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art · 04-03-2003, 04:46 PM

well i tried to remove the inner pane and it was going well. I gave a little pull un the inside gasket and bam it was all over .I just dont know what to do now.first it was fogged up .now its broken.its a 77 soverign31

Craig · 04-03-2003, 05:26 PM

Are both panes broken, or just the inner pane?

art · 04-03-2003, 05:34 PM

thanks craig yes the inner one broke fine but the outer one broke while i pulled the broken pieces off the inside gasket .any Ideas would be appreciated

Inland RV Center, In · 04-03-2003, 05:42 PM

New Vista View single pane windows are available from your dealer.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

art · 04-03-2003, 05:50 PM

THanks Andy I guess Im going to finally get into the whole rivit thing.Should I have not touched that gasket?In addition to the window,What do you suggest I get? dont say a new trailer please.

Inland RV Center, In · 04-03-2003, 05:57 PM

The degree of success repairing a vista view window is very small. That's why dealers won't do it.

Granted a replacement is not cheap, but "it does" fix the problem.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

art · 04-03-2003, 06:11 PM

Any Idea what I might expect to pay for a new window?Is there some kind of kit available?

Inland RV Center, In · 04-03-2003, 06:26 PM

What size Vista View window did you break?

There are 3 sizes.

If it's a medium (about 30" wide) it cost's a little over $200.00. Additionally, you will need a tube of "vulkem" sealer and some "olympic" rivets. Then of course, you should paint the new metal frame with "plasticote." (More money.)

Glass only has never been and never will be available by itself.

There are two kits available.

One is called a "check book."

The other is called a "credit card."

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

art · 04-03-2003, 06:34 PM

thank you Andy .Looks Like I need a kit.

garry · 04-03-2003, 06:49 PM

Art;
When I had to go the rivet way I used a Dremal tool to round over the rivit. I understand there is a special tool that does a professional job but it cost around $180. That's a lot for a one time use. I wonder if someone on the forum rents or loans out one of the tools ???
At best the Dremal is OK.

Garry

pap · 04-03-2003, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Glass only has never been and never will be available by itself.

Andy I guess you mean from Airsteam or dealer network right?

what is so special about this glass?
glass only is available at every glass shop in the world isn't it?
I know they can cut curved shapes at some shops, right?

Doesnt seem that safety or tempered would be absolutely necessary if it was on the outside and plexi was on the inside? Or would it?

Or what about Lexan or Plexi for both?

Then perhaps the safety or tempered could be specialordered in the right shape??

Chas · 04-03-2003, 09:34 PM

Pap,

While Andy is pulling his hair out I will give it a jab. The glass has a ever so slight curvature to it, not a flat piece with radiused corners as it appears to be. By the time you go through all the trouble getting one cut and tempered it would still not have the right curvature and would end up costing as much or even more as a correct factory replacement. I guess you could be frugal and replace it with Acrylite or Lexan but it is just what you are most comfortable with. Contrary to Andy's experience I have successfully repaired the vista views on my Overlander but if you end up breaking the glass like Art you will need to buy a new one, frame and all, from Airstream.

Chas

pap · 04-04-2003, 01:20 AM

Well Chas that makes very good sense. Yes I did think they were flat.
Art's misfortune,Andy's reply and your explanation will make me be a real careful glazier.

74Tradewind · 04-04-2003, 02:43 PM

I "fixed" my vista view windows myself. I took out the retaining band on the inside, removed the plastic inside panel, and the outer glass window simply dropped into my hand.

I cleaned the outer pane of the cruddy film on the inside. When I went to put it back into place there was nothing but vulkem holding it to the outer frame. I just used vulkem again and put the window in place. After it was dry I put a band of foam on the glass and reinstalled the plastic lens and the retaining band.

I did not have to remove any rivets and did not even see why you would have to.

Was there sometning to hold the glass in place on the inside other than vulkem? I did not seen anything other than vulkem.

Ciao, Brian

art · 04-04-2003, 03:53 PM

I still have 1 more to fix . can you remove the material between the glass ,or just the inside pane?I shure appreciate everyones help. I really thought I had it up to the last few seconds .

74Tradewind · 04-04-2003, 04:21 PM

I would think you could find a used outer pane and install it.

I would have removed only the inside plastic if the outer glass would have stayed in place. I don't think that you should pull on the edges of the outer glass to get it to come off the frame. If you can get a razor blade between the glass and the frame on the outside and run it around it would be safer. Better than trying to pry it off.

BTW did you see if there was anything used to hold the glass to the outer frame other than vulkem?

Ciao, Brian

art · 04-04-2003, 04:42 PM

I believe it is just vulkem .the inner pane is not plastic. its regular glass .The outside pane broke in a million pieces like auto glass.thanks for any help you can give .I had the inner pane broken and all the glass out . when I tried to clean the gasket up between the glass,the outer one cracked.

femuse · 04-04-2003, 05:02 PM

Several years ago, while on the road, somebody broke the front right window on our 1971. That's a very curved window.

With what ever tools we had on board, we replaced it with a piece of Lexan. It took us a long time to fit it right.
I think the final cost was a few dollars and a lot of elbow grease.

Chas · 04-05-2003, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by femuse
Several years ago, while on the road, somebody broke the front right window on our 1971. That's a very curved window

How on earth did you get a flat piece of lexan to fit? They curve both ways, a compound curve. Did you end up putting in a correct replacement at a later date? I can't believe it didn't leak or fall out down the road.

A question for anyone on the hinged front center window, the owners manual in 74 says you really don't need a rock guard, that the window has some high impact properties. It is double pane unit and the inner pane is some sort of unbreakable plastic. Wouldn't it make more sense to have the plastic on the outside as a first defense or is the plastic inner pane the failsafe if the outer glass pane gets shattered?

Chas

femuse · 04-05-2003, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chas
How on earth did you get a flat piece of lexan to fit? They curve both ways, a compound curve. Did you end up putting in a correct replacement at a later date? I can't believe it didn't leak or fall out down the road.

A lot of elbow grease and the fact that Mike's ancestors originally came from Switzerland. The Swiss have a reputation for 2 things:

_ careful, long planning when it comes to everything they touch
_ persistance and slowwww laborious work (watch makers and machinists' blood run in his veins)

We did that at the Welcome Center I-95, Southern Maine.

It was a laborious job. Every move carefully planned....and a lot of brute force. I never believed it was going to work. Mike did.

We never replaced it. That was over 8 years ago. It travelled a lot of happy miles, rain and shine. It never leaked. [that's the left, not the right window !]