Blue Gravel

So recently a local hobo decided that they were bored of stealing copper and would try branching out into stealing tools instead.

Well jokes on them, I don't keep any tools in my van. As such, nothing was stolen, though a few other vans in the neighbourhood were also broken into and probably suffered some losses.

Anyway, the good news is that a new window is under $100 on Amazon, because of course it is, so let's get to fixing this mess.

For the sake of the algorithm, this beast is a 2007 Dodge Sprinter 2500 based on the Mercedes NCV3 platform.

With that out of the way, we need to get the inside trim panels off, and that starts with removing the lower panel. It's held in by the two quarter-turn knobs on either side, and then just hinges down and lifts out. Don't forget to unplug the light at the bottom.

I think this is meant to be kind of a storage cubby thing? I dunno.

Next up the trim panel on the door pull needs to come off to reveal a pair of bolts underneath.

It's got some pretty stout clips at the bottom that need to be pried open, then the rest just pops off.

Or maybe it's supposed to come off from the top first? I dunno, I'm not a mechanic.

Removing the trim around the door lock is technically optional but helps free up the door a little easier.

There's two screw covers at the top corners of the door panel that need to be popped out to reveal the final pair of screws, then after unscrewing all six the door panel just pops off with an assortment of the usual at-least-three-break-every-time-you-remove-it plastic snap fittings.

The bowden cable for the door latch snaps out of the handle by prying the outer jacket fitting out first, then unsnapping the clip around the L-shaped end, which I apparently failed to take a picture of.

It's easiest to unplug the window controls from the wiring harness at this point, but I'm going to need them a bit later so removing the white plastic clip allows the controls to be removed from the door panel.

That way it can be plugged back in and left to dangle.

Now this is the part where things diverge a little from the usual method one might employ on most cars. Since the van's windows are significantly taller than they are wide, it's not possible to slide them in from the top by angling the leading edge down. Instead, Mercedes designed a large cutaway on the inner door panel that the window goes through from the inside.

But first the window regulator needs to move out of the way. It's held in by two bolts and two nuts, one of which is loose enough to explain why my door kept rattling so much every time I opened and closed it.

Good thing the nut didn't back itself all the way out, I guess.

Anyway, with the 4 bolts removed and one wiring harness clip popped out, the window regulator can be removed and set aside.

And now there's clear access to shove the glass inside the door.

Speaking of the glass, let's get that unwrapped.

I am genuinely impressed that it made it here in one piece, all the way from China.

Miracles do happen, I guess.

Anyway, the glass goes in bottom-first... I think. I know I tried both top first and bottom first and I'm pretty sure top first didn't work, so if going in bottom-first doesn't work for you then try the other way.

Then to get the window regulator back in you need to slide it at least partly out of the way. The simplest thing to do is to just shove it right up into the track and tape it in place at the top.

My window track was sticky enough that it probably could have held itself up by friction, but also I didn't want it to suddenly come crashing down inside the door while I was working and shatter into a fresh new pile of blue gravel.

On the subject of working, I need to work the remaining bits of old window out of the regulator's clamps.

And then once it's bolted back into place, tightly this time, I can lower the window down into the clamps.

I snugged it up just finger tight at first and ran the window up and down a few times to make sure it was properly aligned. Remember that part earlier where I hooked the window controls back up and left them dangling? This is why.

Once the window was seated in the right spot in the clamps, they can be snugged up. Don't overdo it here, it just needs to grip the glass firmly.

Anyway, now I just need to peel off that sticker from the glass and... oh, I probably should have done that before installing the window.

Lesson learned.

Moving on, the inner door trim needs to go back on, so I'll start with refilling the plastic snap fittings because of course some of them broke.

And now there's three different colours of them in this one panel.

The reinstallation is just removal in reverse, and with everything back together things are looking good.

And with any luck I won't have to do this again soon.