Window "U" channel felt gasket replacement

[strawberryjoe]

Sent: 7/7/2001 5:42 PM

Just finished replacing the felt that the window glass runs in.  Thought i'd let you folks know, it ain't as easy as it first appears. (this on a 1980 chieftan, took me 4 hours for one window). Not only do you need replacement felt, but if your outside rubber seals are bad, count on redoing those also as they need to come out. I put mine in in two pieces.  Sliding the windows back and forth helps move the new channel into place. A pair of needle nose pliars  helps too.

Good thing I love this old beast, cause this nickle and dime stuff can sure kill a weekend.

luck all,
Joe 

[beeton wilton]

Sent: 7/8/2001 9:21 AM

Joe just wondering what kind of trouble you ran into . I did all the window fuzzies on my 80 brave in a total of 2 hours. as for the weatherstripping I pulled it out and stretched it and glued it back in place. My problem is the closest winny dealer is 4 hours from home 

[chip]

Sent: 7/8/2001 6:21 PM

don't know if this will help but, ran into a similar problem and solved it by using a scissors jack and blocks of wood to "spring" open the window frame a tad.

[strawberryjoe]

Sent: 7/9/2001 12:59 PM

In hindsite I must admit that a lot of the problem was that the former owner/dipwad used about 2 tubes of silicone caulk in the channels.  Getting this stuff out was 1/2 the battle.  The other thing was that getting the new channel in was a real bear.. getting it to slide under the glass, the moving the windows, then pulling through ect.    unless you guys were taking the glass out somehow?  I didn't see how. 

Anyhow it's done now.
thanks,
Joe

[beeton wilton]

Sent: 7/10/2001 8:41 PM

Joe   I ran into the same problem of when trying to slide under the glass so I did the channel in 2 piec

[Jake]

Sent: 7/11/2001 8:19 PM

Joe, good to hear that the job is done.  For us, always labor of love more than the cost.  We will need to soon replace our U-channel on our 73 D20T model.  Curious as to where you find the parts and the cost of the materials? 

[strawberryjoe]

Sent: 7/11/2001 8:24 PM

Got the parts with  the RV when purchased, so i'm no help there.

Also I did put the channel in, in 2 pieces, Just a tough job for me.
Joe

[Spudboy]

Sent: 9/23/2003 1:53 PM

Jake:

My gaskets on the outside of the windows were all pulled out at the corners.  Seemed like the rubber had shrunk over time and pulled away under tension.  Not wanting to go through the hassles of replacement, I prepped the gasket with armor-all and then cut the material at the high side of the pull-outs with a sharp (x-acto) knife.  Then I tucked the gaskets back into the corners, using a putty knife and a big flat-blade screw driver.  The gaps in the gaskets were left in the top channel (less prone to leaks than the bottom channel) and seems to work fine.  When I had to gap on the bottom channel, I tried to place the gaps at the window frame weep holes.  The whole project took about 2 hours and makes a pretty big difference in how the rig looks.

[EM-50]

Sent: 10/5/2003 10:34 PM
 
I have also been working on the replcement of my windows u-channels.  I have redone 3 of the windows so far and have only the drivers side double sliding window left.  Yes it takes a while to replace them but they look and function much better now that they are replaced.  I am very happy I replaced them.  I have a inside and outside pictures posted in my pic's page 6.  If anyone has questions about these, after replaceing them I feel like a pro.

EM-50   

[moosehunterak]

Sent: 5/22/2005 10:52 PM

I would call Mobility Rv You can find them in the resources section of the member area - Winnebago parts. I just did the windows in my 76 Chieftain. It is real easy. I took me about 2hrs. to do 3 windows and one of those was the big window in dining area. If you order the stuff thru them they have a instruction they will send with the stuff.

[Slantsixness]

Sent: 5/31/2005 1:16 PM

http://www.mobilityrv.com/

Thes people are so helpful that I just had to give 'em a link!

AND they're cheaper than your local  winnie dealer, too!

[Tinman66]

where do get the replacement felt and rubber?

[Oz]

Mobility RV - felt
Steel Rubber Products - rubber seal