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Austin Ruby window winding mechanisms , is there a secret to getting them to work properley ??

I have replaced all the woodwork in my Rubies doors , fitted new tracks , fitted the glass so that it is a nice easy fit , overhauled the winding mechanisms so there are no tight spots etc. Upon fitting the winding mechanism , making sure that none of the mech fouls anything , the window is very stiff to wind up and down !!! Seperatley both glass and mechanism appear to work beautifully but together , Arghhhhh.
I have tried dozens and dozens of tweeks to see if I can improve the situation but still have , what I consider to be , a poor winding action.
Is there a secret fitting technique or is there something that I am overlooking ?
Can anybody help ???

Location: West Yorkshire

Re: Austin Ruby window winding mechanisms , is there a secret to getting them to work properley ??


Hi Joe.

I assume that you're using the door frames that we supplied back in 2014.

These windows tend to be very sensitive to incorrect clearances, but unfortunately both Austin's original woodwork and their glass cutting show considerable variations between supposedly identical parts. We tend to err on the side of providing more, rather than less clearance.

Can the glass tilt slightly in the channels? I had a similar problem on my RP - as I wound the window up, the back edge rose a little faster than the front, with the result that the top front corner of the glass would dig into the channel and jam. I cured it by inserting about 1/16" of packing behind the felt channel.

Hope this works!

This does raise the general point that any problem arising when new parts have been fitted, should be referred to the supplier. We're always happy to help with any difficulties, to which there will usually be a very simple solution. I'm sure that anyone else making repro parts would agree.

Martin.

Location: Herefordshire, with an "E" not a "T".

Re: Austin Ruby window winding mechanisms , is there a secret to getting them to work properley ??

Do make sure that the winding system is firmly fixed to the woodwork, and that the lifting 'knobs' on the mechanism are absolutely correctly aligned. If you have new woodwork the fixing holes have to be very carefully placed so that the lifting member of the mechanism is exactly at right angles to the back vertical window channel. Any misalignment will cause stiffness.
I think I remember a suggestion that some french chalk in the channels can make the glass move more easily, but see if you can get that confirmed by an expert before doing it!

Location: just north of Cambridge

Re: Austin Ruby window winding mechanisms , is there a secret to getting them to work properley ??

Just curious but does the Ruby have a parallelogram linkage arrangement to ensure the glass is lifted horizontally or does it lift fom a single point and rely entirely on the guides to keep the glass square as the RP?

Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: Austin Ruby window winding mechanisms , is there a secret to getting them to work properley ??

The Ruby has a parallelogram type mechanism on the front windows and a single lifting arm for the rears.
Thanks to all who sent me suggestions , a systematic approach starting with accurate alignment and perfectly square lifting now mean that I have front windows that wind up and down quite well. Hopefully the rear windows should now be a doddle !!

Location: West Yorkshire