Anyone use SOS Window Guide Bushings?

Joined
17 March 2004
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158
Location
New Jersey
Hello Everyone,

Yes, another Slow Window Post....lol. Since, searching this site, I learned that the prime member who reverse engineered new window pulleys, etc., with some severe work has since been incommunicato, (truthfully, didn't want to do all that work....) and WD-40 posts, I came across Science of Speed Window Guide Bushings. Anyone use these and how have they held up for you?
Thank You!
 
I tried installing these a few years ago. You have to disassemble the wire cable to get them in place. I damaged my regulator when trying to put these in but some people have had success with them. Usually the tracks on the regulators are all bent. FYI, the Nsxshop sells brand new regulators for 420 bucks. I gave in and just bought new regulators after trying to mess with greasy gooey regulators for hours on end.
 
The SOS window guide bushing may help slightly in the speed of the windows but not much. They are designed to replace the plastic that degrades over time and help keep everything in alignment.

They were not very hard to install, but you should have a can of UREA grease on hand to relube.

The best solution for windows is new regulators, HUGABAGA window kit(which you may have mentioned) and new SOS guides.
 
New window regulators are a fix; but, new regulators are the exact same design as your old regulators and will over time become just like your old regulators.

The guides are a wear item. I would be inclined to give the combination of the SOS guides, a good cleaning of the regulator track and the application of the ridiculously expensive Honda Urea grease a go. Compared to the cost of new regulators its a low risk venture. You have to pull the doors apart to do either clean up of the regulators or replacement of the regulators. Once the old regulators are out, I probably spent an average of 1.5 hours to install my Hugo kit in each regulator (longer on the first, quicker on the second). If you are just doing the guides it should go much quicker. While its out, do check to make sure that the track for the regulator has not become bent - you will find a couple of posts dealing with this problem.

The Hugo kit improves the operation of the regulators. Compared to newer cars, the NSX windows are still slow; but, with the kit they are not as slow and operation is much smoother and quieter. However, just like the original windows it will be important to insure that the track remain clean and lubricated (the all important Urea grease). Hugo no longer appears to be active with kit production; however, I suspect that there were more kits purchased than installed because of the effort to do the install. I drove around with my kit in the trunk for a couple of years before finally getting motivated to install it. If you post an add in the wanted to buy parts section of Prime you might find someone who has the kit; but, does not want to do the installation.

Whether you do a complete Hugo kit or just guide replacement, do get the urea grease. Also, if you do this and clean up everything, make sure that you lubricate the little spool where the regulator attaches to the holder on the glass. I did my Hugo kit, reinstalled the regulator and did a test run and ended up with a loud 'pop' noise during operation of the window. There is a Honda TSB 93-004 that describes this noise and the fix. Simple lubrication of the spool so that it slides back and forth easily prevents the pop. Easy to do with everything out of the door - a pain if you discover the problem after you have put the door liner back on.

If you have a 1991 or 1992 NSX, there were some design issues with those regulators. Apparently there was a recall / good will replacement? Check to make sure that you don't still have one of those early regulators. If you do, then outright replacement would be the better option.

Final word of caution, unless you are sure that you have a glass alignment problem, do not mess with the alignment of the door glass in order to try and improve things. If you think pulling the regulator apart to replace the guides is significant effort, its minor in comparison to aligning the glass the correct way as set out in the service manual.
 
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Thanks Guys!

Yeah, I just wanted to avoid doing the whold HUGABUGA (hugo) kit, because of all the labor into fixing each side. I presume I should try taking the door panel off, cutting the plastic liner or removing it (which might be difficult to reattach perfectly)? and then to clean all tracks? I bought some 3M Silicone paste to maybe lube the tracks with. When I get to it, that is when this weather finally warms up, I shall post results of this Silicone paste. I just asked because I didn't know how much of a difference SOS window slides really made......
 
Don't cut the plastic liner. The mastic that Honda uses will probably stay sticky and gooey until the 22nd century so you should be able to carefully peel it back. The mastic is stringy as hell and can get over everything and is miserable to clean up. Having someone to hold one end of the liner so it doesn't drop down and get mastic on things that you don't want mastic on while you pull it off the door frame is useful. If you do cut the liner, do a large straight X across the door so that it is easier to tape back together with sheathing tape (no duct tape thank-you). If you cut the liner and then decide you want to replace it, they are mind buggeringly expensive - for a sheet of plastic.

You talk about cleaning all the tracks. Are you talking about the guide tracks for the glass plus the track on which the regulator runs? I didn't touch the guide for the glass. If you look at the service manual, I think that you will find that the guides for the glass are pretty inaccessible for cleaning (the open part of the guide faces to the outside door skin). With the glass in the up position, you might be able to spray silicon into the guide track with a long straw - others may be able to advise. I also expect that the regulator track is extremely difficult to access for a good cleaning with it still in the door.

Honda Urea grease is the generally agreed upon (Honda and Larry B.) best solution for this application . It is expensive; but, this is not a fun job and not something you want to be repeating. Feel free to experiment with the silicon; but, if the results don't last, 'we told you so'.

Have a look at the Hugabuga DIY youtube video for the regulator fix. The pictures of the door will give you an idea of how hard it is going to be to get at the regulator track with the regulator still in the door - unless you have slender hands with really long fingers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSzUMkjHv5w
 
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