Side Sliding and Fixed Window Repair

[GlenCoombe]

Kent, looking forward to your photo's. Also I'm looking at working up in the "Triad" and will start to work in the Winston-Salem area the week after Thanksgiving after we return from West Virginia. Looking forward to meeting you and to comparing some of our projects.

[Chaplain Kent]

The snow is piling up and the wind is flying. The plastic on Chummy's windows blew away once and has been replaced with cardboard. I will have to use scarpers to remove the duct tape residue on the polished body after it is finaly removed.
I limp out to work on this ill fated project today only to find that the gray window wiper which I have been waiting for and Airstream told me was the correct part is WRONG! Not only did it take them almost a week of not returning phone calls to my having to call several different people and still having to wait several more days until MaryAnn figured it out and said she had the right part #s. Then I had to order it from a dealer and had it second day air shipped to me. The part is wrong! Am I mad? you bet. On the front of my Mmotorhome it says Airstream and all over the inside it says Airstream. Why can I not call Airsteam and get service and reliable part#s? Now I am stuck with this worthless vinyl wiper since it was cut.
Due to the weather and since I am hoping to take a trip this December I started to put the windows back together using the old wipers. They were not to worn and I will gladly tell everyone who asks why they are not replaced that Airstream as a corporation does not give good customer service.

[balrgn]

Man you do have the luck! From your post, knowing you, you must REALLY be upset. Sorry things are not going well!

[GlenCoombe]

I feel your pain Kent. Opened the box from Inland RV today and in with my front cab curtain track was by "grey" window trim....NOT!! Some big black ugly weatherstrip that I know could never be a window weather strip. It's so big you could almost use it for an engine cover gasket.
I got a part number for Airstream letters today and wonder now if it's going to be right?
BTW I've been waiting now for two months for the right Generac remote switch with hour meter to arrive at my AS dealer. Told them today that it was really getting old having to get in and out of the coach to operate the genset.
Now that you mention limping ... how are you mending. One good thing about getting your blood presure up over the parts issue is that it will speed you healing.

[alfalsetto]

Sorry about your "Chummy". I was thinking about the snow up here in NorthWest Washington. So I'll do mine in spring and I think that I'll do one window at a time so I'll don't run it to the same thing you got in to (snow & wind) having all the window out at one time.

[Chaplain Kent]

Glen
Interesting that you should mention your Airstream dealer. We have a new Airstream dealer in Milwaukee, Ewalds Airstream. I stopped there over six weeks ago and talked with the service manager. He took notes and the VIN# from Chummy and promised a call me in a day or so. I am still waiting for that call. You are in sales and I am certain you understand the importance of the little phrase- "DWYSYWD turn it around and it comes back to you."
Do What You Say You Will Do.
Thanks for your concern with my leg, I am doing very well.

[GlenCoombe]

I make it a point to tell all my customers that the toll free number rings on my cell phone. I tell them that I do not generally answer while I'm with a customer as one of my pet peeves is when I take the time to go somewhere to do business and the phone rings and the call gets priority.
I make it a habit to return calls as soon as I'm back on the road and also check my email as much as five times a day.
Toll free phone, toll free fax, email, so if you can't reach me it's because I'm out of range, out of time, or on vacation....

Hope the window project doesn't delay your departure for NC. Looking forward to meeting with you.

Glen

P.S. Don't forget to shoot a photo of your back window.

[Chaplain Kent]

Yesterday with the help of my daughter we got all the windows replaced. Chummy has no more plastic or cardboard taped to his shiny body. Hopefully I will get the bottom channels, and one of my kids will stop by to climb the ladder to screw in the outside fixed windows today. The end is near.

[Chaplain Kent]

I am finished!!! All but the screens and the interior trim panels oh yeah and the clean up.
Step by step here we go:
1. Drill out rivets on interior trim panels and remove. Check to be certain that the holes are empty to ensure that you can easily re-rivet the trim panel.
2. Remove screen by gently prying the frame inward.
3. Remove the screw holding the plastic bottom slide channel and gently pry up the end of the channel. Grab hold of this end and pull it out.
4. Remove the screw holding the upper plastic slide channel. Note you may not see a channel most of mine had disintegrated but the screws were there and there were small pieces. Remove channel in same fashion as bottom.
5. On the outside of the coach there are two screws holding the fixed window on the front side frame, remove them. Next remove the three screws in each of the top and bottom outside brackets. Do not loose these screws!
6. From the inside using a flat screwdriver and a putty knife gently pry the inside window out of its track from the bottom and remove it.
7. From the outside, gently pry the fixed window out of its track from the bottom and remove it.
8. Scrape away all the old black channel and clean glue residue.
9. Clean off old fuzzy dust seal and apply new seal to fixed window.
10. This is a great time to polish and paint the window frames.
11. I used 8' strips of AS 126896 window channel to replace the channel which was there. I also used a 3M adhesive. This is a 2 person job since the adhesive must be placed on both the channel and the frame.
12. Burn a hole through the weep hole area on the channels so water can weep through.
13. Re-install the windows in the reverse manner.
14. Cut a strip of 3/8 " round foam to fill empty area on bottom of fixed window.
15. Put back the bottom slide channels after spraying them with silicone spray.
16. Put back screws on outside of fixed window, top and bottom bracket and outside frame.
17 Re-install screens and trim panel, tip- paint your trim panels and rivets to match.
One more tip is to number the windows and frames. I did not do this and found it would have been easier to put the same window back in the exact frame it came out of.
The windows are tight but will be tighter when I can think of something to put on the inside top to replace the top track. I had to re-use the old gray vinyl wipers on the indie and outside since Airstream could not come up with a part#. If I ever find this part I will take the windows out and replace it. The last thing is the weep hole covers. I will screw on the screens for now and hope to come up with some idea in the future.

[alfalsetto]

"I like your little helper"

[ALANSD]

looks like another good job almost overwith ...always feels good to get one behind you. Luckily my window tracks are still in good shape, and need the vertical rubber wiper only.The front ones were doone last summer.
As for the vertical grey stuff--Not a part we can find?

[Chaplain Kent]

Here is the link for the fuzzy wiper and the fuzzy channel I used in for this job. After our first long trip and in the winter I can attest to the tight seal we have on our windows. Not only is it warmer but quieter the road noise was cut dramatically. I encourage you to patronize Steve as he expands his line of goods for our Classic Motor Homes. He is really dedicated to helping we owners of the old Airstream stuff.
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/...lts.asp?Cat=26

[thenewkid64]

I used 8' strips of AS 126896 window channel to replace the channel which was there. I also used a 3M adhesive. This is a 2 person job since the adhesive must be placed on both the channel and the frame.

Where did you find this stuff, and how much was it????

I need to get some to redo all the windows in my MH and had given up on on ever finding it.

BTW, Great step by step!

Thanks!

[Chaplain Kent]

See the post directly above yours. Vintage Trailer Supply. http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/...lts.asp?Cat=26