Spyder How to repair Eclipse Spyder rear window rollers

[gsmokez]

Hey guys, so I was having an issue with the rear window on my Spyder and I found a guide on how to take it out so I did. I thought it was going to be a regulator issue but sure enough I took it out and two of the three rollers on the window are totally broken. Theres a bracket that is attached to the window itself and the rollers are riveted on to the bracket. I've included a picture of the bracket with rollers(circled the rollers that are broken on mine).

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Now my question is what is the best way to replace these rollers? They're held on by rivets but I bought a replacement set of rollers on eBay which seem to just use a nut and bolt. Here's a link to the rollers.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/96-99-Mitsubishi-Eclipse-Spyder-Rear-Window-Glass-2-ROLLERS-FAST-FREE-SHIPPING/132119204862?fits=Model:Eclipse&hash=item1ec2eb13fe:g:ADEAAOSwU91aUnLM:rk:1f:0&vxp=mtr

As of right now I'm leaning towards grinding off the head of the rivets and just drilling through but I'm curious if anyone has done it before and has some suggestions or recommendations for me.

 

[motomattx]

Grind the bottom of the rivets out and then drill the rest of the way and install the new one in the hole that is now there, thats all.

 

[EVLGSX]

just drill straight through the center of any rivet to remove. no grinding needed. Usually soft aluminum. Sometimes steel but unusual. Use a drill bit just a touch larger than the small hole in the center of each rivet you need to remove. sometimes the set pin remains in the center from installation and can be driven in with a punch for more accurate drilling when starting on one, and will keep the bit from walking

 

[gsmokez]

Sounds good, that was basically what I was thinking. I'll give it a shot once I receive the rollers. Thanks guys.

 

[ThunderChild]

I'll probably be doing this come spring on my new-to-me 97 Spyder. Good to know!

 

[motomattx]

Those are steel, and I will recommend you do as I stated to make your life easier if your smart.

 

[gsmokez]

So I got the rollers now and I'm a bit confused about how to get one of these in. One of them is easy but the other one happens to be right beside the glass. I've attached a picture and you can see the red arrows point to where the rollers are mounted on the other side, you can see how one of them happens to be right below the window which makes it difficult for me to thread the nut on the thread for the new roller. I noticed the thing holding the window on actually has threads on it(Blue arrow), has anyone removed these and reinstalled them before? I think this will be a lot easier if I can just remove the bracket from the window and put it back on after.

 

[stillrunning]

I took the glass off to do mine and those keepers where tight!
I made a two prong tool with two fingers and used a cresent wrench to pop them loose.
I used the solid plastic roller you can get in the autoparts stores, it throws the window alignment off some compared to stock so good idea to check alignment afterwards if that matters to you.
Also a good idea to make sure your replacement rollers move smoothly through the track without binding and correct as needed.
I found it much easier to remove the entire rear window assembly from the quarter panel as well.

 

[EVLGSX]

Those are steel, and I will recommend you do as I stated to make your life easier if your smart.

haahahaahaha, Sorry if I got ya tender bruh.

I am not going to start listing off credentials, and turn this into a classic internet telephone tough guy scene. Hopefully that's not what you where shooting for up there.

How about we agree both ways work, and both ways can accomplish the same task in under 30 seconds per fastener.

I'm out.

 

[DogWhistle]

Start reading at Post #27:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/sun-burned-’99-spyder-gs-revived.483010/page-2

 

[gsmokez]

I took the glass off to do mine and those keepers where tight!
I made a two prong tool with two fingers and used a cresent wrench to pop them loose.
I used the solid plastic roller you can get in the autoparts stores, it throws the window alignment off some compared to stock so good idea to check alignment afterwards if that matters to you.
Also a good idea to make sure your replacement rollers move smoothly through the track without binding and correct as needed.
I found it much easier to remove the entire rear window assembly from the quarter panel as well.

I think I'm going to have to do something similar, I tried some vice grips, all sorts of pliers, an adjustable wrench and even a hammer to try to loosen it a little, no luck on any one of them. I've got everything out of the car right now but just having an issue separating the actual glass from the bracket.

Start reading at Post #27:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/sun-burned-’99-spyder-gs-revived.483010/page-2

I really appreciate the response and the write up but it doesn't mention how you separated the glass from the bracket. Do you think you can elaborate on that a little?

I did the other roller, drilled out the rivet and the new one went in really easy, took maybe two minutes total but this other ones a bit more troublesome.

 

[EVLGSX]

So it doesn't even use a pin set rivet anywhere, like a lot of the window regulators out there which is the service routine I'm referring to, just awesome.

Never got into the spyders, nice write up. Wish you saw this thread before I did

 

[gsmokez]

So it doesn't even use a pin set rivet anywhere, like a lot of the window regulators out there which is the service routine I'm referring to, just awesome.

Never got into the spyders, nice write up. Wish you saw this thread before I did

Yeah its a major pain, first ever window repair I've had to do but I cant believe how difficult they made it. I'm not surprised at all about the threads from a few years ago, complaining that the dealer wouldn't replace the rollers and they'd just force you to buy the entire window assembly.

 

[DogWhistle]

I really appreciate the response and the write up but it doesn't mention how you separated the glass from the bracket. Do you think you can elaborate on that a little?

We used a drill press to drill out the flat roller, and ground off the post for the raised window roller.

Whatever technique you use, take your time and keep the pin from getting extremely hot, otherwise you could shatter the glass.

 

[motomattx]

We used a drill press to drill out the flat roller, and ground off the post for the raised window roller.

Whatever technique you use, take your time and keep the pin from getting extremely hot, otherwise you could shatter the glass.

And this is how you want to do it.

 

[EVLGSX]

Yes dear, your right. ( line usually works on my GF)

If there are no rivets in the assembly, then there are no rivets to drill.

 

[stillrunning]

This is what I made to remove the glass from the frame from .1875 (3/16) plate for anyone else that reads this and might want ideas to remove the glass.

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[DogWhistle]

Really confused here. Your post #11 says you already replaced one of the rollers.

Are you asking how to remove the glass and rollers from the triple track?

Not sure if the above tool is necessary, but am I impressed by the inventiveness. For us, I believe we bent down the stop tab at the bottom of the middle track, and bent it back into place when reassembling.

 

[gsmokez]

Are you asking how to remove the glass and rollers from the triple track?

No, I was actually asking about how to separate the glass from the bracket that it is mounted on, the same bracket that all the rollers mount on. I got it solved though but I went a slightly different way. I didn't separate the glass, instead I cut the bolt of the roller, used a small wrench to get the nut between the bracket and the window and just installed the roller like that.

 

[Junk yard junky]

Now my question is what is the best way to replace these rollers? They're held on by rivets but I bought a replacement set of rollers on eBay which seem to just use a nut and bolt.

As of right now I'm leaning towards grinding off the head of the rivets and just drilling through but I'm curious if anyone has done it before and has some suggestions or recommendations for me.

So the way I got here is to take brake tool (for spinning piston back into boot) and find the closest two part - on one side of the tool. [this tool looks like a cube with small bumps for grabbing the piston. Shave the side with two bigger bumps till the outside matches the window part you wish to take off.

You will need to soak the part you wish off with WD40 for about a day (coming back to it through out with more oil). Then attach the brake tool to an impact wrench and run it softly/stern till it comes off.

DON'T forget to stack at least three 2x4’s - right behind and underneath the direct point of impacting. Always hold the item that you are working on - at the bottom- left hand side before you impact.

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[BennyDSM]

Wow, this was the very subject I have been looking for! Kudos to the OP, and all responces of advice. I now have the info to fix my sail windows. With winter knocking on the door, not a minute to soon!

 

[TheboatguyTN]

So I’m in the process of replacing 2 of the 3 rollers on my 97 and I bought the 3 pack of rollers, one has a nut on it and the other two have no way of connecting them to the frame. So for all of you who did this, how did you do it? Any pictures?

 

[DogWhistle]

So I’m in the process of replacing 2 of the 3 rollers on my 97 and I bought the 3 pack of rollers, one has a nut on it and the other two have no way of connecting them to the frame. So for all of you who did this, how did you do it? Any pictures?

Start reading at Post #27:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/sun-burned-’99-spyder-gs-revived.483010/page-2