Broken Window Repair

[G. Traveler]

I do apologize for having to ask another question so soon, but---,The rear emergency window is broken. Absolutely no one in this town will attempt to repair it. They say they don't know how to replace the window pane. Has anyone on here replaced a window pane? Can the frame that holds the window pane be taken off and carried to a shop somewhere. maybe a body repair shop.Can the rivets be drilled out of the original frame, the pane put in and the rivets put back in again. We want to replace the glass pane with Lexan, I think that is what it is called. I think I saw where someone on here had replaced their window pane. I know I previously posted a question about what to replace the pane with--now I can't find my original post.

[G. Traveler]

Hey, I did find the window forum. Sorry I posted this in the wrong forum. Thanks anyway. Lot of good information on that forum about window replacement.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Firstlight

I do apologize for having to ask another question so soon, but---,The rear emergency window is broken. Absolutely no one in this town will attempt to repair it. They say they don't know how to replace the window pane. Has anyone on here replaced a window pane? Can the frame that holds the window pane be taken off and carried to a shop somewhere. maybe a body repair shop.Can the rivets be drilled out of the original frame, the pane put in and the rivets put back in again. We want to replace the glass pane with Lexan, I think that is what it is called. I think I saw where someone on here had replaced their window pane. I know I previously posted a question about what to replace the pane with--now I can't find my original post.

Why don't you replace the window (glass and sash) with a new one?

That's why you have insurance.

Also, should you manage to take the sash apart, it's not very likely that you will get it back together again properly, because of the inner steel bars that you cannot see..

Then there is the matter of the hinge being properly riveted back in place.

Andy

[65CV]

Firstlight -

Don't know much about the '69 windows. They're very different from the earlier '60s. Just want to make sure you've seen this:
Window Gasket

Hope it helps.

John

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by 65CV

Firstlight -

Don't know much about the '69 windows. They're very different from the earlier '60s. Just want to make sure you've seen this:
Window Gasket

Hope it helps.

John

The gasket between the sash and glass is not available, not even from Airstream.

But, the window outer gasket is available.

Andy

[G. Traveler]

Andy, there is no insurance. We are doing this for free for someone who has been displaced from their home due to a death. You know, there are many unfortunate folks that need a helping hand, due to no fault of their own. She was making it until a lawnmower rock flew up into her window. I have read on here where others have taken the sash out, drilled out the rivets, installed the pane and reinstalled the sash, so I'm hoping that we can do this appropriately too. If you install a new window you still half to take the sash out don't you? I see you have parts. what would an new window sash cost? Now, since the whole story it out, I hope you guys will not leave us flapping in the wind. We're not begging for handouts, but really do need good advice. We're not young folks anymore either. We know of a sheet metal person that will maybe drill out the rivets for us and then reinstall them when we get a glass co. to put in the pane. We don't even know what year this as is. We think maybe a 69 or 70 Overlander , 27'.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Firstlight

I have read on here where others have taken the sash out, drilled out the rivets, installed the pane and reinstalled the sash, so I'm hoping that we can do this appropriately too. If you install a new window you still half to take the sash out don't you? I see you have parts. what would an new window sash cost? Now, since the whole story it out, I hope you guys will not leave us flapping in the wind. We're not begging for handouts, but really do need good advice. We're not young folks anymore either. We know of a sheet metal person that will maybe drill out the rivets for us and then reinstall them when we get a glass co. to put in the pane. We don't even know what year this as is. We think maybe a 69 or 70 Overlander , 27'.

1969 and 1970 have different windows from each other, and 1969 is all by itself (in many things, not just the windows).
You should find a C clip-looking thing holding the lift rods to the window sash, remove those clips (don't lose them), then lift the sash way up almost vertically, and the sash should drop out of the frame.
Once you get the sash out, you can lay it on a work bench or other flat surface to work on. You can drill out the rivets that hold the steel bars in the sash, top and bottom, and soak the joint thoroughly with a good penetrating oil, then walk away for a day. Come back the next day, douse it again with the penetrating oil, and try to separate the halves. You will have to remove the rivets at the top that hold the hinge to the sash. When you put those back in, make sure the head of the rivet is closest to the trailer, and the end that expands faces outward.
If you can get it apart, you can go to either a glass shop or a plastic shop and get a piece of glass or plexi/Lexan cut to the proper size. Re-assemble and install the window. Make sure the hinge goes all the way into the window frame all the way across, it may be warped slightly and have to be persuaded to go back in. Don't put a lot of downward force on the window until the hinge is back in the slot in the window frame, or it will break the rivets holding it.

[AIR-Quarius]

Lawn mower rocks....don't forget the weed eater rocks too! We had a side window shatter this way, and since the window was curved slightly, we decided it was worth the four hundred bucks to make an honest replacement. And thanks to Andy we were able to pull it off and replace it...even tho there were some tiny little rings that you had to pry off in order to make the fix. Thanks Andy!

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Firstlight

Andy, there is no insurance. We are doing this for free for someone who has been displaced from their home due to a death. You know, there are many unfortunate folks that need a helping hand, due to no fault of their own. She was making it until a lawnmower rock flew up into her window. I have read on here where others have taken the sash out, drilled out the rivets, installed the pane and reinstalled the sash, so I'm hoping that we can do this appropriately too. If you install a new window you still half to take the sash out don't you? I see you have parts. what would an new window sash cost? Now, since the whole story it out, I hope you guys will not leave us flapping in the wind. We're not begging for handouts, but really do need good advice. We're not young folks anymore either. We know of a sheet metal person that will maybe drill out the rivets for us and then reinstall them when we get a glass co. to put in the pane. We don't even know what year this as is. We think maybe a 69 or 70 Overlander , 27'.

If the trailer is not going to move, then there is a real cheap way to correct the problem.

Lexan is best, but not cheap. Acrylite is next best, because the sun will not bother it. Plexiglass should not be used, because the sun, in a very short time, will cause it to crack and craze, but it is cheap.

Leave the broken window in place. Cut the corners of which ever plastic you choose, to match the outside radius corners of the window sash.

Measure from the outside to the outside of the sash.

Install the plastic, from the outside with 3/8 inch metal screws "WITH WASHERS", directly on to the sash.

Use some kind of sealer between the sash and plastic.

That is the very cheapest that will work, and you won't spend any money on labor taking the window apart, or have to worry about getting it back together again, or to do "ANY" riveting.

But, and again, do this only if the trailer will not travel.

Andy

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

If the trailer is not going to move, then there is a real cheap way to correct the problem.

Lexan is best, but not cheap. Acrylite is next best, because the sun will not bother it. Plexiglass should not be used, because the sun, in a very short time, will cause it to crack and craze, but it is cheap.

Leave the broken window in place. Cut the corners of which ever plastic you choose, to match the outside radius corners of the window sash.

Measure from the outside to the outside of the sash.

Install the plastic, from the outside with 3/8 inch metal screws "WITH WASHERS", directly on to the sash.

Use some kind of sealer between the sash and plastic.

That is the very cheapest that will work, and you won't spend any money on labor taking the window apart, or have to worry about getting it back together again, or to do "ANY" riveting.

But, and again, do this only if the trailer will not travel.

Andy

If your going to use the above described repair, you can increase the thickness of the plastic to 1/4 inch, and then use 1/2 inch screws, with washers.

Andy

[G. Traveler]

Thanks Andy for the information, but we did get the window sash out (actually, by following the instruction of many, many post on here it was fairly easy.) Hey, A BIG THANKS to you and all the others that took the time to post information on here, so maybe now we are on the way to getting a new pane installed.