking at return rates. That's why you'll see some items with poor reviews posted in 2012, and then recent reviews are 5-stars.

lol what

Assuming nobody's hijacked your listing, maybe. Even so buying car parts from Amazon is the height of stupidity.

[Deadwake]

I replaced both my front regulators with URO premiums purchased from Rockauto. Both installed with no issue and are working flawlessly. Granted I’ve only had them installed for about 10 months. Just my two cents.

[ross1]

lol what

Assuming nobody's hijacked your listing, maybe. Even so buying car parts from Amazon is the height of stupidity.

What is wrong with buying from Amazon?
The friendly local parts house that cares about it's customer is about dead. Auto parts are a commodity.
Once I've made a brand decision(never you know who) it is then a matter of price and service. Amazon ships quickly, is accountable and generally has good prices. Call me stupid then.

[JimLev]

lol what

Even so buying car parts from Amazon is the height of stupidity.

Is it because a lot of them come from China??
Look at all the American and Euro companies that sell their parts at all the chain store autoparts companies in this country or on line.
Most have a Made in China sticker on them.

[Jason5driver]

lol what

Assuming nobody's hijacked your listing, maybe. Even so buying car parts from Amazon is the height of stupidity.

Well, color me stupid then ... lol .
Although, I buy almost everything for the bmw from FCP , and sometimes ECS .

[dtw]

Going from memory that is a few months old now, but it was at the bottom of the travel path so #3.

[blarf]

Is it because a lot of them come from China??
Look at all the American and Euro companies that sell their parts at all the chain store autoparts companies in this country or on line.
Most have a Made in China sticker on them.

It's because Amazon has a problem with counterfeit items in part due to commingling inventory, paid reviews, and bait-and-switch listings. I bought a set of Astro Pneumatic trim tools recently, and if you go to the Astro site they'll link to an Amazon listing… for something else. Another vendor hijacked the listing. That cheap Chinese trinket with five star reviews? Check the dates on those reviews. The five star ones are probably old and for a different product. Plus if you're shopping for oil, Shell explicitly excludes Amazon from their rebates.

That AK-90 on Amazon (yeah, okay there are a bunch), that's a cheap Chinese knockoff of a cheap Chinese knockoff. lol

[hakentt]

URO anything is total garbage, they didn't improve any design ever

[URO Parts]

^ Our twelve full-time engineers (and two interns), equipped with a lab full of material and force (including destructive) testing equipment, plus another lab full of dimensional scanning equipment, will be surprised to learn this.

[ross1]

^ Our twelve full-time engineers (and two interns), equipped with a lab full of material and force (including destructive) testing equipment, plus another lab full of dimensional scanning equipment, will be surprised to learn this.

Not if they have used much of their own product they won't be.
And really? What is there to engineer?
Uro reverse engineers (dimensional scanning equipment)existing products to be made cheaper.
A ball bearing in place of a bushing, wow, brilliant.
I'm just glad your "engineers" are working on crummy car parts and not building bridges.

[hakentt]

^ Our twelve full-time engineers (and two interns), equipped with a lab full of material and force (including destructive) testing equipment, plus another lab full of dimensional scanning equipment, will be surprised to learn this.

All the URO parts that I have seen in the past 10 years have been in poorer quality than stock. It is obvious that you even try to cut corners in order to produce the parts as cheaper as possible. Rubber parts are poor quality, lasts 2 years maximum. I work as full time mechanic and I see this every day.

[Sleepyhead97]

Im living on the edge, i have a uro radiator cap