Brass Window Rollers?

[simplyconnected]

Try getting ahold of Martin Burs (60 T-Bird). He may be back. If so, that is the very best source I have for brass rollers. He machines the best I've ever seen. - Dave

[YellowRose]

Brass Window Rollers?

Did you guys miss what Joe Johnston said back on Post #6 of this thread? Casco is the company that deals with only Little Bird parts, but.... Read what Joe posted.

"Since they are the same parts as Little Birds use, CASCO has them in metal shown complete with spring, washer and clip for those who want/need them now.

Item # 23240M in their online catalog @ $8.50 ea.

(As a disclaimer my only interest with CASCO is being a customer)"

Phone # 1-800-374-0914. International: 740-622-8561 Fax: 740-622-5151. E-Mail: casco@classictbird.com (general) sales@classictbird.com (parts department) Located in: Coshocton, Ohio.

http://www.classictbird.com/

Here they are! $8.50 each and it says a Little Bird needs 6 of them. But you will need more because you have rear side windows and the Little Birds do not.

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000219a

[V-John]

Did you guys miss what Joe Johnston said back on Post #6 of this thread?

I've read it several times the last few months.

I only need 6 for the rear windows anyway. The doors work fine.

[Tbird1044]

John:
Are the rollers coming out of the window channel? If that is the problem, check the channel frame to see if it is bowed out. This is very common on these frames, even to the point of breaking the bottom part of the channel. Mine were bowed out, so I heated them, applied pressure to straighten and let them cool. They straightened up pretty well. I then took some 1/2" square steel stock and made a support bracket and mounted it under the bottom bar of the channel. Just thought I would pass this along. If I can't get the brass rollers made, I guess I will also go with the CASCO.
Nyles

[V-John]

I took my other window out yesterday. I'll give them a closer check on warping. Thanks!

[Dakota Boy]

tmjsong on this site had warned against using the repro. nylon rollers on the rear qtr. window assemblies for obvious reasons. He also told me that the metal ones wouldnt work a whole lot better, and that the best plan is to use some fabricated brass rollers. So that is what I did a few yrs ago. I had a buddy make a handful of them for me. He was a CNC operator at that time. I believe I had sent a spare roller and the measurements to Martin so he could make some as well; but my memory could be wrong. It seems these are still being discussed on this site, but arent truly available anywhere yet. ??

So I will post up my original ink pen drawing that I sent to my buddy. The pencilled notes are his. I have two spares remaining. The references to "same as the nylon piece" are because I sent him one of the reproduction nylon rollers and also a few crusty, poor-condition original steel rollers as samples. The only good thing about the nylon rollers is that you get all the metal peices with them; the clip, the bevelled washer, etc. Keep the metal bits and throw the nylon piece in the trash. As a side note, I would say the brass rollers would only really be needed for the quarter windows; I'm pretty sure the metal CASCO ones mentioned above would be fine for the door windows.

[60 T-Bird]

Martin Burs (60 T-Bird) said in a post recently, that he is still sailing at sea. He expects that he will be back home in about 9 months, as I recall from his post. He said he will make some sets up for us once he gets back home and settled in. Martin has not given us permission to use that link yet that Dakota Boy posted. That is why we have not put it in the TRL yet. It might be a moot point now that we know these metal window rollers are available through CASCO, thanks to Joe Johnston. There is no mention of these being made of brass. They are said to be just like the original metal rollers. It is my understanding from Dave ~ simplyconnected, that these same rollers were in use not only in Little Birds, but also in Squarebirds, Bulletbirds, Flairbird and also Full Sized Edsels/Fords/Lincolns/Mercurys/Trucks (as far as we know) for quite a lot of years.

Here is the link to the CASCO site for these window rollers that Dave sent me. There are 12 of them needed for a Squarebird. Probably the same for the 1961-1966 Tbirds.

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?parta~dyndetail~Z5Z5Z50000219a~Z5Z5Z5AABFC~P8.50~~~~S3V51ELBE8761122682014~Z5Z5Z5~Z5Z5Z50000219a

Dave looked in the Ford Parts Manual and found this info for these window rollers. Ford Part No. BA 7023240-A (1953-1959) C0AB 6423240-B (1960-On)

I've had 2 brass rollers made and need to get more. When I look at how the regulator works with the rollers, it appears that the rollers are really slides in the channels and the pin that the roller is connected to is the only bearing surface that rotates. Am I correct?

Nyles

Has the Brass Roller Man ever make it back home yet? I tried some of the new nylon ones and they suck (one broke). I'm about ready to order the steel rollers from CASCO, but was wondering if the brass ones are available again.

John;
I've been asking the same question. I had a source for the rollers, but it dried up before I got the set made. I am working with another machine shop here in L.A. to make me a set. Haven't suceeded yet. If anyone has a source please let us know and if I find a shop to make some, I'll post the source. I'm getting closer to installing the glass back in the car.
Nyles

Hi everyone...The sailor has returned. I've been back on Terra Firma for a few weeks now. I have unpacked the shop, put out most of the financial fires and beating the bushes for employment...ugh!
I let one of our members be the Guinea pig for a beta test and apparently they work ok. I was encouraged to make these with the bell washer, so I am figuring those out. probably stainless steel. I know I'm singing the same old song but please be patient. I have drawn up a print from my samples and will get a quote from a CNC machine shop to produce quantities of 200+ at a time and see how it goes. I want to make them available as a lit of 4.
Just want everyone to know that Dakota Boy was instrumental in getting this off the launch pad...Martin

[YellowRose]

Brass Window Rollers?

John ~ V-John, you said you were going to order the metal rollers from Casco. Did you, and if so, did they work right for you? Has anyone tried using these on their front windows or the back ones?

Just to review things regarding the roller situation on those rear quarter windows..

Gregg ~ Dakota Boy said "that "Fuz" Johnson ~ tmjsong on this site had warned against using the repro. nylon rollers on the rear qtr. window assemblies for obvious reasons. He also told me that the metal ones wouldn't work a whole lot better, and that the best plan is to use some fabricated brass rollers. Gregg also said the only good thing about the nylon rollers is that you get all the metal peices with them; the clip, the bevelled washer, etc. So if you need the metal clips and hardware, Keep the metal bits and throw the nylon piece in the trash. As a side note, I would say the brass rollers would only really be needed for the quarter windows; I'm pretty sure the metal CASCO ones mentioned above would be fine for the door windows."

So keep that information in mind. Now that Martin ~ 60 T-Bird has returned from his sea voyage, hopefully he will be able to get sets made up for us to buy. He said he would work on it. It appears that the Casco steel metal ones will work in the front windows, so we would only need the brass set for the rear quarter windows.

Dave looked in the Ford Parts Manual and found this info for these window rollers. Ford Part No. BA 7023240-A (1953-1959) C0AB 6423240-B (1960-On). "Fuz" just said this in an email to me.

The roller design was changed by '64 and do not resemble the 58-60 rollers in any way. I do not know anything about the '61-63's."

[60 T-Bird]

Ya and as usual I apologize for dragging my feet. The shop is functioning and I am ordering a hydraulic press so I can form the dish washers which will be stainless steel.
Does anyone know the technical name for the clips? I call them butterfly clips but when I google it, only pretty hair clips come up. What are they called?

[YellowRose]

Brass Window Rollers?

Martin, I do not know the name of that clip, but hopefully someone will. If not, I will call one of the Tbird parts houses tomorrow and see if they can tell me the name of that clip. There has to be a name for that clip, I would think. Here is a picture of the roller assembly. This roller is made from nylon. I got that picture off of http://www.thunderbirdparts.com/ website, as I recall.

[YellowRose]

Brass Window Rollers?

I have been researching the name of the metal clip. It always seems to come as part of the window regulator roller assembly, but it is known as the Roller Retaining Clip, or the Spring Clip Retainer. By googling images of the first name, I came up with more images of the window regulator roller assembly. I normally would not post an ebay listing here, but my suggestion is to buy a set of 6 of these rollers just to get the clips off them and throw the plastic rollers away, Martin. You will find several listings on ebay for these rollers, and here is the cheapest one. The part # listed is for the 1960 version, but it is the clips you want and not the rollers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-pcs-Ford-M...00634e&vxp=mtr

I am checking with Auveco to see if they sell these clips by themselves, but have not been able to get in contact with the right person there yet. Note: I heard back from Auveco. They do not sell the clips separately. They come as part of the roller assembly. That seems to be the case for everyone else who sells them. Dave tells me that you cannot order directly from Auveco. You have to order from one of their distributors.

Dave ~ simplyconnected is smarter than I am. He said that we don't need to buy the plastic rollers or the brass rollers when Martin makes them, with the E Clip, or Spring Clip Retainer or the Roller Retaining Clip, which ever you prefer to call it. Just pull the clip out of the old rollers you are replacing and re-use them! They should not have gone bad! That solves the clip problem...

[Tbird1044]

I did some looking around and checked McMaster Carr and also Grainger. Found a few things close, but nothing that would work. I think these clips are very specific to the roller design, and in the long run it is probably easier to buy the cheap nylon rollers, throw the nylon away, and save the beveled washer and retaining clip. As Dave already stated, the clips very seldom go bad and can easily be reused.
Just my thoughts.
Nyles

[yellow98cobra]

Martin...

Please let us know when you start producing these Window rollers as I would like a complete set. Thank You, Eric

[Joe Johnston]

I mentioned early on in this thread,
CASCO has them available. Metal roller, washer, spring, and clip for $8.50 ea. item 23240M should see it in their online catalog www.classictbird.com.

They are suppliers for Little Bird parts and these rollers look the same to me. Perhaps someone could compare the actual Ford part numbers in the books, or order one to compare??

[YellowRose]

Brass Window Rollers?

Thanks for the reminder, Joe. Someone said that these metal rollers from CASCO do not work that well on the rear quarter windows. They were made for the front windows of the Baby Birds, which does not have the rear quarter windows. However, if push comes to shove and you need new rollers, it might be worth trying them to see if they will do the trick. As for Nyles comment about saving the retaining clip AND the beveled washer from the plastic units, I had forgotten about that beveled washer. You will need that also.