Another Window Roller - Slider Repair Thread - Pics and Link

Buick Roadmaster Window Roller Repair...again. So if you own a 91-96 Roadmaster, Caprice, Impala SS, Olds Custom Cruiser or Cadillac Fleetwood, you will be doing this...or have already done this. I LOVE my car, and they are tough, with the exception of the crappy crack-prone, trim-falling-off door panels, and the brittle plastic oval roller/sliders GM used on the window tracks.

The fix for the door panels is to NEVER EVER EVER slam the doors(and keep Epoxy in stock in your garage), and thankfully the fix for the slider/rollers is the updated round rollers you can get from HELP.

Over the years I've updated all the sliders in the front doors, and most in the rear doors. I had one slider break in the left/rear door over the holidays, and should have replaced both then, but only did one and lubed the others. Well the other one broke last weekend when putting the window up. Doh! So decided to do an album that MIGHT help others when this happens.

I know others may repair differently, but here's how I do this repair.  I replaced this last Friday after work, and did a step-by-step Public Facebook Photo Album with a lot of pics and a short video.   Link Here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10213232728923468.1073742228.1553678810&type=3






Sorry for the Facebook links, but it's just much easier and faster to create Albums there, and I make them all public, so even if you are not a Facebook person, you can access the Albums.

Take Care All!

-Mike

The sad thing is the sliders were meant as an "update" to the round rollers. The sliders are found in the later B-Bodys. It appears that from whatever material the sliders were made, it was not compatible with the lube used at the factory.

Says u have to log in first
Stupid facebook

Rev Bob wrote:

The sad thing is the sliders were meant as an "update" to the round rollers. The sliders are found in the later B-Bodys.  It appears that from whatever material the sliders were made, it was not compatible with the lube used at the factory.  

I believe the design is flawed. The installation stresses are focused on the top and bottom of the hole, and crack them at those points. The sliders are OEM on all years from 91 on. My 91 had them.

Dude, this was great, thanks. I'm going to fix mine up. Similar on the fronts?

The fronts and rears are basically the same design.

Mike,
Well I have put up with an inoperative L rear passenger window for three years. This week the front passenger side window (Wife's side) fell off the track. We got it back up (it rains on the Oregon coast often), but I must now fix the problem. What is the part number for the rollers. RockAuto? Or?
Thanks for the tutorial.
Dick Deam

Dick

Don't hear from you much these days. Are you still towing the Airstream around out west?

Tom

74444 - RockAuto can get them cheaper but most local parts chains also stock them.

I just did some last week....I bought mine off Amazon since they were a touch cheaper. But like Ray said, the local stores here had them.

silverfox103 wrote:

Dick

Don't hear from you much these days.  Are you still towing the Airstream around out west?

Tom

Hi Tom. We sold the 58 Airstream three years ago but replaced it with a 19' 1969 Streamline. We spent four winters in Baja California, Mexico. We were in the little fishing village of Mulege on the east peninsula.

We are still towing with the Olds. We have put 122,000 miles on it since we bought it. Finally burnt up the transmission. Got a rebuild from AMCCO. Only towed once since.

We bought a 1983 Volvo DL Wagon at a yard sale for $1200 when the olds was in the shop. We have put 7000 miles on it and have spent nothing but gas. I turned in a rental that would have totaled $1500. It is our free car. Love the new Longroof.

We are living on the coast of Oregon again in Seal Rock.
Dick

How many rollers need to be replaced with each window?

It depends on how many are already replaced. There are a total of 3 sliders on each regulator.

rjathon wrote:

How many rollers need to be replaced with each window?

The bottom one usually lasts...its the top two that bust. So you can plan 2 per door.

I just fixed the drivers side rear window in the wife's car. All three sliders were broken. I installed the Dorman rollers. Are the rollers actually supposed to spin/turn? They are very tight on the studs and don't move. The window now goes up and down perfectly.

Uh-o, just did the drivers door sliders but only saw 2. Is there 1 hidden in the middle? Use small vise grips on the back side to bend lower edge down to get rollers in. Did not bother to bend back up as the roller never gets that far back.