Window Guide tip

Just replaced my window guides after my driver side window fell off it's tracks. What a chore dealing with new aftermarket window clips. I hope my experience can be of some help on this issue

After trial and error, I ended up using two different types of window guide clips bought at AutoZone and O'Reilly's: the ones that look smooth (like the broken ones I was replacing) and the ones that have the ears. I used the eared one in the rear part of the window so it wouldn't slip out when rolling the window down. I used the smooth one in the front of the window because the eared one caused the window not to roll up and down very smoothly. Having the non-eared smooth clip in the front worked better for me.

Fitment was an issue on the aftermarket clips. I ruined a couple of guides trying to get them to work properly. The solution became evident after nothing fit correctly. It required some minor modifications and testing of the snaps while off the window. After the modifications were done, the clips went from impossible to snap together to snapping together with just thumb and forefinger.

There are these raised plastic tabs on the inside hinge/binding where the clip meets the edge of the window. I used an Exacto knife/razor to slice off those raised tabs. After I cut that excess plastic off, the male and female snaps reached further in and were better centered on the hole in the glass. Both types of guides could now snap together much easier with less interference. The smooth guide clip went on easily and snapped together easily by hand. The eared clip required a bit further modification. I took an awl to the female snap to slightly open up the plastic hole and I rounded the male head of the snap with a pair of needle nose pliers to scrape it down to a slightly smaller diameter. After doing all of that, it also snapped together by hand.

That was my solution in helping me avoid wasting any more time on the project. The job is done to my satisfaction and the window glides up and down like it did before it was a problem.