Thanks-
Yest the sound IS annoying!

It's difficult to push the front up while driving (after having lowered the window for some reason), but when stopped, it's easy for one person to grasp the glass of the opened door (on both sides) while another runs the switch.

If I had my tools (they are in storage pending completion of a house many states away from our old home), I could likely cut the rear arm, and either overlap it, or remove a section (maybe 1/2") and mig weld them together (overlapped, or butted if sectioned) to restore the F/R relationship (the minor play at the pivot would be irrelevant then) as long as the range of the regulator would permit an extra 1/2" extension.

There is almost zero play at the pivot, so yes, any used one would be suspect unless first tried.

Thanks for the link- Amazingly I mentioned MY car in that thread 2.5 years ago before I got fed-up enough to pull the door apart myself! I'd forgotten participating.

Seems a common problem, but with parts no longer available, a PITA since used units likely have play.

I am not sure if "ovalling" out the mounting bolt holes would help, but w/o tools now, it's a moot point.

I would think either welding in a small extension to the front arm, or sectioning out a small one on the rear arm would be a more-or-less permanent fix (beside lubing the "X" pivot point), but it would require tools (I don't have at hand now). Maybe someone could try it and report back? It could be done w/ the regulator in-place and would likely take under an hour's time to try. (cut the arm w/ a 4 1/2" disc grinder w/ a thin metal cutting blade and take the paint off w/ a knotted brush on same grinder).

I have fixed GM regulators in-place (they break loose at the "X") with mig welding, so I know it's possible.

For now I'll just elect to slowly go deaf I guess...