can i cut the window hinge?

[adwriter73]

I pulled all the windows out to replace the gaskets. The track of one of the window frames has a slight kink in it. Not sure why, but it is now impossible to get the window hinge to clip back in -- me and my dad tried for an hour. The "kink" is on the very corner, meaning, if I cut off about 1/2 an in hinge so that there's no part of the hinge in that area that needs to "hook" on, then it should work. The rest of the hinge clips in fine. Obviously, I'm nervous about doing this because I can't replace that hinge. Advice? See the pic below for a a visual of what I want to cut.

[Kevin245]

I suppose you could cut it...but it seems that if it came off then it should go back on unless it was damaged during the removal or cleaning process. Do you recall how easily it came off?

If it were mine I'd avoid cutting it. I can't see the damage very well in the photograph. Perhaps you could get another shot or two of the area.

Kevin

[CanoeStream]

I'm not sure I see a specific problem from your picture. As Kevin asked -- any enlargements or perspectives to show it better? It's difficult to guess if simply cutting off part of the rail will solve this.

I took off the rear window on my Argosy to replace gaskets and struggled mightily to get it back on. This probably was due to shell distortion from rear end separation in my case.

[Minno]

I had trouble getting all of the windows back on our '72 Sovereign after taking them off to clean and install new gaskets. Some of them you need to hold in the open position as far as they would go to slide back into the hinge, while others worked at about a 45 degree angle above horizontal. If you cut part of the hinge off, then the window will be able to slide forward and backward in the hinge. There are stops in the frame that you need to center the hinge in between. Then, for most of our windows, holding them at the 45 degree angle I mentioned, plus pushing up on the center and then the outside edges of the hinge popped them back into place. It was a two person operation, with one of us holding the window, and the other one guiding and then pushing the hinge upwards back into place.

Chris

[adwriter73]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

I'm not sure I see a specific problem from your picture. As Kevin asked -- any enlargements or perspectives to show it better? It's difficult to guess if simply cutting off part of the rail will solve this.

I took off the rear window on my Argosy to replace gaskets and struggled mightily to get it back on. This probably was due to shell distortion from rear end separation in my case.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The picture doesn't show the problem. It just shows what I want to cut. The problem is the track/frame on the exterior of the trailer. I can't get a shot of it. In fact, you can't see it. But, if you run your finger along the inside of the the track, you can feel it bend in slightly right at the stop. I think it is bent in just enough that the hinge won't "grab" on.

[VIKING]

The aluminum is soft enough to be filed or sanded if it's only a very small kink in the end of the track. I wouldn't cut it as it probably contributes to keeping the water running away from your interior.

Rich the Viking

[Lumatic]

If there is a kink I would think it could be bent straight, maybe with a needlenose.

Are you sure you are lifting the window high enough to get the hinge parts to mate? You need to go pretty high past 90 degrees.

[ts8501]

My Hehr Mark 12's go in and out at a 90 degree angle. Covered on posts 23-26 here.