Overnight my drivers side window dropped/ opened about 4 inches on it's own. The window winder just turns in circles operating nothing. So the winder (called the pinion shaft in the book) is no longer connected to the semi circular gear that operates the arm to the lever that raises and lowers the window. Can someone tell me how the winder (pinion) should be connected to the gear? (The book is unclear on this). I'm assuming a screw at the back of the winder has come adrift disconnecting a small drive gear? that operates the main gear driving the window? Would this be correct?
Of course access is very tight so I can't get in and feel if anything has dropped to the bottom of the door. To make matters worse, to remove the entire mechanism, the window has to be completely lowered to remove the vent window glass and frame in order to remove the winder mechanism. No matter what I do I can't lower the window more than 1/2 way so I'm completely stuck..
Can somebody offer some advice please, I don't know how to proceed.
To make matters worse I'm only operating with 1 and 1/2 hands, I've a damaged nerve in my left hand...
Thanks
Michael
Edit.
I have worked out the main window gear is meant to mesh directly with a gear within the window winder which is not happening. So I thought if I remove the spring from the main gear I could insert a large screwdriver it's slot and manually wind the window down that way. Wrong, I sheared half the spring shaft off when I put leverage on the shaft..

I'm guessing some of the gear teeth within the winder were worn enough for the main gear to drop out of mesh allowing the window to drop and the gear to fall down. Now I'm still stuck trying to lower the glass so I can remove the innards but nothing will budge..
Help!