Sliding Window Repair

I didn't get photos of the project, but thought I'd write about it anyway.  When we bought the Jayco, (29 foot Class C) it had an obviously replaced window on the street side.  This was the large living room slider and had been apparently broken and had been replaced with a shaded plexiglass of the stock thickness.  We noticed from the road that there was a distinct vibration or howling from that window.

At first we thought it was just due to the fact that the window wouldn't latch properly as it was cut slightly too long for the latch to catch.  So last year I pulled the window pane and cut it shorter.  Now it latched well, but several miles down the road we still had the noise.

This year I decided to get the proper tempered glass cut and handle the pulling and installation myself.  I remembered that it was pretty difficult to get the glass in and out but thought I'd try it again.  Also there isn't much written about this online.   As of this writing, we don't know if the fix eliminates the noise but will know in a few weeks. Here's my process.

I left the day/night shades in place as they are only slightly in the way but quite difficult to move and particularly to reinstall.

To get the glass out, I had to remove the rubber guide from the top of the window.   I opened the window halfway and removed the screen by opening it slightly and grasping the left and right side of the screen and lifting it until the bottom clears and tilting the bottom toward me and dropping the top of the screen out of the track.  The screen seems quite fragile so I was gentle with this part.

Next I got my finger under the edge of the rubber top guide and pulled it down out of the track, closing the window again and pulling down all the guide up to the window.  At this point I made sure I had the front and back of the rubber identified for re-installation. (Turns out, after checking some other windows with original installation, the rubber had also been put in backward anyway.  I'll make sure it's correct when I reinstall, there's apparently a front and back.)  Then as I opened the window, I also tugged the rubber along the track as the rubber has to slide off of the top of the piece of glass until it's free.  The rubber slid a bit and then I again closed the window, pulled down more rubber and tugged while opening again.  A couple of closings and tugs and it got much easier and then slid right out.  I set the rubber aside, lifted the window into the now empty top track and tilted the bottom of the window toward me as before.

I took the plexi window to the glass shop and they created a template, allowing me to return with the plexi and re-install it while they sent off for the tempered glass.  It was in a few days later at a cost of about 81 bucks.  So now re-installation.

First I set the window back into the track with the rubber still set aside.  I checked the facing of the rubber again, left the window nearly closed but slightly open, and wet the rubber, putting a little bit of dish soap in my hands as I rubbed water with a teeny bit of soap in it all over the rubber out and in.  Then I began working the rubber over the top of the new glass in the reverse of removing it.  Pretty soon, the rubber had worked it's way to the other side of the window and I grabbed that end and pulled it along to set the rubber where it is supposed to be for and aft.  This time it moves easier than removing because it's not seated all the way in the track yet and it has the soap on it.

Once it's lined up then I just work the rubber into the track, this was easy by just moving the window to a section of rubber and lifting then moving the window and tucking it back in place.  Viola a nice new window.  I'll post in a couple of days to comment on whether the noise has reduced.

Thanks for reading and happy window replacement!!