Posted by Keith in Washington on Friday, May 31, 2002 at 10:43AM :
In Reply to: lower window retaining channels posted by Dave on Friday, May 31, 2002 at 8:14AM :
I assume that you are talking about the rear side windows. The door channels are the same as the FF PW, without wing windows, and you should be able to find these. The rear side windows are a different story. These lower channels are very difficult to find. As are the window winder (Crank) assemblies. Keep the winders and repair them they are next to impossible to find and they are only found in carryalls. Also the rear window frames are impossible to find. Either repair the ones you have or have you glass cut slightly bigger so you do not need the side frames.
You have a couple of choices when it comes to the lower channel. First you may be lucky enough to find some. I found 1 out of 4 and it took 4 years. Second you can take the same pieces from other Dodge trucks and cut and weld them together until you get what you need. The last choice is to build your own. I did the latter. The lower window channels are for sale at glass shops. The only thing is they do not have the tracks along the bottom. I took my old ones and removed the lower track off the existing one (it is spot welded to the side of the channel). I then took the new channel and laid and centered a welding rod on the bottom of it. I then welded the rod to the channel on the inside facing (in reference to how it finally sits in the truck) side only. I welded it at the ends and a spot every 1 1/4 inch. Just a very small weld as not to deform the rod. You can weld only one side of the rod as the wheel in the winder mechanism must run freely along one side of the rod. Spend some time looking at how the system works it will become clear what I am saying. I then bent some small pieces of metal to form the ends of the channel so that the channel will bolt to the metal window frames. Then you need to take the lower window channel that you cut off your original lower channel and weld it to the new one that you have constucted. Check the wheel clearance several times before and during welding. If you do not get this clearance correct with window will not go up and down very easy.
The channels that I made look OK but better yet the windows go up and down like a hot knife through butter. They really work well.
I spent a lot of time repairing they metal window frames. They were rusted badly. I added metal by welding in the missing areas or cut the lower ends off and welded "new" ones from some extra door window frames that I had. It takes time but it is doable.
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