door panel removal

[bubbaking]

I was just wondering how hard is it to remove the front passenger side door panel on a 87 vic? It has power locks, windows and mirrors if that adds a degree of difficulty. Also once in there how hard is it to change the power window motor? That is the whole reason I have to go in there to begin with. Naturally the motors cant fail with the window up.

[86GmLsCoupe]

I have a Grand Marquis, but they are pretty similar. Removal is not bad at all. To start you off I'd say the perimeter off the door has around 7-10 of those plastic pops attached to the door panel that snap into the door metal (sides and bottom only). They have tools for these, I have one, and they can help save the clips and particle board panel of the door from damage. You can get by without one to, perhaps a wide flathead screwdriver (I slide something over the flathead so I don't scratch the metal such a paper towel, thin rag, rubber glove ect). Only thing I'd say is just don't pull it off. The rest you should need a Phillips screwdriver and I think a 7mm socket. Motor replacement isn't so bad either. All I really know though is the original window motor is held in by rivets and there are also 3 dimples in the door metal that show where to drill holes when replacing the motor. The others will add more on motor replacement and anything specific about removing the Vic door panels. I'll try and get you a digram so you get a better and welcome to GMN.

[85crownHPP]

not hard at all

[86VickyLX]

Super easy!!!!! First things first. Remove all the screws that you find on the armrest on the door panel. That includes the one on the top of the arm rest. Lift the front of the control panel up, and slide it out. Assuming you've already got the bottom of the armrest out, pop the little clip on the lever that indicates whether your doors are locked or unlocked. Once that is done, remove the two screws that hold the window switch cluster, the two screws that hold the door lock/unlcok button, and the power mirror switch you will have to unscrew that, it comes off in two pieces the round chrome piece and the switch. Then you can take away the thing that all of those controls were. Next you want to take off the actual arm rest. This is mounted to the door by use of long bolts. I do not know what size. When you do that, the armrest should begin to fall. Push all the electrical stuff through the opening so you can take the armrest away. Next is the easy part. To remove the panel. Pop the plastic pops out, and lift the panel up. Be careful not to get the poppers stuck in the door. Once that is done, there will be a kind of paper bag thing with plastic around the electical wires. This is held by some kind of adhesive. Remove that, and you are into the door!

Now that the panel is gone, you can work to remove your power window motor. The motor and lift brace combination is held in the door by four rivets. Break the rivets, and the assy. will drop. You should lift the window up to slide the assembly from that track it's on. Unplug the electrical connector. It's around where the speakers are in the door, if you have them. One yellow and one red wire. It would have been a lot easier if the window was up when it died. Anyway, you have to fit it through the door through one of the holes. Once you do that, you can unbolt the three gold bolts and separate the lift brace and the motor. Keep the brace. And see what's wrong with the motor. In my case, it was a broken gear. In other cases the whole motor had to be replaced. If the motor has to be replaced. Make sure the new motor has the wire harness for your door.

Once you get this all fixed, slide the assy. back into the door, and put it on the track. Now plug in the connector. In my case, you had to use the motor to get it into place on the door where it originally was, then rivet it back up. And put the door panel on the opposite that you removed it. Good luck, have fun!!! Lol.