Sandblasting window regulators

W

wrndln

Well-known member
Has anyone had any experience with sandblasting closed car window regulators? I believe there is an enclosed gear that might get messed up if sand got into it when sandblasting. My regulators work OK but are pretty rusty. I suppose I could dip them in a rust remover for a while, but I need to sandblast some other items and sandblasting is much faster. Any help would be appreciated.
Rusty Nelson
Lakeville, MN
 
Wrap the concerned area with lots of tape to prevent the sand from getting into the cavity where the gear is and go for it.

Pluck
 
I have done them.If the sand goes in,it will come out.It just takes a lot longer.Try to avoid direct blasting on the spring,scuffing over it is OK,but direct blasting pointed right at it will take out some of the tension. I do blast in the cabinet with 150 LBS of air though,the regulator gave out 10 years ago and I had to finish something so I ran shop pressure to it.I doubt the spring would even notice if you use low air pressure.I use Black Beauty(coal slag) and it actually cuts the metal.Silica hits the surface and the little bead explodes on impact,stripping off paint and rust on both sides of it.Little,if any damage to the metal.
 
If there is lubricant in the housing around the main shaft, the sand will go in and never come out! That housing has a special clutch mechanism, and sand could really mess it up. Personally, I would not sandblast anything with moving parts.

Doug
 
Try beadblasting rather than sand; use lots of air afterwards to clear out all beads; have done this several times with no problems. I'm like you, hate using any A part that is not clean of rust.

Ron
 
No matter how much you tape it, wrap it, the clutch mechanism will get blasting media in it ---it won't like it--, it wants new grease anyway, drill out the rivits, remove it, clean and regrease, you can reinstall it with screws and nuts if you can not rivit it --

They used to sell a kit to replace the gear and spring, it was installed with screws after the rivits were drilled out.

All the coils of the helper spring on the arm need to be cleaned after blasting , all the media worked out of all the moving joints before you paint.

I like the spray on white lithium grease, it has a solvent to help it penetrate, then it evaporates leaving the grease.

I like to look inside doors at shows, it is easy to see which cars have been totally restored, and which just look pretty on the outyside.
 
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