I broke out the inner pane on my vista views cleaned out all the broken glass anh caulking and now they leak like crazy. If I remember correctly there is more to this job like removing the outter pane and resealing and installing new gasket material to take up the space of the inner pane. When I search the archives for vista views not much comes up. Seems to me there use to be a lot on this subject. What happened to it. I really need to fix this leak. Help!
Hi Jack. I'm sorry to hear of your problem but let me state the obvious.
If the vista-views are leaking, it has to be due to the external frame seal. Water isn't getting in from the inside.
As I recall, several of your vista views had already been repaired but it looked like they used household caulk. You might have to remove the windows and apply Parbond.
Best of luck.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
Craftsman,
You should have the same type of Vista View that I do.(75 Sovereign here) I had to cut the "plastic" gasket from the outside then pull the remains out of the frame from the inside. THEN because the glass cannot be removed from the frame you will have to clean it and the frame thoroughly, I used a dremel and narrow scraper, then! goop the inside lip of the outer frame with Vulkem (Canam Andy suggested Silicone, but not on MY AS!) Press the glass back into place and wedge it with a pliable product, I used a piece of clear 3/8" tubing that I had laying around. Leave it in until the caulking has a chance to set up. You will also need to put a replacement bead of caulk around the outside to keep water from getting between the glass and the frame. Now that I have made it as clear as mud....I will post my pictures in my photo album (if I can find them) and maybe that will help?
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #2449 AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
The leak wasn't there before I took out the inner pane. I know that I caused the leak. I'm guessing that removing the inner pane relieaved the pressure on the outer pane pressed against the body from the inside, causing the leak. I'll remove the outer pane ,clean everything real good ,recaulk and reseal using (Vulkem?).What do I use to take up the space created by removing the innerpane of glass and the 1/4 bead of sealant that I removed? Is there a rubber gasket available?
What do I use to take up the space created by removing the innerpane of glass and the 1/4 bead of sealant that I removed? Is there a rubber gasket available?
Jack,
What you want to use is a temperature stable filler. Arron's tubing idea to hold the glass in place while it sets is a good one. I would be tempted to leave it in and seal over it. Even better would be to use some of the foam backer that is used on log hones or to fill large voids before caulking in a commercial crack repair. The foam is closed cell, and is designed to hold up for many years. The goal is it fill the void between the inside surface of the outer pane and the inside edge of the window frame.
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan
Wise men talk because they have someting to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap— Napoleon
The leak wasn't there before I took out the inner pane. I know that I caused the leak. I'm guessing that removing the inner pane relieaved the pressure on the outer pane pressed against the body from the inside, causing the leak. I'll remove the outer pane ,clean everything real good ,recaulk and reseal using (Vulkem?).What do I use to take up the space created by removing the innerpane of glass and the 1/4 bead of sealant that I removed? Is there a rubber gasket available?
Craftsman,
I used a piece of clear plastic hose/ tubing, IIRC it is 3/8" it takes a piece about 40" long to go all the way around the vista view. The tubing I used actually has a reinforcing mesh in it, I just left it in place as a filler piece. I did have to heat mine slightly to soften it to press in place. Here is a Link that is similar to what I used. The glass is not going to come completely out of the frame, it kind of moves back and forth in the aluminum frame. One of the curses of our year(s) of trailers I still can't find my pictures ( think they are on one of my old hard drives). There is a closed cell gasket available from CanAm RV (somewhere in Canada) I tried calling them to order but they never called me back so I went with the tubing.
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #2449 AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
Quick Links
I still can't find my pictures ( think they are on one of my old hard drives). There is a closed cell gasket available from CanAm RV (somewhere in Canada) I tried calling them to order but they never called me back so I went with the tubing.
Linear Mode
