RoadsterTech Window Guides for your Miata

[Phatmiata]

RoadsterTech Window Guides

Most of you guys already know "RAB" aka "Rick Brillhart" on this forum and several others. A lot of you guys had a chance to meet him at the huge Miatapalooza event in Florida this year. He is a super guy to deal with and has some really great items for sale. He has owned his Miata since new back in 1990 so he knows these cars in and out! Now he is here on MazdaRoadster under the screen name "RoadsterTech" and offering his window guides and some other cool products for your Miata!

I'm sure he will chime in with all the details on his products shortly!

Here is a photo he sent me of his Window Guides

The kits come with detailed installation instructions as well as ptfe grease!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2843/8883306530_b2d2c35377_c.jpg

Miata window guides are just a start to what he has to offer!

[RoadsterTech]

As some of you may know, I decided to branch out.
I decided start a division of my company to make and sell goodies for Miata's so... RoadsterTech was born!

By popular demand we've started by making replacement Window Guides.

If you have looked at your guides you might find them broken or missing.

Most of the time they look like this:

http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-vPBCzrg/0/M/CA_05291317424978-M.jpg


The OEM guides are made of nylon and absorb all of the nasty stuff that drains down a window. Finally they get brittle and disintegrate. This causes the regulators to run slow or bind, the windows to rattle and in extreme cases allow more water leakage in a storm.

Looking around for Aftermarket alternatives, I have found Delrin Guides, Aluminum Guides and Teflon Guides on the market.

We looked at all of the available guides and found issues with all of them.

1. Teflon will not absorb chemicals like Nylon and it is very slippery but it does not take impact force and in fact will start to extrude. While they are very slippery I feel that they will start to deform and cause issues over time.

2. Delrin also will not absorb chemicals, handles impact forces well will not extrude over time and is used in industry as bearing and guide surfaces. But it is not as slippery as Teflon.

3. Aluminum.... Well let me say what was the guy thinking!

So what did we decide to used?

Teflon (PTFE) impregnated Delrin.
This is almost as slippery as Teflon and has the durability of Delrin... and it machines well!

So these are what we are providing...


http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-sHLCbFP/1/M/CA_04261320590834-M.jpg

A Kit of two PTFE impregnated Guides $38.00
The set contains two Guides, Synthetic Grease and two small piece of sand paper to clean off the Window Guide Shoulder Bolt.

We start our batch run with a set of Delrin Guides so occasionally we have these available in limited quantities.
This might help if your budget can't handle the premium guides.

1 Kit of two Delrin Guides $26.00
(this is close to our cost but they would be tossed if we did not use them).
The set contains two Guides, Synthetic Grease and a small piece of sand paper to clean off the Window Guide Shoulder Bolt.

Toss me a PM if you would like a set.

Watch for more cool things to come out of our shop...

[RoadsterTech]

One thing that got left out was shipping.
We ship priority mail so shipping is $6.00. If you purchase multiple sets or have a group shipping to one address, I will charge for one box. As the post office says of it fits it ships.

[RuckkehrMiata]

I know it is kind of a rude move, but do you think you can ensure you have a set left over for early next month? I am tapped out this month, but would really like a set of these.

[RoadsterTech]

No problem at all, we do them in batches of about 20 guides... so there typically is a pair or two floating about.
I will hold a set back for you...

BTW I thought you might wish to see a cool shot of one of the finishing steps the Guides go through.

http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-fbtr3M2/0/M/CA_05291322060594-M.jpg

[freedomgli]

Are these the same ones offered by RSpeed? Or are they different?

http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?5485-DELRIN-Window-Roller-Guide-Kit-1990-2005-Miata-from-Rspeed-net

If the same, can you explain the price difference?

If different, can you explain what makes yours better?

[tsingson]

Damn Rick. Are you sure you aren't heading up this way anytime soon? And I saw that you changed your name.

[RoadsterTech]

Are these the same ones offered by RSpeed? Or are they different?

http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?5485-DELRIN-Window-Roller-Guide-Kit-1990-2005-Miata-from-Rspeed-net

If the same, can you explain the price difference?

If different, can you explain what makes yours better?

They are different. R-speeds are Delrin ours are Ptfe impregnated delrin. Ptfe impregnated Delrin has the resiliency of Delrin but the slippery nature closer to Teflon (PTFE).
If you look closely at the two units you will see ours are closer to the size and configuration to the OEM units. There is a ridge on the OEM units that among other things captures grease to keep the side of the guide lubed. The R-Speed unit does not have this.
The OEM guide is designed to free spin on the shoulder bolt. Our mimics this, the R-speed unit is designed to be fixed onto the shaft. To make ours spin onto the shaft and not have freeplay requires a significant amount of machining accuracy and several QC checks. All that adds up.
Are the R-Speeds bad? Absolutely not. But we feel ours are worth the extra $18.00 per set of two guides, (remember the R-speeds are priced per single guide). When it comes down to it it's your call. Changing guides and cleaning everything up is time consuming. We feel that the $18.00 extra is worth the effort.

[RoadsterTech]

Damn Rick. Are you sure you aren't heading up this way anytime soon? And I saw that you changed your name.
I truly wish I was. Yea, I changed the name to get a bit more product rec.

[tsingson]

I will let you know when I am ready to get these because I really do need to change mine out.

[Flyin 92]

I'm surprised mine have lasted as long as they have. No signs of wear at all *crossed fingers*

[RoadsterTech]

I'm surprised mine have lasted as long as they have. No signs of wear at all *crossed fingers*

It amazes me but sometimes they just didn't fail. Perhaps it has to do with what the car was washed with or how many times the window was cranked down. But I found another '91 with intact guides. These even showed the casting marks. They had started to discolor but had not become brittle. In that case the window guide was ok but the grease had turned to clay and the cable was rusting in its housing. A good amount of cleaning fixed things up like new. The owner decided to put the new guides as a preemptive action.

[RoadsterTech]

So... here's what you get:

It comes packed in a zipper pack

http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-FPTRRqK/0/M/CA_05301319221096-M.jpg

Here is what's inside

http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-2tj9pJz/0/M/CA_05301319215543-M.jpg

We provide enough Synthetic PTFE Grease to not only lube the guides... but to lube the window regulator as well.

there are two small pieces of 1000 grit emery paper to clean up any corroded areas you may find... like the shoulder bolt that holds the guide onto the window.

And then there are the guides two guides come in one kit... enough to do the entire car.

Soon I will publish a Window Regulator / Guide installation manual.

[Flyin 92]

It amazes me but sometimes they just didn't fail. Perhaps it has to do with what the car was washed with or how many times the window was cranked down. But I found another '91 with intact guides. These even showed the casting marks. They had started to discolor but had not become brittle. In that case the window guide was ok but the grease had turned to clay and the cable was rusting in its housing. A good amount of cleaning fixed things up like new. The owner decided to put the new guides as a preemptive action.

Mine were discolored, but showed no signs of wear. The car has also lived its entire life in the PNW, which could be a factor. It never gets hot enough to dry out plastics and/or rubber over short periods.

[RoadsterTech]

I got a PM today asking an interesting question:
If my window goes up ok but is hard to roll down do I need new Rollers?
This made me start thinking what could be the causative agent.

When I was thinking about going national with these guides we did several Tech sessions here with Tampa Bay Miata's. One of the cars a 91 had the rollers intact but the owner said almost the same thing. The window was okay going in one direction and dismal in the other.

Here is what I found:

You can see that the original guide is still intact but has elongated, much like we said the 100% Teflon guides would do.
You can also see flat spots in the guide.
http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-9RmCkpM/0/M/CA_06051308442637-M.jpg
http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-5d3FRL5/0/M/CA_06051308452058-M.jpg

Measuring the guide shows the difference.
http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-pLt8tcf/0/M/CA_06051308455419-M.jpg
http://rabrillhart.smugmug.com/Other/miata/i-RnZ8HBH/0/M/CA_06051308463564-M.jpg

I have to say that the regulator and guide rail were nasty. Dry lube and corrosion all over.
Did this car just need to be cleaned and re-lubed, or did the guides cause the problem?

I'm not sure, but I have a supposition that the guide slid nicely on its flats in one direction and spun back and bound up in the other direction.

regardless of the actual causative agent the key thing is that if your regulator is binding you need to get in there and clean it. See my guide.

mazdaroadster.net/ Window-Guide-Installation-for-NA-and-NB (http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?6044-Window-Guide-Installation-for-NA-and-NB&p=90630#post90630)

If you don't you run the risk of kinking or fraying the cable. If that happens your going to have to replace the regulator. So at the least get in there and clean the regulator and guide.

When it comes down to it if you are in there cleaning and you don't change out the guide rollers its kinda like doing a timing belt job without changing out the water pump. It can be done but you will kick yourself latter if it fails.

[RuckkehrMiata]

When I installed my Project-G Vent I discovered my driver side roller was missing entirely. Waiting on June paychecks to send RoadsterTech some money :roll:

[RoadsterTech]

I've got a kit with your name on it waiting...:D

[ozbrock]

I got my guides in the mail a few days ago and was able to get the drivers side installed yesterday before it started raining. The window is twice as fast going up and down as the passenger side, and with no more squeaks! Great product!

[RoadsterTech]

Thanks for the feedback! Was the install guide of benefit?

[ozbrock]

The install guide you wrote up was perfect! Very helpful!

[RoadsterTech]

That's awesome! I am glad things went so well for you...

[twiztog43]

I'll have to wait for my next pay check for the 2 miatas!

[RoadsterTech]

I'll have to wait for my next pay check for the 2 miatas!

Cool... I have two sets held back with your name on them

[RuckkehrMiata]

So I fell way behind on Mazdaroadster due to work/travel life, however I was wondering if you still have some guides laying around? 2 Doors worth maybe..

[RoadsterTech]

I do... A set is waiting with your name on it.
Send me a pm with all of your specifics and I will send you a PayPal invoice...