Freelander 1 HELP NEEDED: Tailgate regulator/motor repair

Hi everyone

Been having fun trying to repair the regulator cables on my 2006 TD4 tailgate.
Following the various threads on here, taking the thing off the car is a piece of cake, and the reattachment of the cables to the regulators and motor seemed to be going ok.
However, when i put it back on the vehicle, and slide the window back down, it is evident that the glass holders are at significantly different heights, so the window is askew when i put it up.
There are also some nasty graunching noises (sorry for the technical term!), which i think are coming from the cables. The cable running in the passenger side regulator seems pretty slack when the window is up, and both the springs on the motor appear to be fairly uncompressed.
I tried taking it apart and rewinding the cables around the drum in the motor to make it tighter (and to ensure the holders are level), but it doesn't seem any better when i put it back on.

I'm tempted to just buy a complete assembly, but has anyone got any suggestions as to how to cure the problem?

Thanks in advance!

Sounds like either the tension or routing of cables is not quite right. Simple way is replace regulator and swap your motor on to it. If you wish I can post photo of correctly corded assembly for you to check.

That would be massively helpful Andy, as i can then give it another go before resorting to the whole assembly. Is it advisable to place the window holders in a particular position on the sliders before trying to attach the cables?

From the pics on ebay, it's not 100% clear how the motor attaches to the regulator. Is it straightforward enough?

Many thanks!!

Will take a photo tomorrow of spare assy. Motor held on by 6 or so torx bolts. If you need whole assy pm me. Good luck.

Will send photo - but this is not a bad picture ! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELECTRIC...=item5d59dd570d:g:Ic0AAOSwO7dcD5S1:rk:11:pf:0

OK, so i taken it to bits again, and it looks like there is a twist in the cable inner, which is getting knotted up as the drum turns, so it is seizing up.
I've rewound it, and got it to the stage where i can shut the door, and the window goes up (but still sounds like something is catching), so i will buy the whole assembly (minus motor).

HOWEVER ... while all of this means that i'll be able to get the window up and down, it seemingly HAS NOT solved the original problem of the window not dropping that crucial inch or so to release it from the top channel.

So i'd like to know what the collective wisdom is regarding the most likely cause.
The way i see it, the possibilities are:-
1. The spring tension on the regulator is wrong in some way (hopefully buying the whole thing would address this)
2. Needs recalibration (but i can't do that until i have replaced the regulator assembly)
2. The microswitch in the door handle is not sending enough of a signal to the motor
3. The motor is not receiving or responding to the signal in the right way
4. Summat else!

Thanks in advance, as always!

Ian

Recalibration is your first option so you'll have to wait for the new regulator.

Couple of things Ian, firstly re-calibration is a possible answer to the not dropping an inch problem. If the ccu doesn't know where the window is it can't count the turns of the motor to allow it to drop - so it doesn't ! Have you tried disconnecting the battery and then reconnecting, the rear window should drop and then by motoring it to the top this may set the calibration for you.
If this is not the fix (or the replacement regulator) then there is a small hall effect sensor in the motor which tells the ccu the number of turns. This does (and has in my case in the past) gone faulty. Easy fix is a new motor, but there is a thread that I produced showing how to replace the sensor - if you have the time and patience!

Photos as promised - seeing as I did my David Bailey bit this morning. Incidentally, I had never noticed the cam grooves on the pulleys before. These are, I think, to aid fitting cables, simply fit to the outer small cam and then turn the pulley to draw the cable to the correct channel - bit like putting a bike chain back on.
It works, I tried it!

Photo of whole assy then the detail of each pulley / motor - you can see the torx mounting screws.


Good luck !

Thanks for taking the trouble to post these pics, Andy. Your glass holders look even rustier than mine!
Mine looks largely like this, but i think i may have loused up the cable kit by introducing some kind of twist while winding it onto the drum, so it is now getting tangled when i move the window up and down.
Before i dismantled everything, i did many of the reputed methods to recalibrate, none of which worked, which makes me thing it might be some sort of electrical signal not getting sent/received.
I'm not that electrically minded, so while your thread on the motor fix is very detailed, i think it might be the motor replacement approach for me. This is slightly annoying having just ordered a new regulator, but this still MIGHT cure the problem.
Anyone know if you can get a motor only off places like ebay, or do they always come complete with regulator, etc.
My other option is to cancel the regulator kit and buy the whole bally thing!!

Thanks again!!
Ian

IanSG19 said:

i think i may have loused up the cable kit by introducing some kind of twist while winding it onto the drum, so it is now getting tangled when i move the window up and down.

Click to expand...

You need to twist the drum to wind with cable, and not wrap the cable round the drum, if twisting the cable is to be avoided.

Nodge68 said:

You need to twist the drum to wind with cable, and not wrap the cable round the drum, if twisting the cable is to be avoided.

Click to expand...

Now you tell us

Nodge68 said:

You need to twist the drum to wind with cable, and not wrap the cable round the drum, if twisting the cable is to be avoided.

Click to expand...

I think that is what i must have done - but i'm fairly sure (from prior attempts to recalibrate) that it must be the motor switch thing that Andy mentioned.
Have bought the whole assembly for not a great deal more than the regulator alone.
I'll keep you posted (probably at the weekend) as to how i get on - at least i can strip it down in about 5 minutes while blindfolded now!

Fitting the motor can be difficult if the gear on the new regulator has moved to one side. I've never seen the "correct" way of doing it but you'll figure it out.

OK, quick update. Motor, regulator, cable, slider assembly came quicker than the ebay listing suggested it would, stripped the old one off and put the new one on in about 45 minutes (taking into account paranoia about breaking the glass by installing the sliders askew!).
Recalibrated just to be sure, but works just like it should.
Thanks to all on here who offered help and moral support!
Landyzone 1, Freelander 0

Oh, the assembly cost 78 quid, by the way.

Good news mate. did you go for the full assembly including motor?

Yes, i did - off an ebay store. There are a couple of different styles, one which looks identical to the original equipment (black sliders, etc), and the other has bright metal sliders, with slightly different bolt configurations. I went for the former, and it was a straight swap. As I said, my previous experience of stripping it down numerous times in the past week meant i was able to replace it within the hour.
The difference in price with and without motor was only about £40, and i had sufficient suspicion that it might be the actuator switch within the motor (as described by andyfreelandy), i considered it a pragmatic approach to do the whole lot. Justified, i think.

Cheers!

Ian