About to take the door card off and just wondering if anyone has some ideas on what could cause the window to be hard to crank up and down. Starts easy and then it feels like something is binding.

 

Grease.........old grease dries up gets hard

Or.... Plastic parts can be worn... Or broken. Old plastic gets brittle

 

Use Ford mini vent lube and lube the channels that the window runs in
Makes them work like a greased pig

 

You can use that mini vent lube without taking the door panel off
Carefully drip some down each channel and work the window up and down working the lube into the felts

 

I've squirted WD-40 down the channels before as well..... If it helps temporarily that's an indication of where a problem might or might not be....

 

I ordered the Ford mini vent oil, $25 on Amazon and it showed up opened in the package. Lol yeah that was a mess! Waiting on a replacement and will try it. And of course they want the old one back when they sent a replacement. I put it all into a couple zip lock bags and boxed it up. They’re gonna love opening up that box.

 

It's just some real thick silicone I think
You can still get it at the Ford dealer
Not sure how much from Ford these days
Funny story
I was over in Maui visiting the folks when my dads brand new Honda Accord had sticky windows (possibly brackish water from the sprinklers)
He had it into the dealer numerous times, and they could NOT fix it
I told him I could fix it in 5 minutes if I had some of the stuff (Ford Mini Vent Lube)
Went to the local Ford dealer on Maui and bought some, fixed his window
He was thrilled and went to show the boys at Honda (they were golf buddies anyway)
They were so thrilled, they wanted the stuff and a part number
Live and learn is what we all do
Another good one
I learned "bump key" from a tow truck driver

 

I would have tried some from the broken bottle, don't take much?
Then I would have sent it back and asked for my money back.
I would have tried this, https://www.homedepot.com/pep/WD-40-...vD_BwE#overlay

I spray this on a rag and wipe all my rubber on all my vehicles works great. Say your doors freeze shut in the winter, wipe this on the door rubber and problem solved.
I do all my vehicles right before the winter. I wipe my windshield wiper blades too, keeps them from drying out. I use on the garage rollers works great , make them open easier, I don't have a garage door opener, but even if you do it works great sprayed on the rollers.