Front Window Replacement 2806C

I have a cracked window on my 2806C. I have ordered a replacement from
J & R and was wondering if anyone has any tips for removal and replacement. Tools, techniques or types of sealant? J & R uses butyl caulk but in my experience butyl only has a life span of about 10 years. I was thinking of using lexal.

Thanks
Brad

Brad Moss said:

I have a cracked window on my 2806C. I have ordered a replacement from
J & R and was wondering if anyone has any tips for removal and replacement. Tools, techniques or types of sealant? J & R uses butyl caulk but in my experience butyl only has a life span of about 10 years. I was thinking of using lexal.

Thanks
Brad

Click to expand...

Brad,
You can use thesearch feature ond type in window. I'm sure you'll get the answer you are looking for. Check out this link and see if it's enough to get you started.

http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f25/re-setting-windows-1644/

Resetting window

See my previous post on resetting windows. It is defeniately a two person job. You absolutely must use butyl caulk thyat comes in a roll. We were able on some windows to wrap it around twice. Then reinstall the window and use lexell caulk on the exterior to seal the window. The butyl tape will squish out. Cut off the excess with a sharp knifedh used my kitchen pairing knife. You tube has a video on this. You will need two saw horses,metal scraper to pry trim ring off first after removing screws on the inside trim ring. Googone,garbage can for old butyl tape,rags,paper towels.Alcohol or allpurpose cleaner. Clean exterior of trailer and it will dry while you scrape the rest of the putty off. You don't have to get every bit of butyl tape off. Just get as much off as you can. The window is not real heavy just a bit awkward. Get a radio going and enjoy while working!! Two metal scrapers if you have a second person scraping.This may take two hours. Clean tthe window hole off with alcohol. With the window out you can see the condition of your interior wall. Consider replacing any rusty screws with stainless steel ones. Scary the first time you do it,but you save $250.00 labor. After care, check screws at regular intervals as they get jarred going down the road. Retighten when needed.

Not a framed window

Thanks for the replys. This is not the regular framed window though, as I have read those threads and even had the framed windows out and repaired.

This is the front, no frame, curved, actually one solid piece of glass. The only thing holding it in is sealant to the plastic end cap. No screws or clips just a whole mess of sealant.

My fears are getting old sealant off plastic end cap without damaging endcap. Breaking bond between window and end cap without damaging. And holding new window in place while sealant cures. And types of sealants people have used.

Brad

Replacing curved window

Since you ordered the window from JR I would ask his advice on how to install.

Advice

Thanks Sam you are correct and I did ask for advice from Rob. At almost a $1000 for window, crating and shipping and one chance to get it right I am going to get all the info and advice I can. These forum members sometimes come up with some very smart ideas and I want to soak them up.

Brad

For the replacement of the Lexan window on our 2310H they gave us black Silkaflex 221 Sealant/Adhesive and white Degaseal 2000 Elastomeric Addhesive/Sealant. Use the black to set the window to the frame and the white to caulk around the outside. I think the biggest job will be removing the window and all the sealant and caulking. I guess it would be like replacing a car windshield. I didn't do the work so I can't walk you through that.

Replacing window

Ouch $1000.00 dollars. I know the smaller framed window that I broke because I got dh too tight to the fence when he was backing in was $600.00. The Lexan window without the rock shield is a bad design. I wonder if a glass replacement co. would be able to help you with specialized tools. I have seen some suction handles /oval shaped so you can install without touching the glass. This is a must to install regular glass as it is heavy. Did anyone come up with a cover for this lexan window? Our HiLo dealer was able to remove our window and have a glass shop just replace the glass. Sure beat the cost of a total window replacement. Best of luck as you do this repair.

The damage to the Lexan was from the new style tank cover rubbing on the window not from road damage. The Lexan is very tough stuff, that's what football helmets are made from. Only the very ends of the window could get rock damage and it probably would be from other vehicles, not the tow vehicle. It sits so close to the tank cover and far above the tow vehicle rear bumper that it would be hard to kick a stone up into it. If I had my druthers, I would prefer to have the older Towlite crank open front window with the awning/cover. It served a much better function.

Lexan

According to Rob at J&R mine is not Lexan but real glass. It does have a rock shield. The previous owner somehow backed into it or as he said turned to sharply and cracked to window but the cover is not cracked. Can't figure out exactly what happened. The man was of failing mental capacity and his wife was explaining but she didn't actually witness the event. So I guess it was a mystery. They deducted $1000. from the price so I am just out labor. J&R uses butyl caulk for the glass adhesion and said Lexel would be fine for the outer seal.
The rock shield will have to be removed and I am not sure how the screws are anchored into the plastic end cap. I hope there is some kind of backing behind the endcap. My experience is not great with reusing threads in plastic.
I am also concerned as to how to hold glass in place while caulk cures. J&R somehow uses rope or straps around sides of trailer. I can't quite picture how they do it. I am thinking I can use pieces of duct tape to keep it from moving til it tacks up.

Brad

Replacing front window

Brad,What city ,state are you in? It might be worth it to have a glass co. install this for you!! That way if something goes wrong they cary ins. and I would immagine you would get some kind of a warranty against leakage. I have also heard the propant tank did rub on the window causing it to break. A case of a bad design change.

The tank cover did not break our Lexan window, it just rubbed a scratch dead center. The Lexan is very flexible, you can press on it an make it flex. The replacement window is a flat sheet and it bends to fit the opening. You may be able to get that to replace the hard molded to shape windows. The hardest part would be cutting it to fit the opening.

Front window dammage

Thanks for the correction. The newer front window got scratched in the low position by the propane tank cover. This is something to keep in mind if considering a newer used unit.

The problem could have been prevented if they would have noticed at the factory that the new design bottle covers flairs out at the top. All is okay when the trailer is sitting still, but going down the highway the cover moves all over the place, thus scratched window. They gave us the optional fiberglass cover free and it gave us close to 2" of clearance. I remember someone else here had the same problem in the early days of the forum. Joyce's cousin got our first cover to replace the existing one on his 2409T that didn't have the access cover. The price was right.

Cover on propane tanks

Along these lines. When you have your HiLo serviced make sure you have your propane cover before you leave. We lost ours once and our HiLo dealer replaced it free of charge.

The plastic ones can work their way off if you don't bungee them down, especially if you have twenty pound tanks.

Propane covers

We have two 30lb tanks.

Front window replacement

Well the window is now replaced. It was quite a job for my wife and I. We have been working on it off and on since last Sunday. Sorry no pictures. We cut the seal on the old window; however, due to butyl caulk and the lip in the fiberglass end cap you can not break seal between glass and end cap. We ended up breaking a hole in safety glass with a hammer and using a pair of linesman pliers to slowly crush glass all the way around about an inch inside end cap. What a mess to clean up. Then razor blade scrapper to get glass and butyl caulk off lip of end cap. Then xylol to clean of remaining caulk.
This probably took 5-6 hours. Then put wood reinforcement behind fiberglass end cap where window cover was screwed to end cap. Very poor construction process on Hilo's part not to do this during mfg process. Could be a reason why I read about so many cracks in end caps!
Dry fitted window and noticed there was a difference in window and endcap. Window was flush to fiberglass on all but about 8 to 10" at lower right and upper left corners. It had a gap between glass and fiberglass of about a 1/4" at one corner and 1/2" at other corner so I had a concern as to how to hold that tight to endcap while curing. It was obivous tape was not going to work. J & R told me they used rope to sides of trailer. So I went from awning bracket to tilt out. Seemed to be a fair solution.
So I used Dynaflex 230 as the seal between window and endcap due to its supposed claim of adhesion over butyl caulk. Next day removed rope and after an hour bottom right corner of glass pulled away from endcap. I found a way to wedge a piece of pvc pipe between gate and window to put constant pressure on that area. Re caulked and let set two days. Seems to have held.
Next we used painters tape to outline window and caulked with Lexel. Let cure 2 days and recaulked with Lexel to finish filling in gap. Re installed window cover and are keeping fingers crossed.
Probably spent a total of 20 to 24 man hours.

Brad Moss
Taylor,Tx

Replacing front window

Brad,what a deal you went through replacing your front window. Sounds like it was enough to make you say some unkindwords!! Hope it holds up for you.