Replace The Window Clips on a 91-93 GMC Syclone or Typhoon
On the GMC Syclone and Typhoon....well, basically all of the first generation S10/Sonoma/Jimmy/Blazer body style, the door windows are kept in place by 3 plastic clips that travel up and down into a channel on both the front and backside of the glass and keeps the glass in place and straight while moving up or down. After countless times going up and down and the rigors of time, these plastic clips do break and suddenly your glass is now moving up and down and at weird angles. This article tells you how to replace those clips. We are using a 1991 GMC Syclone for this article, so some steps may slightly vary for your particular first gen model.
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Socket Wrench & Sockets
- Flathead Screwdriver (optional)
- Door panel trim removal tool (optional)
- Door Panel Clips - Just in case you break some.
- Choice 1: Glass Clips - Sportmachines
- Choice 2: Glass Clips (Help! Section) - Part #45332
Door Panel Removal
Start by rolling down your window to around half way. This will help make access to the bolts that hold the window onto the motor carrier bracket in the disassembly.
Remove the 2 phillips head screws that are located in the arm rest. Once the 2 screws have been removed, you will be able to remove the top portion of the arm rest. Set aside.
Next, remove the upper door molding. There are 3 phillips head screws. Removing this piece just makes it easier once you goto remove the door panel. Once the screws have been removed, the panel should just come off. Set aside.
The door panel is held onto the door frame by means of plastic tabs. These tabs are mounted on the backside of the panel and then pop into place when lined up with mounting holes on the door frame. We must remove the clips from the door.
There is a special tool made to make removing these clips easy, called a...you guessed it, a door panel trim removal tool. While you dont necessarily need it to get the job done, it does make the job easier and doesnt put as much risk in breaking the mounting tabs. You can usually find them for under $10.
There are 8 tabs that will need to be released in order to get the door panel separated from the door frame. The picture below indicates roughly the location of each of the tabs.
We started with the lower left corner of the panel and carefully pulled it away from the door. You should be able to now use your trim panel removal tool and slide it to the tab and pop it out of its mounting hole on the door frame. If you dont have a tool, you can still carefully pop the tab out by continuing to pull the panel. Just go slow. Once you have one removed, the rest seem to come out easy. Some of the tabs may pull away from the panel instead of the door frame. This is ok, but you may need to consider replacing the tab and they dont hold as well when reused.
Use a rag between your panel removal tool and the door frame to keep from scratching anything. No one likes scratches, even if they are in an inconspicuous spot.
With all the tabs detached from the door frame, you will need to unhook the pigtail harness to the door electronics. The Syclone and Typhoon came factory with electric door locks and windows. You can use a small flathead screwdriver to CAREFULLY help pry off the connector.
With the door panel now disconnected, you can set it aside. Your view should now look something similar to this:
Now to remove the arm rest support from the door frame (this is where your arm rest bolts into). Using a socket wrench, remove the 2 bolts on either side of the support. Once the bolts are out, remove the support.
With the arm rest support removed, carefully peel off the foam sound deadening material from the door frame. Set aside. Be careful not to get dirt or material into the adhesive used to keep it stuck to the door, you need to put it back again on reassembly.
Removing the Window
If you rolled down your window at the beginning of this article, you should have this view in the picture below. If you didnt roll down the window enough or went to far, you will have to temporarily grab your door panel, connect the switches and move the window into this position. Disconnect the connector again and set the door panel aside again.
With the 2 bolts removed from the window, you can now CAREFULLY grab and slide the window upwards and out of the truck. GO SLOW. If you have tinted windows, you can very easily scratch your tint sliding the window out. If your tabs are broken (the only reason why you should be doing all of this), the window should slide out with easy out of the channels the clips sit in on either side.
The black plastic retainer at the bottom of the window will most likely fall off as you remove the window. This is OK as its held on by the 2 bolts you removed.
With the window now removed, there are 3 tabs that hold it into the channel. 2 are located on the rear of the window (rear being closest to the rear of the truck), 1 in the front. You may see your broken window clips, or you may just see an empty hole in the window where a clip should be.
Take your new window clips, line them up into the hole in the window and attach them onto the window.
Reinstalling the window and reassembly
With the new clips now in place on your window, you can begin the process of reassembly. Replace your window back into the door the same way as you removed it. Be sure that the front clip and the 2 rear clips go into the channel slots on either side. This ensures the window stays level as you lower and raise it.
Replace the black plastic retainer on the lower portion of the window and bolt the window back in on the lift carrier it sits on.
If you broke any of the tabs, now is the time to replace them in the door panel. They simply twist out and twist back in.
With the door panel hung back on the door, you can align the panel tabs with their mount holes and give the door a gentle "slap" over each tab to insert it back into place. Go around to each mount tab to secure the panel fully into place.
You can now check your work and raise and lower the window. With new tabs in place, your window should raise and lower as intended.
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Written by:syo237
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