You will need a good drill and a steady hand to drill out the existing rivets. I used a 5/32 drill bit because I was going to use Olympia rivets to install the window. Olympia rivets can come from Vintage Trailer Supply. You will need a tube of Vulkem for your caulking gun. I got the old style Vulkem that has a long set up time from Inland Supply. The newer Vulkem from VTS would probably do the job as well (it does set up faster than the traditional Vulkem). You will need a good rivet tool to pull the rivets. Check with VTS for this. I have used a Harbor Freight tool, but I recommend better. You want enough leverage to make pulling the rivets less of a chore.
Get a center punch and put a small dimple in each of the existing rivets, then drill the rivets out staying as close to perpendicular to the frame as you can. Remove the frame from the trailer and clean out the old sealant, glass shards, etc. You want a clean area for the new window to go in.
Take your new window and make a trial fit to check for problems. I found that the new window was slightly different from the old one in curvature, but fit the area reasonably well. I didn't think the stress from riveting would damage the new window. Naturally, the rivet holes did not line up so decisions had to be made about rivets. I lucked out in that I could use the holes in the new window for riveting without a lot of problems. The way Olympic rivets work gives you a little leeway as they open into three 'legs' that fasten the parts together.
Once you are ready to put the window in place and start riveting, put Vulkem generously in the frame the window will sit in. I put a rivet in at each corner by drilling through the hole in the frame of the new window into the window frame of the trailer, inserting the rivet, and setting it. You will probably need a helper to hold the window in place until you get these four rivets in. Drill the subsequent holes and rivet away. As you rivet, Vulkem will squeeze out giving you a slight mess to clean up, but less likely to give you a leak in the window. It doesn't hurt to put a dab of Vulkem under the head of the rivet before you insert it into the hole and start pulling the assembly together. Olympia rivets are more prone to leak than bucked rivets, but they are what you almost have to use here.
The mandrel for the rivets breaks off about 1/4 inch above the head of the rivet. There is a tool that will round the stub off and make the rivet look like a bucked rivet head. The tool is expensive (check VTS) but you CAN clip the stub close to the head and gently file it down to contour it. Your choice.
Oh yes. Spend the money to buy or make the protection for those front windows. You don't want to do this twice.
__________________
1966 Airstream Caravel
2006 Toyota Tacoma
|