Window Regulator
There are a lot of components that allows
vehicle drivers and passengers to control the different parts of the
vehicle. For the driver, there’s the steering wheel, ignition switch,
transmission lever, and a lot of other driving controls. For the
passengers, who are more concerned with comfort and convenience, there
are the various controls for the audio system, entertainment system,
chairs and others.
Among the many control components installed in every vehicle
is the window regulator. The window regulator is the vehicle component
that raises and lowers the window glasses. This allows both the vehicle
driver and the passengers to raise or lower the window whenever they
need to or feel to. Access to the window regulator of a particular
vehicle window is usually given to the person seating close to the
windows. However, new window winding mechanisms allow the driver to
have full control over all the windows of the vehicle.
There are two basic types of window regulators: the manual
window regulator and the electric window regulator. A typical manual
window regulator set up is composed of many components including a worm
gear, several spur gears, linkages, a mechanical plate and a bar used
to support the window glass. The window glass is raised or lowered
using a hand crank, which would then activate a worm gear/spur gears
combination. The rotation of the various gears in turn activates the
mechanical plate, thus raising or lowering the window glasses. The
function of the window bar and the linkage arm is basically to support
the window glass.
The electric window regulator, also termed as power or
automatic window regulator, basically does the same thing, except that
everything is performed automatically. In a power window regulator set
up, the vehicle driver or passengers won’t have to manually rotate a
crank handle. Instead, everything is done with a touch of a button. A
small electric motor integrated with the switching components of the
vehicle is responsible for activating the different gears required to
lift or to lower the windows.
Power or manual, window regulators are easily subjected to
wearing because of constant use. In case you need to replace the window
regulators of your vehicle, better be sure that it would work well for
it. Of course, replacing a power window regulator would cost a bit more
than what it would take you to replace a manual one.
