Crank windows to Power windows

Hello, I'm new to the forums and hope I'm asking in the correct place.

I have a 2004 Liberty with power windows. I have a 2003 Liberty with crank windows. I would like to swap out the power window hardware, electronics from the 04 to the 2003. Everything on the door frame lines up regarding regulator and door hardware. I'm just wondering if anyone has done this or is it possible to do? Is there a how to anywhere? I believe the wiring would all have to be done . It looks like it it a pretty big job. If anyone knows anything, that would be great!

Go for it! I'm assuming you're doing this to all of your windows - not positive, but I would imagine that the little space on the center console where the switches are would be free for you to use. However, I will say, KJ's have notoriously bad, and I mean BAD, window regulators. I'm not sure if it's just the power ones or not, but both of my backseat windows are shot on my 04 KJ. My sister had an 03 KJ and both of hers went too. I have a buddy who replaced his broken regulator and it broke a week later. He got his money back and went for a specific aftermarket brand with metal components instead of the cheapo plastic ones. I can't recall the brand he recommended but if I do, I'll post a link.

Good luck!

Zak said:

Go for it! I'm assuming you're doing this to all of your windows - not positive, but I would imagine that the little space on the center console where the switches are would be free for you to use. However, I will say, KJ's have notoriously bad, and I mean BAD, window regulators. I'm not sure if it's just the power ones or not, but both of my backseat windows are shot on my 04 KJ. My sister had an 03 KJ and both of hers went too. I have a buddy who replaced his broken regulator and it broke a week later. He got his money back and went for a specific aftermarket brand with metal components instead of the cheapo plastic ones. I can't recall the brand he recommended but if I do, I'll post a link.

Good luck!

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They are terrible. No doubt. Every one of my regulators has broken at some point. But they're very simple and quick to change. First one took me about an hour, could do one in under 5 minutes easy now..
You can get cheap ones off flee bay, but it's gambling. I have one that works well off eBay I bought for 45 but never get from one called "prime choice".
Looked no different in design than the others I've used, but broke within weeks.
1aauto.Com has pretty nice replacements that work well, fairly reasonably priced as well. I bought them in pairs on this site after replacing the back drivers twice over 6 years

As for the OP, there's liberty owners who have done just about everything out there to their libby's.
I'm not sure if there's a tutorial but what it would come down to is
If you take off your door panels(on the crank window) door you can look inside the door and see if there's an wiring connectors in there (other than power mirrors on drivers door if equipped). I'd look inside the passengers door for simplicity if not familiar with identifying a connector on wiring diagrams.
That way you only have to look inside one door for one connector.
If there's a connector inside the door, you should be able to plug and play motor/regulators.
If the wires are not there, you'll have to take the harness off the vehicle with power windows and swap it out with the other as well.
I've never been in a manual window libby, so can't confirm or deny, but would imagine the connectors are likely there or the harness is easy broken off from the main harness somewhere at a connector not in the door..
As for the switches for the doors, I'd imagine you could simply switch the center consoles so that you get the front and back switches and can just change them as a unit.

Its funny that some have issues with the windows regulators and say they are junk, then others have no issues.
My 04 with 221,000 miles bought it new, still original, same with the 03 at 95,000 and the 05 with 98,000 miles. All original and all still working

tommudd said:

Its funny that some have issues with the windows regulators and say they are junk, then others have no issues.
My 04 with 221,000 miles bought it new, still original, same with the 03 at 95,000 and the 05 with 98,000 miles. All original and all still working

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Don't jinx yourself early! :emotions33:

I don't think the regulators are junk, just the way the cable for the motor is attached to them..

I'm taking them off the 04 with 400,000kms on it. They still seem to work fine. There are no wires or harnesses in the 03 crank window doors. The wires are missing from the connector in the door also. So i'd have to run right from the doors. I can use both front and rear consoles to swap out but the wiring seems to run under the floor from the rear pillars. Not sure where to hook up to the power either. Maybe out into the engine relay/fuse box? This may be more work/time than I anticipated. Too bad they didn't at least have the wires in place. Guess that would be too easy. Would like to see some pics of wiring for the windows and where they run.
I did swap out the 2 rear door glasses as they were tinted. Also the rear hatch glass. Just can't get rear panel windows off as they as sealed in place. Not sure if I want to chance doing that.

There is a company that makes stronger window regulator for liberty.

http://www.steigerperformance.com/dif.cgi?SP13001


Anyone tried this? Seems good.


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Well if you want them that badly, might be able to drop the dashes and swap out the harnesses/fuse panels behind and run the new connectors into the doors, hook up the regulator/motors to them, but the rear, I'd imagine the wires probably run into the b-pillars and down to the floor. So might be looking at removing your seats to (very quick)..
For getting them power, the wires are run from the harness and fuse panels I previously mentioned. The windows would be powered by their respective port on the panel
Could be off somewhere but I figured might as well give you something to run off if you're unable to locate a thread or info about this.
You have a rear console??
So you have tinted back windows and rear gate but not the quarter glass?
They're not terrible to get out and put back on but if you've never installed glass with the correct epoxy or urethane you may want to have a certified tech do it.. and wouldn't imagine theyd charge you much for the 2 quarter glass if you take out the interior quarter trim for them to have ease of access to the backside of the glass dependant upon how they want to go about removing them.

Think I'm going to leave them the way they are. It seems like too much trouble and they'd probably break if I change them from what I'm hearing.
Thanks everyone!

Who needs power windows anyways? Lol