Window leaks, where to start?

[wacnstac]

1979 31' Iternational. It is raining here again today and my airsteam is leaking again. If I look at the windows near the dinette and pull the plastic shroud back around the little windows underneath, I can see a lot of water sitting on the aluminum shelf just below this window. Leads me to believe I have a leaky window problem which is pretty severe. Could confirm once it stops raining with a hose. Where to start with windows?

[wacnstac]

Window experts? Anyone? Do I start on the inside by removing the plastic trim around the smaller lower windows? Start from the outside? The caulk from the outside seems to be there and in fairly good shape.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by wacnstac

Window experts? Anyone? Do I start on the inside by removing the plastic trim around the smaller lower windows? Start from the outside? The caulk from the outside seems to be there and in fairly good shape.

Vista view and stack windows were sealed by Airstream using the infamous "silicone sealer".

Remove all traces of it. Apply a bead of vulkem sealer over the gray gasket material. That will give you a positive seal between the glass and the metal frame.

CAUTION: You "MUST" remove all traces of the silicone sealer. If not, the vulkem will not correctly bond.

Andy

[balrgn]

I just peeled (with a heat gun) all the Vulkem (factory) from the windows below my Vista Views, I had several cracks in it from age. Re-applied new Vulkem along the top seam. Once it was off, there was evidence that water had trailed in through there..

I would not go after the inside before I try real hard to find it outside, that is where the water is coming from.....

[wacnstac]

Forgive me for my Airstream ignorance but the larger windows are the "stack windows" the bigger windows, and the smallers ones below them called "vista"?

[balrgn]

Hope this helps...

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by wacnstac

Forgive me for my Airstream ignorance but the larger windows are the "stack windows" the bigger windows, and the smallers ones below them called "vista"?

The "vista view" windows are above an opening window.

The "stack" windows are below the opening windows.

Andy

[wacnstac]

It appears my problem is the stack window, but I wouldn't rule out the opening window either.

[balrgn]

Originally Posted by wacnstac

It appears my problem is the stack window, but I wouldn't rule out the opening window either.

Mine was or I beleive it wason the middle one. There we singns of water beneath the sealer.

[wacnstac]

There is definitely some bad joints around the windows. Do you guys use vulkem to caulk between the window itself and the aluminum frame here?

[wahoonc]

wacnstac,
What I did in that situation was to cut the "plastic" back with a sharp razor knife, clean thoroughly and lay in a bead of vulkem. I used the blue masking tape to keep the vulkem mess to a minimum and to give me a uniform bead.
In retrospect I should have made my bead a bit wider than my pictures show, the Vulkem does shrink a bit. However the leaks have gone away

Aaron

[balrgn]

Originally Posted by balrgn

Mine was or I beleive it wason the middle one. There we signs of water beneath the sealer.

After more rain, still leaks, less tho, I may be getting closer to the source(S)

I did not use Vulkem between the windows. I was lucky and the inside window pops out. I used window calking that came on a roll. Vulkem out side.

I did find that my window latch was not closing tight enough as well. Had to machine a lock nut to keep it tight, the threads have worn in the where the nut tightens to the locking bar.

[Safari Tim]

Critical here too is to use Parabond in the mitered corner on the window frame. On your first picture of the wrap window that would be the upper and lower joint on the left side of the wrap window's frame.

Otherwise I did the same as you except it did not turn out so pretty , however the best I can tell the leaks have stopped

One more think to mention. I replaced both of my missing wrap windows with lexan. While it works it tends to flex and I think that causes the vulkem seal to break while under tow. I don't know if glass has the same reaction or not. I push on the lexan while looking at the seams and when its failed you can see it seperate and thats where the water enters.

You can also push on other parts of the trailer and watch for seperation like at the vent covers or lower trim above the bellywrap. If you push on the aluminum and see the seal give way, its a good indication water will get in.

Originally Posted by wahoonc

wacnstac,
What I did in that situation was to cut the "plastic" back with a sharp razor knife, clean thoroughly and lay in a bead of vulkem. I used the blue masking tape to keep the vulkem mess to a minimum and to give me a uniform bead.
In retrospect I should have made my bead a bit wider than my pictures show, the Vulkem does shrink a bit. However the leaks have gone away

Aaron

[wahoonc]

Tim,
Right you are about the Parbond, I forgot about doing that. We these vintage units you got a tube of caulk in hand and you just start putting it in and forget all of the places you did put it. I even took the front rock shield off and redid it. Good thing there were several holes behind the hinge that were leaking. Put rivets in them to blank them off, then used butyl tape sealant and vulkem on the re install. After I finished with the rock shield and the wing windows the leaks in the front went away, then it was on to the Vista Views....

Aaron

[Chuck]

This thread prompted me to go out and take a look at my front windows...I need to take stock of things, anyway, to get ready to go camping in a couple of weeks, but when I was out there, I took off the front gaucho, and saw a spot of wet plywood along the front wall. (that hasn't always been there; its fairly new). the spot is directly below the curbside joint between the main window, and the curbside wing window. So I went out to take a look at the outside...I can see where there was at one time, some kind of sealant on the mitered corners of the wings...looks just like what is pictured. So I can re-do that. the top of the window was re-vulkemed by "yours truly" not long ago, so that should be ok. I don't see any water leaking "IN" the windows themselves.
So, Its off to re-scrutinize the entire front end of the trailer. there is a gap in the lower trim that covers the banana wrap. could be as simple as that. But there are also a couple of suspect screws...an old level that doesn't work, but was never removed for fear of opening up a new potential leak. that'll have to come off and have the screw holes filled.
I think the marker lights and letters should be ok, because I was in there from the inside, through the overhead cabinet, last season. so sign of leakage from above.

But the windows themselves: Aaron, did you completely remove that rubber/plastic bead around the perimiter of the wing window glass? looks to me like that might be what is holding the glass in place. there was evidence of old sealant around the edges of it (maybe parbond?) that has loosened.

The other thing..possibly unrelated, is that the gasket/seal/whatever that is between the panes of glass. Yours pictured looks to be in good shape. I can even make out the little plastic thingies that stick into it. (what they're for, I don't know). many of mine have fallen out, and the gasket appears to be oozing into the space between the glass panes. they obviously aren't air-tight, as there is always condensation inside there. looks terrible. I'd like to remove the inner pane, but it has been implied that this is not an easy task. my service manual has a simple sounding procedure listed, though. But my question is, what is that stuff between the panes? can it be removed/replaced? does it need to be?

I'll try and post a pic later.

[wahoonc]

Chuck,
There are some differences between the 1973 windows and the 1975 so your mileage may vary On my front wing windows the grey plastic seal was in bad shape, pulled away from the frame and the glass in places. It actually goes from the inside to the outside of the double panes. I only cut back the outside because it was cracked, split and generally nasty. On the 1975 windows there is a sticky substance between the windows along with the little plastic spacer thingies and a desicant. It is my understanding that when the desicant turns brown it isn't any good...mine is brown. I don't know if they can be dissasembled or not, as far as I know..not very easily if at all. Let me know how you make out. One of these days I will get my hands on a salvage window and see how it is put together and how hard it is to destroy

Aaron

[Chuck]

Ok, here's some pics.

you can see, the plastic/rubber thingie that seems to hold the windows in from the outside looks good. dirty, but in good shape. There are some pieces of loose sealant that someone had added at one time...perhaps I should re-parbond that (?). I'll re-do the corners, for sure.

also plainly visible is that gasket/whatever-it-is in between the panes, oozing its way in...and the ever-present condensation. I'd like to see both disappear. but how? and will the mystery-ooze need to be replaced with something?

the leak: isolated to that area. I know, it could be from almost anywhere, but if anyone has any experience with one in this particular spot, any insite would be appreciated. I don't think its from the marker lights/letters above the window, as I was in there last season, and there was no sign of water up there. could be the window itself, the adjacent seam...that stupid level thing that is broken...all of those will be addressed.

[Chuck]

here's an even closer shot that didn't make it into the last post. you can see the shaved olympics holding the window in....yep, it was out, at some point in its life. This trailer has apparently taken some lumps. I also found shaved olympics along one of the segments in the front end cap. owned the trailer for 2 or 3 years before I noticed!

there's also evidence of damage in the rear... you can see a slight distortion of the metal, if the light is just right. you wouldn't notice if you weren't looking really hard for it. I also just noticed, right beneath this area, the battery door isn't sealing shut all the way. I replaced the gasket last year; just went to check on the battery, and found its at 12.63v after sitting all winter ...but, its wet in there. I bet it got distorted when whatever it was that put that dent in the side in there. not quite sure how to fill that gap. maybe another gasket of some sort on the frame? (gasket goes on the door, normally). don't think it would be practical to try and bend it back. again, you'd never notice any distortion, unless you were really looking hard.

[Jim & Susan]

Chuck and I have the same year trailer, so I’m guessing that we have similar problems with these wing windows. I just happen to be working in this area of the trailer right now. The outside plastic/rubber stuff looks like it has been siliconed over on mine. I can scrape this out and replace with Parbond, right?

The whole assembly looks to consist of an outer piece of glass, an inner seal that appears to be some type of “glaziers” putty, an inner piece of glass, and an inner frame that holds it all together that is screwed into the frame assembly. The whole thing is sealed from the inside with Vulkem.

Does that sound about right to you guys that have done this before?
So I remove the inner frame, then remove the inner piece of glass, clean everything up, then reassemble from the outside in, then Parbond the outside?

The pic is of the inner frame on the curb side wing window.

[Jim & Susan]

Well, I screwed up the pic,try again.