Trouble with replacement glazing strip

[Jacob D.]

I'm working on replacing the destroyed window seals on my 1964 Overlander. The windows are Hehr and look just like the ones described here.

I ordered new glazing strip & bulb seal from Vintage Trailer Supply, and went to work on the smallest window (in the kitchen).

The butyl bedding worked fine, and I got the glass seated in the frame. But when I went to put in the glazing strip, I could get it in and flush with the frame, but then the lip that goes over the glass was about 1/8th of an inch away from the glass surface. The channel it goes in was clear & clean. No matter what I did, even though I could get it into the channel, and the stripping looked right from the top, there was a still a gap between it and the glass. That doesn't seem right to me and certainly doesn't match the front window which has an intact original glazing strip.

Am I doing something wrong, is the glass too thin, the butyl bedding too thin, or am I just not getting it far enough into the channel? (I can't see how that last could be since it's flush with the window frame on top.)

This is a photo of the window, although it's hard to see the problem.

I broke the pane in the process, oh well. I already had to replace the rear window as it was.

(On the other hand, the bulb seal went in just great! Small victories, etc.)

[TomW]

I have no first-hand knowledge of how your task should be accomplished. But I will toss out some ideas that would cross my mind if I were in your position. If nothing else, it will give the more-seasoned Airstreamers something to shoot at.

You're in California. How's the weather? A hot day would be better for installing plastic and/or rubber parts. If optimum weather is not available, you may want to heat the parts with a lamp or an oven on "warm".

Perhaps lubricating the parts prior to installation? Silicone spray, available at car parts stores, comes to mind. I have also seen denatured alcohol used as a lubricant when it is important to leave no residue behind.

Good luck,
Tom

[Jacob D.]

I'll try a silicone-based lubricant and maybe heating the silicone strip a little. I can only assume I'm not getting it far enough into the channel, but it's hard to see that.

I'm going to replace the ordinary window glass with a tempered piece which should be a bit more resistant to breaking as I try to get the glazing strip in, and anyway will be safer. If it works out I'll probably do the other seven windows with tempered as well...

[uwe]

I just did the same job on a 1963 Overlander. Same windows, as far as I know.
I can post a few pics tomorrow, don't have them here right now.

Anyways, it's just sort of a bear to get the glazing bead to fit into the channel. The original was a plastic profile, very thin and rigid. The replacement is made from rubber, and the retainer tangs at the rear of the profile are just a hair too stout to effortlessly slip into the groove of the window frame.
I used a bent pick tool from a 4-piece pick set made by snap on. Here is a cheap equivalent from Harbor freight. The tool in question is the first one on the left.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=34328
It takes a certain "mojo" to get the seal to go into it's intended groove. I could do 1 window at a time, my fingertips hurt so bad afterwards.
Anyways, put the material in the inner groove, and then sort of guide the
outside lip into the outer groove while running the tool along the groove, pushing the lip down the whole time. You need to follow with your other hand and push the material all the way in. It is an annoyingly tight fit.
I used a high grade silicone spray for the job, but only spray 8in at a time, the silicone dries quickly.
Be careful not to stretch the bead. It will shrink later and leave ugly miter joints in the corners. I know....
Good luck!

[uwe]

Originally Posted by jacobwellcom

I'll try a silicone-based lubricant and maybe heating the silicone strip a little. I can only assume I'm not getting it far enough into the channel, but it's hard to see that.

The glazing bead is definitely easier to work when the ambient temps are pleasant. I layed mine in the sun for a while before fighting with it.

[Jacob D.]

I did finally get one section into the channel fully with some silicone lubricant and the aid of a screwdriver - it was a mess, but that was with a piece of stripping I had already ruined and in the window with the broken glass anyway, so it was just to see if I could get it in at all. But it was good to see that it did go into the channel fully & seal against the glass if I just put my back into it...

I'll give it a try with something like the tools you're talking about. Maybe a plastic pressing tool would help without marking it the way the metal tools did, or risking breaking the glass.