Here is an old response from Can-Am RV
Can Am RV | Headingley, MB CANADA | RV Sales, Rentals & Service | The Leaders in RV Sales,and Service on working with Vista View windows.
From Can-Am RV - date unknown
Glad to be of assistance. We have been fixing these windows using this
method for about 15 years with good success and no leaks.
We have had a gasket material custom made to fill the space in the frame
when the inner glass is removed. This material costs $3.00 Canadian or
$2.00 U.S. per foot to purchase if you would like some you can order it
from Sandy (parts@can- am-rv.com or 800 709 2931) and have it shipped
UPS. You need the smaller size for snap ring windows and the larger for
windows without the snap ring on the inside.
All of this is done without removing the aluminium frame from the
trailer thereby not disturbing the original caulking where the frame
fastens to the trailer shell.
WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AND GLOVES. It does not happen very often but every
once in a while one of the outer safety glasses explodes, it will throw
glass 100' if it does.
1972:
The first year Double Pane Vista View Windows were available was 1972
and these trailers actually had a plastic inner pane with its own frame.
So on a 72 you can remove the inner vista view pane and just clean off
the damaged tint on the inside of the outer pane. It is quit simple and
the finished product looks good.
Snap ring windows; 1973 & 1974 a few early 75's
These windows have an aluminium snap ring on the inside which is fairly
easy to remove. Once it is out you can pry out the plastic inner pane
and start cleaning out the caulking around the edges eventually you will
be able to push the outer pane through to the inside and remove it
completely.
Clean the inside of the frame out completely and wipe it with a solvent
so that it is totally clean, make certain that the solvent does not run
down the outside of the unit and damage the lacquer. Next clean the
glass off completely (you can remove the remains of the old tint with a
razor blade) and wipe it off with a solvent such as lacquer thinner as
well.
Coat all of the inside surfaces of the window frame with about a 1/8"
thick layer of silver silicone sealant. Take the clean glass and push
it into the silicone and then push in the rubber gasket(smaller size)
that will take up the extra space in the frame. Then all that is
necessary is to clean off the excess silicone on the inside and out and
let the remainder harden. The trailer should be kept dry for 6 hours
and not be towed for 48 hours.
1975-1984 Non Snap Ring Windows - Glass Inner Pane.
These windows are the most difficult to do. The inner pane is glass set
in the gooiest caulking you have ever seen. First you need to break the
inner pane with a hammer and a screw driver near the edge, don't go
through and break the outer pane. The larger chunks of glass in the
middle will drop out easily but the small shards of glass stuck in the
caulking need to be pulled out one at a time with pliers.
There is a soft plastic moulding in the frame that goes from the outside
of the outer pane through to the inside of the frame, you will see a lip
of it on between the outer frame and the glass. Cut the lip off of the
outside by running a sharp knife all around the inside edge of the
frame. Then it you grab the moulding on the inside with pliers you can
pull it out of the frame with the last of the glass pieces and the gooey
caulking.
Unlike the snap ring windows the outer glass will not come out through
the inside frame so you need to clean the glass and the frame with it in
there loose. Clean the inside of the frame out completely and wipe it
with a solvent so that it is totally clean, make certain that the
solvent does not run down the outside of the unit and damage the
lacquer. Next clean the glass off completely (you can remove the
remains of the old tint with a razor blade) and wipe it off with a
solvent such as lacquer thinner as well.
Coat all of the inside surfaces of the window frame with about a 1/8"
thick layer of silver silicone sealant. Take the clean glass and push
it into the silicone and then push in the rubber gasket (larger size)
that will take up the extra space in the frame. Then all that is
necessary is to clean off the excess silicone on the inside and out and
let the remainder harden. The trailer should be kept dry for 6 hours
and not be towed for 48 hours.
There you have it. It is not a job for the faint hearted but it is more
tedious than difficult. When it is done with the rubber gasket in place
it looks professional, like the factory made it that way. If you do not
wish to attempt the operation yourself we can do it for you here at
Can-Am but the labor can add up if you have several windows to do.
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