Glass shattered

[MyronL]

Was using the trimmer on weeds alongside the trailer in the yard when this happened. I didn't see the damage until just today. First thought was it got shot with a BB gun. The string trimmer kicked up a small stone that flew right into the trailer window.

First search for a fix on U-Tube seems totally fixated on replacing the entire window frame. Or, cutting Plexiglas to fit. Or, finding an RV shop. Not liking any of those choices. Anyone know a glass supplier or cut tempered glass, and replaced that shattered glass panel?

Correction... frame OD 27 3/8" W

[PGDriver]

Myron most glass shops can order you a piece of tempered glass. Just make a cardboard template and give them a piece of the shattered glass for thickness.
Cheers
Doug

[Ron in BC]

Myron, you can't cut tempered glass. You can have custom pieces of tempered glass made but a simpler way would be to have a glass shop cut the replacement from safety glass.

Ron

[Doug2000]

Your lucky it happened at home.

Just in case, I always carry a couple pieces of cardboard and some duct tape when traveling.

[PGDriver]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Myron, you can't cut tempered glass. You can have custom pieces of tempered glass made but a simpler way would be to have a glass shop cut the replacement from safety glass.

Ron

Ron I’m not sure if AS1 or AS2 laminated glass would be to thick or not, I’m sure the piece Myron lost is only 3mil.

Myron technically because no one rides in the trailer you could just put in a piece of flat glass which any glass shop could cut for you.

Cheers
Doug

[MyronL]

How irritating that Hehr doesn't sell just the glass replacement as an insert. The two corner radius's look to be 3 inches. Guessing with tempered glass that is way too much to try grinding down. Maybe with laminated glass? I wouldn't use plate glass regardless.

Hoping the piece can be cleared out after removing the rubber molding on the outside. Do not want to remove the entire frame. Haven't looked for a glass shop yet.

[padamas]

Hello Myron,
Same thing happened to our 5.0 at the farm where it was stored. It's not a very difficult job to replace the window yourself if you're doing frame and all. Unfortunately for us, ETI only sells the complete framed window in kit with the trim ring and a set of screws. Cost was CA$414. The job only took about an hour.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by PGDriver

Ron I’m not sure if AS1 or AS2 laminated glass would be to thick or not, I’m sure the piece Myron lost is only 3mil.
Cheers
Doug

I think that you're correct. The thinnest laminated glass might be about 4mm. It would depend on how flexible the rubber molding is.

Originally Posted by MyronL

How irritating that Hehr doesn't sell just the glass replacement as an insert. The two corner radius's look to be 3 inches. Guessing with tempered glass that is way too much to try grinding down. Maybe with laminated glass? I wouldn't use plate glass regardless.

Hoping the piece can be cleared out after removing the rubber molding on the outside. Do not want to remove the entire frame. Haven't looked for a glass shop yet.

Hate to tell you but tempered glass can't be ground down either. They take a sheet of glass, cut it as necessary and hang it from tongs and put it in a kiln and go through the heat treatment process.

See what thickness glass that you can fit into the rubber and that might point out the direction to go.

You're not the first to do that. I seem to remember a few years ago someone took their shiny new Escape home, parked it and then cut the grass........

I guess acrylic is your fallback option. Can't believe that they don't sell replacement glass.

Ron

[Donna D.]

Replacing the glass in the window isn't all that hard. I've replaced it twice in my Scamp door window.

1) remove all the broken glass (keep a piece to take to the glass shop)
2) remove the rubber molding (actual name is glazing bead)
3) tape a piece of cardboard over the window frame from the inside
4) trace the interior part of the window frame onto the cardboard
5) add to the size by drawing 3/8" to the outside of your trace
6) cut out the trace
7) friction fit the traced cardboard to the window, trim if needed
8) go to glass shop and have them cut tinted safety glass using your cardboard template
9) apply auto glass urethane caulk to the flat edge of the glass where it sits in the frame
10) fit and support the glass in the window frame until it 'dries.'
11) replace the window molding, it fits by pressing using your thumbs. You can hear it snap into place.

Good to go.

[MyronL]

Just did some digging in a corner. Well it looks like simple plug and play will not work with this double-pained window. Will have to drill out two rivets holding in the frame with the pane, just to remove frame and take it to a glass shop for new pane. The gap between those double panes is a quarter inch. Not feeling too optimistic about this do-it-yourself job.

PS-- oh and that is just white tape, to hold the fracture together

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Not feeling too optimistic about this do-it-yourself job.

Bummer. Yeah, my Scamp window was single pane....

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Replacing the glass in the window isn't all that hard. I've replaced it twice in my Scamp door window.

1) remove all the broken glass (keep a piece to take to the glass shop)
2) remove the rubber molding (actual name is glazing bead)
3) tape a piece of cardboard over the window frame from the inside
4) trace the interior part of the window frame onto the cardboard
5) add to the size by drawing 3/8" to the outside of your trace
6) cut out the trace
7) friction fit the traced cardboard to the window, trim if needed
8) go to glass shop and have them cut tinted safety glass using your cardboard template
9) apply auto glass urethane caulk to the flat edge of the glass where it sits in the frame
10) fit and support the glass in the window frame until it 'dries.'
11) replace the window molding, it fits by pressing using your thumbs. You can hear it snap into place.

Good to go.

Sounds easier than first having to make your own frame and then have glass cut to fit it. The left lower corner has an etched on mark to indicate that it's safety glass.

Originally Posted by MyronL

The gap between those double panes is a quarter inch. Not feeling too optimistic about this do-it-yourself job.

That could work in your favor. More chance that you could get a piece of safety glass to fit. I'd rather have one part single pane glass than acrylic.

Ron

[Mike G]

I would just haul the trailer to a glass shop and let them install a new pane of safety glass. But then, I live in town and there are at least 3 glass shops within 5 miles! I'm guessing it would be less than $100 in total, but I could be wrong (inflation and all that).


Be glad you didn't break a mirror instead! You know what they say about bad luck...

[Centex]

Sorry for your woes, Myron. Just to be certain, this is the 'fixed' half of your slider window, not the sliding panel, correct?

Probably makes no difference, I don't think that the Hehr sliding panel can be removed for repair short of complete window removal and de-construction anyway .

Total unit replacement cost is a bummer, but it's an easy DIY Remove & Reinstall as a unit and may be more net cost effective than a labor-intensive 'shop fix'.

FYI when I pulled a Hehr slider unit from my Casita to DIY install a larger window in the kitchen, I found a tag on the hidden-when-installed edge of the window frame that had the detailed unit-specific dimension and spec codes which can be submitted to ensure an exact-match replacement from Hehr.

Good Luck!

[Radar1]

I don't know if this company would sell just a part of a window, but it's worth a try?
Parkin Accessories

[Ron in BC]

Good find and a good possibility.

I notice that they also say "If a Hehr window......" to identify it exactly.

It'll be interesting to see what the cost is, sometimes replacement parts cost almost as much as a whole unit.

Ron

[CADreamin]

We did exactly the same thing a week and a half before leaving on a long camping trip with the grandkids. Rather than mess with it, we called ETI and they sent out a new window which arrived in record time. Our technician installed it without any problems and we were on our way. Sorry this happened to you.

[MyronL]

Well there seems to be no way to remove the busted window and get new glass installed within the frame. Have no idea how Hehr got that double-pane frame in there. So I took the entire unit out, cleaned out the fractured glass. Will take it to a high end glass place in the city on Monday to see what they can do. Meanwhile, sent a contact me message to Escape, for advice on a replacement.

[PGDriver]

Myron you have to take the frame apart, looks like the frame joint is on the right hand side next to your book, half way up. Probably 2 screws or rivets need to be removed. Just remember to seal the joint up when it’s put back together.

Cheers
Doug

[davidmurphy02]

Wonder how much a new window would cost vs. the time and trouble involved to try and disassemble it, get a replacement glass panel made, and get it back together.