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budget 4Runner rear window motor replacement

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Old 04-13-2010 | 06:36 PM
  #1  
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budget 4Runner rear window motor replacement

My last 86-95 writeup? I've bought a 1987 Toyota HJ60 Landcruiser diesel and sold my 1990. Before it sold though, I fixed the rear window for the grand total of $25. Before the fix, the motor no longer made it all the way back up stopping at the 3/4 mark. Now it speeds up even after leaving the dome light on all night. Peaked your interest yet?

I replaced the rear window motor with a new near motor (in terms of usage) which I obtained for the aforementioned sum of $25. One 5 minute modification was needed to run this motor- merely soldering on the proper plug in.

>>> keep in mind the dome light had been on maybe 6hrs at this point, even when the engine was reving, the old motor wouldn't take the window all the way up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlyBvtJDMjM


Other fixes I've tried
  • replacing relays in the relay box located by by the rear cargo hole on the drivers side on 2nd gen 4Runners (probably not far away on 1st gens) SEE HERE: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...runner-137193/
  • lubing the running and tracks... sort of worked a little while but its just a temporary bandaid to milk the last drops of life out of the motor

BUT, here's probably the real reason why your rear window motor no longer works

The faces of the gear teeth below are going to have a HUGE amount of friction, this robs a lot of the motors power to the point where it can no longer lift the rear window.


The pinion gear shown spins on the surface of the shaft shown here, like rusty gear teeth, this high-friction surface robs a huge amount of power from the motor.


Here's the 1989 Camry window motor (seen on the left), its barely been used and has virtually no wear or rust on the pinion teeth, the shaft is solid and has no play. The 4Runner motor on the right has a wobbly shaft and the teeth are all rusty, this motor is TOAST.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuIIUelLV5A

I want to make it clear, that this truck was not rusty, it was actually in really decent condition for the North West. BUT despite the condition of the body, the motor pinion gears and bearing surface probably look like this. I imagine the internal of this motor aren't pretty either.

Why the rust and extra wear on the 4Runner motor?

The more times the motor is cycled the more wear. Also, it gives moisture more chance to get in the door/tailgate panel and rust the motor out. I picked a drivers side motor because they fit the tailgate and a rear window motor because they will see less wear than a front window motor (you need a driver, but you don't always carry 2+ passengers).

What motors can I swap in and how
[image]

STOP HERE So this is probably the bit you've been skimming through to find.

>>> drivers side window motor, 1986-199 Camry is a direct swap into a 4Runner tailgate<<<


>>> note, that brown blob in the picture is grease, not rust!

The motor that can be used to replace the 4Runner back window that can be had for cheap which is the identical motor as an OEM replacement is the motor from the drivers side of any Toyota vehicle with power windows from that era as far as I can tell. (You can always cross-reference part numbers on the website www.toyoDIY.com). They're identical save for the electrical plug, which is a simple 3 minute solder job.

I would assume any drivers side window motor from any Toyota of this era would work too, you may have to swap pigtails, but this is easy:
  1. cut wires near plug on both motors leaving enough wire on the 4Runner plug to work with (ie: 4")
  2. strip the ends of the wires on the Camry motor and the 4RUnner plug
  3. solder wires
  4. wrap with electrical tape/ heat shrink tube



Then, once you have the motor ready;
  1. pull carpet panel off tailgate
  2. remove black metal service cover
  3. unbolt 4 12mm bolts holding the motor/gear/lock assembly into the tailgate
  4. with a box wrench, reach behind to the backside of the motor and undo the 3 10mm?? bolts holding the motor in place. Have a look on the new motor where the bolts are instead of feeling around for them. Its a bit of a hastle to get at these bolts, but it can be done
  5. bolt new motor in
  6. rehook everything back up and plug the wires back in you had to undo to remove the motor


List of power window motors / regulators that may work, according to part numbers:

1986-1991 Camry DS window motor..............85710 B (85710‑32050) (same motor, different pigtail)
2nd gen drivers side door motor...................85710 B (85710‑89106) (probably works)
2nd gen rear tailgate regulator motor............85610 (85710‑89105) (motor we aim to replace)
1st gen tailgate regulator motor....................85610.................... ..(almost certainly the same motor, possibly different pigtail)
1990 Previa LH window regulator..................85720A (85720‑20060) (might work, don't know)
1998 4Runner passenger window motor..........85710E (no clue, but part number not far off, check visual at junkyard?)

What I'm getting at is lots of motor may work, and some of those motors may be cheaper because of less demand. Who actually wears out the drivers side rear passenger window motor...






Conclusion
This window motor swap cost me $25, took and hour to install at most and now my motor works just as fast as a power window on a brand new modern truck.


NOTE: Often you can find alternative sources for parts, or find out if two models share parts by cross-referencing part numbers- if the part numbers are similar there's a decent chance the parts are close enough to use with minimal modification necessary. The website to cross-reference part numbers is http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/.

In this case, I probably saved myself a couple hundred dollars by cross referencing- the going rate for a working 4Runner tailgate motor is a couple hundred dollars, whereas there is limited demand for a working Camry drivers' side window motor which I was able to snag for $25 from a guy parting out a Camry.

I impart this penny-pinching wisdom upon you now as I've sold my 4Runner and bought a HJ60 Landcruiser and won't be writing anymore '86-95 specific writeups anymore.





.

Last edited by Matt16; 04-18-2010 at 09:03 PM.
Old 04-13-2010 | 06:38 PM
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wheres the pics at??
Old 04-13-2010 | 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by PismoJoe
wheres the pics at??
X's 2


Repo
Old 04-13-2010 | 07:08 PM
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PismoJoe what's your deal, your Taco doesn't have a rear motorized window haha
Old 04-13-2010 | 07:59 PM
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I need to do some work on the rear window of my 86 4Runner, its very slow and like your has a hard time making it the last few inches, so lets see some pictures.

Last edited by myyota; 04-13-2010 at 08:02 PM.
Old 04-13-2010 | 08:08 PM
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ok im lurking haha but I do have an 86 4Runner so I can lurk right??
Old 04-13-2010 | 08:22 PM
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All 4Runner rear window motors are the same as the drivers side motor. There be the pics.
Old 04-13-2010 | 08:42 PM
  #8  
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From: Grew up in S.C.V, So Cal.....now in Hampstead, NC
[QUOTE=Matt16;51419722]



the identical motor as an OEM replacement is the motor from the drivers side of any Toyota passenger side door window assembly.




Now, re-read this, and ask yourself......DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?!!? MUUHAHAHAHA!

Old 04-13-2010 | 10:54 PM
  #9  
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"4Runnerfreak", nay, DETAILfreak

updated and edited
Old 04-14-2010 | 10:52 AM
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Intersting, i gotta check mine out.

What i did to mine was take that little chrome strip off. Taking that trim off improved it drastically. I'd put it back on but i can't get the stupid handle out to pull the plastic trim off!

Anyways, awesome detail. I remember my dads old 88 Yota van had this same problem, well it was all gunky. Hate but love power windows.
Old 04-14-2010 | 01:39 PM
  #11  
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This is awesome.

I just "fixed" mine recently. Took it apart and found the load carrying spiral spring in the bottom of the tailgate....relocated it, cleaned the gears/etc with wire brush and applied WD-40 and presto! But it's still slower than I want. When it dies, I know what I'll be doing

Thanks for the great write up!
Old 04-14-2010 | 05:40 PM
  #12  
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After seeing the pictures that Matt16 posted i remembered that i had pulled a rear window motor out of a 91-94 4Runner a while back, and after comparing it to the pictures above, other than the plug that Matt had to swap onto the new window motor, its the same window motor.
Old 04-15-2010 | 12:29 PM
  #13  
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Good writeup. Good to know
Old 04-15-2010 | 01:36 PM
  #14  
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From: Grew up in S.C.V, So Cal.....now in Hampstead, NC
Originally Posted by Matt16
"4Runnerfreak", nay, DETAILfreak

updated and edited
......just had to.....
Old 04-15-2010 | 02:58 PM
  #15  
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Old 03-18-2011 | 07:35 PM
  #16  
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An older thread but I just pulled three motors out of camrys in the early 90s and they have square drive rather then the gear looking drive and the motors are smaller!! I am not sure why this is but I tried three different cars?? Maybe in Oregon its different i mean everything else is!!
Old 02-24-2013 | 07:20 PM
  #17  
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I just pulled a rear drivers side motor out of a 91 camry today. It got too dark to put it all back together but I did swap plug ends and it does work. Hopefully when I bolt it back in everything works.
Old 02-25-2013 | 07:52 AM
  #18  
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I guess since the pics above no longer work I'll throw a few up. Not really a walk through as this is pretty straight forward.

This is a rear drivers side window motor out of a 1991 Toyota Camry. Camry on the left and original on the right. My motor just about fell apart when I removed it! The numbers on the motor didn't match, but were pretty close. Side by side they look identical.

Name:  2013-02-24_18-30-27_786.jpg
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Name:  2013-02-24_18-30-40_713.jpg
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Swapped out the plug and bolted it back in. This was a little tricky getting the gear and bolt holes lined up, but it went in.

Name:  2013-02-25_08-20-05_835.jpg
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Success!! This all started because I was trying to replace the brake light bulbs. Cleaned up and lubed a few areas and all is well. The motor cost me $15 plus $1 core charge at pick n pull.

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Size:  48.3 KB
Old 02-25-2013 | 10:25 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Matt16
My last 86-95 writeup? I've bought a 1987 Toyota HJ60 Landcruiser diesel and sold my 1990. Before it sold though, I fixed the rear window for the grand total of $25. Before the fix, the motor no longer made it all the way back up stopping at the 3/4 mark. Now it speeds up even after leaving the dome light on all night. Peaked your interest yet?

I replaced the rear window motor with a new near motor (in terms of usage) which I obtained for the aforementioned sum of $25. One 5 minute modification was needed to run this motor- merely soldering on the proper plug in.

>>> keep in mind the dome light had been on maybe 6hrs at this point, even when the engine was reving, the old motor wouldn't take the window all the way up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlyBvtJDMjM







Other fixes I've tried
  • replacing relays in the relay box located by by the rear cargo hole on the drivers side on 2nd gen 4Runners (probably not far away on 1st gens) SEE HERE: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...runner-137193/
  • lubing the running and tracks... sort of worked a little while but its just a temporary bandaid to milk the last drops of life out of the motor
BUT, here's probably the real reason why your rear window motor no longer works

The faces of the gear teeth below are going to have a HUGE amount of friction, this robs a lot of the motors power to the point where it can no longer lift the rear window.


The pinion gear shown spins on the surface of the shaft shown here, like rusty gear teeth, this high-friction surface robs a huge amount of power from the motor.

Here's the 1989 Camry window motor (seen on the left), its barely been used and has virtually no wear or rust on the pinion teeth, the shaft is solid and has no play. The 4Runner motor on the right has a wobbly shaft and the teeth are all rusty, this motor is TOAST.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuIIUelLV5A

I want to make it clear, that this truck was not rusty, it was actually in really decent condition for the North West. BUT despite the condition of the body, the motor pinion gears and bearing surface probably look like this. I imagine the internal of this motor aren't pretty either.

Why the rust and extra wear on the 4Runner motor?

The more times the motor is cycled the more wear. Also, it gives moisture more chance to get in the door/tailgate panel and rust the motor out. I picked a drivers side motor because they fit the tailgate and a rear window motor because they will see less wear than a front window motor (you need a driver, but you don't always carry 2+ passengers).

What motors can I swap in and how
[image]

STOP HERE So this is probably the bit you've been skimming through to find.

>>> drivers side window motor, 1986-199 Camry is a direct swap into a 4Runner tailgate<<<


>>> note, that brown blob in the picture is grease, not rust!

The motor that can be used to replace the 4Runner back window that can be had for cheap which is the identical motor as an OEM replacement is the motor from the drivers side of any Toyota vehicle with power windows from that era as far as I can tell. (You can always cross-reference part numbers on the website www.toyoDIY.com). They're identical save for the electrical plug, which is a simple 3 minute solder job.






I would assume any drivers side window motor from any Toyota of this era would work too, you may have to swap pigtails, but this is easy:
  1. cut wires near plug on both motors leaving enough wire on the 4Runner plug to work with (ie: 4")
  2. strip the ends of the wires on the Camry motor and the 4RUnner plug
  3. solder wires
  4. wrap with electrical tape/ heat shrink tube
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4090484_n.jpg






Then, once you have the motor ready;
  1. pull carpet panel off tailgate
  2. remove black metal service cover
  3. unbolt 4 12mm bolts holding the motor/gear/lock assembly into the tailgate
  4. with a box wrench, reach behind to the backside of the motor and undo the 3 10mm?? bolts holding the motor in place. Have a look on the new motor where the bolts are instead of feeling around for them. Its a bit of a hastle to get at these bolts, but it can be done
  5. bolt new motor in
  6. rehook everything back up and plug the wires back in you had to undo to remove the motor
List of power window motors / regulators that may work, according to part numbers:

1986-1991 Camry DS window motor..............85710 B (85710‑32050) (same motor, different pigtail)
2nd gen drivers side door motor...................85710 B (85710‑89106) (probably works)
2nd gen rear tailgate regulator motor............85610 (85710‑89105) (motor we aim to replace)
1st gen tailgate regulator motor....................85610.................... ..(almost certainly the same motor, possibly different pigtail)
1990 Previa LH window regulator..................85720A (85720‑20060) (might work, don't know)
1998 4Runner passenger window motor..........85710E (no clue, but part number not far off, check visual at junkyard?)

What I'm getting at is lots of motor may work, and some of those motors may be cheaper because of less demand. Who actually wears out the drivers side rear passenger window motor...



https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7574994_n.jpg


Conclusion
This window motor swap cost me $25, took and hour to install at most and now my motor works just as fast as a power window on a brand new modern truck.


NOTE: Often you can find alternative sources for parts, or find out if two models share parts by cross-referencing part numbers- if the part numbers are similar there's a decent chance the parts are close enough to use with minimal modification necessary. The website to cross-reference part numbers is http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/.

In this case, I probably saved myself a couple hundred dollars by cross referencing- the going rate for a working 4Runner tailgate motor is a couple hundred dollars, whereas there is limited demand for a working Camry drivers' side window motor which I was able to snag for $25 from a guy parting out a Camry.

I impart this penny-pinching wisdom upon you now as I've sold my 4Runner and bought a HJ60 Landcruiser and won't be writing anymore '86-95 specific writeups anymore.




.
Fixed image links.. Well most of them. Last two aren't cooperating
Old 12-10-2013 | 07:05 AM
  #20  
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From: Tahoe, NV
Thanks for the info! I probably would have done a full uninstall like the FSM points to if I hadn't seen this. Instead, removing those 4 bolts gave enough access to get the 3 behind the motor. If I didn't bench test things, I could have been done in 15 minutes. On my 92 the outer bolts were 10mm, the ones one the motor were 8mm, and there was just enough room to get a ratchet back there. Realignment of those 3 was a little tough, but you can see the top one and can barely see the bottom one if you put your face on the floor.

I pulled my "new" motor from the rear drivers side window of a 95 4runner (tested at 2.0 ohms, instead of 1.5 ohms for the old one, I'm guessing less resistance due to a short in the motor wire coil, giving less length electricity needs to travel but then also less overall power for the motor). It seems decent but not as fast as many out there, but if it works decently in cold temps I'll be happy (17 out now, but it's frozen shut). But new prices are pretty cheap now (several for $30-$50), so if it doesn't do great I'll just order a new one. For ski season we use the rear tailgate a lot to get the kids into their gear.


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