Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Currently traveling, just got to northern Wyoming. I'm heading for Yellowstone and just stopped to setup camp for the night. Slid my coach window open on the drivers side and the sliding glass piece shattered when it hit the stop. Maybe I was a little too hard on it I called an RV shop and was told they had a month wait, but they recommended me to a local glass shop. It appears my options are... -have a new piece of glass cut and install it myself, I have never worked on RV windows. I assume it isn't too complicated to get a new piece of glass in there? -Get a piece of cut Plexi-glass in there. -cry and tape a trash bag up until further notice, just kidding. Before I bite the bullet and look into having a piece of glass cut, is there any better route to go that someone can recommend that may have gone through this before? I know there's a possibility of finding a junk yard with an RV possibly having a matching window, but looking at where I'm at, I do not think that is going to be an option! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I also have an Escaper, same year and model I believe. I had to take out one of the coach windows to replace a missing screen. There is a piece of rigid plastic that slips under the sliding portion of the window. When I was reinstalling the sliding glass, I used soapy water to lube the window track and make it easier to get the plastic piece back in place. It made the job much less difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I called an RV shop and was told they had a month wait, Is the month wait because they are busy or because they feel they have to order tempered glass? I broke a window recently and went to three glass shops in a rural area. All three told me there would be a two week time-frame to get a tempered-glass replacement (like required in some areas). But all three were willing to replace within a day or so if they could use glass they had in stock (tempered glass is usually custom made and ordered out). I did not want plexiglass or lexan - so I opted for double-thickness laminated safety glass and had it fixed in one day. I took the window frame out and just brought the window in. Got rid of the rubber gasket and installed with urethane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 It was a month wait before I even told them it was a window. I try to avoid most RV repair specialty shops as their pricing is usually insane. When I was looking to have an alignment done on my Escaper, Camping World wanted $300 even considering the size and frame of the truck. I know they are used to big rigs but still! I ended up having an alignment done at a heavy duty Spring and Axle shop for $120. Bob, I am trying to figure out exactly which piece you are speaking of to remove. I also need to do a screen repair and this is the time to do it. Here are a few pics of the outside of my window. Outside top... Outside bottom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 inside of window frame... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I would never go to an RV place. Just take the entire window out and bring it to regular glass shop. They seem to be common near everywhere. For your window - you just unscrew the metal frame that is on the inside of your camper. Then the entire assembly pops out from the outside. That's only if you want to remove the entire window. You can also just remove the slider-part. Windows in anything that rolls on wheels are usually tempered glass that usually has to be custom ordered. If you choose regular glass - or Lexan - it's likely a glass shop will fix in one day. Obviously - ask first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 awesome, thanks. I called a shop and they said they can cut it to size at the shop apparently. I'm looking to get it fixed asap as it is rainy where I am at so normal glass will do. I will pull the window out when I get to the shop tomorrow and hopefully have it fixed within a few hours. They're also going to need to drill the holes in the window for the window latch which I suppose shouldn't be a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredNewell Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Just a thought... if you take the window out and take it to a glass shop, it is a good opportunity to get it tinted at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Tempered glass can not be cut or drilled. The glass is cut then tempered most larger glass shops can do the tempering in house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 The plastic piece that has to be removed is a thin strip, about 1/16 to 1/8" thick) that slides UNDER the sliding window portion. It lifts the sliding window up and holds it into position and after it is removed, the sliding glass drops down and the top of the glass tilts into the coach and is lifted out. I am at work right now so I can't take any photos, I will try to do that this afternoon. I had to use a Vise-Grip needle nose pliers to get it out because it was full of gunk. I now use a very small amount of graphite to lube the window tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Tempered glass can not be cut or drilled. The glass is cut then tempered most larger glass shops can do the tempering in house. Might be true where you live. Certainly not where I live in central NY or northern Michigan. I broke a window a few months ago while in the city of Alpena, Michigan. That city has three different glass shops. Also two more in nearby towns. All five said they'd have to special order any tempered glass with a least one week wait and sometimes two weeks. Same situation in the City of Oneonta near me in central NY. I've yet to find any walk-in glass shop that does tempering in-house in any place I've been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I took some photos of the window and plastic piece that must be removed to get the sliding glass out. My windows are made by Hehr and look the same as yours. The piece is not flat as I described before, it is sort of shaped like an "H." I forgot what it looked like after a couple of years. The plastic lifts up on the side toward the front of the vehicle and slides out. I just checked and you can carefully pry up with a needle nose and slide it out. I got mine wet to remove it and to reinstall it. The photos show it better than I can describe it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 I was able to get my screen out with some careful bending of the screen frame and popped it out where the plastic piece it rides in has a gap. I went to every local glass shop and no one wanted to fix the window without a long time frame or whatever. I found a guy that cut me a piece of plexi glass and fitted it in. It will work until further notice! Maybe I'll look for a junkyard with some rvs and get lucky. This works for now and didn't require having to take anything apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Well this is interesting... We just started our summer vacation/trip. The only toy we have seen so far was an Escaper with a motorcycle strapped on the back. It was parked in a corner of our local Riverton WY Walmart. Was that you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey 4x4 Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Well this is interesting... We just started our summer vacation/trip. The only toy we have seen so far was an Escaper with a motorcycle strapped on the back. It was parked in a corner of our local Riverton WY Walmart. Was that you? That's us!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I don't know your plans, but if you're up to a BIG adventure then go to the southgate via Dubois and Moran junction. Then do the park for a couple of days and exit via the Silver gate and go north over Beartooth pass to Red Lodge.Foe a not so big adventure go to Cody via Thermopolis and spend some time there at the hot springs park. Then to the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody. Then to the east gate, do the park and leave via West Yellowstone. Sent from the Corn Palace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Yeah...Beartooth Pass. I plan to do that later this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Today Beartooth Pass is closed from the Vista Point in MT to Long Lake in WY due to SNOW FALL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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