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Multiple parts of your RV need replacement throughout its lifetime. Its taillights might get too fogged to serve a useful purpose. The shower faucet could stop working one day. Its floor can become too dirty and unsightly. The window glass might get shattered after receiving an impact.
Unlike the replacements cited before, the last one is the most costly, especially if you hire someone to do the job as the cost of labor usually dwarves that of replacement glass. That’s why we recommend you learn how to remove RV window glass on your own via this useful guide.
Before you remove RV Window Glass
Here’s what you need to do:
Deal with shattered glass
According to WCMA Window & Door, If you’re going to remove the window glass because it has shattered, you’d first have to remove the shattered glass before taking the window out. For this purpose, take a broom and sweep the broken glass in one location. Pick it up using a pan and empty the contents of the pan in the dustbin.
Removing RV Window Glass
Here’s how you can remove your RV’s window glass:
What you’ll need?
- Gloves
- Screwdriver
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Remove the rubber window gasket
You can find the rubber window gasket on the outer edge of the glass pane. It will have a split throughout its center that you can loosen using a screwdriver. Once you have loosened it, pull the gasket away from its housing.
Pro Tip: Some RVs have mount screws that only become visible once you have loosened the gasket. Provided that’s the case with your RV, you’ll have to remove those screws as well to take off the rubber window gasket.
Step 2: Remove the inner rubber gasket
The inner rubber gasket will also be secured in the window mount with screws. Use a screwdriver to loosen the screws and then pull the gasket away. Place both this and the previous gasket on the floor or any other surface that is flat and stable.
Step 3: Remove window mount’s inside screws
All RV windows come with a window mount. It is the part where both the upper and lower, as well as the right and left sides, of the glass go. You might look at it as a plastic window frame. Both of its sides need to be loosened for the mount to let go of the glass.
Use a screwdriver to remove the visible screws on the window mount. Make sure you’re turning the screwdriver in an anticlockwise direction. Take extra care as the plastic frame will start to loosen up during the loosening up of the screws.
You might want to note that some RVs have a window mount that lets go of the glass when either (inner or outer) side is unscrewed. Most models, meanwhile, provide extra protection and won’t let you take out the glass until you have unscrewed both sides.
Step 4: Remove window mount’s outside screws
Just as you have done with the inside screws, you can remove the mount’s outside screws, too, by turning them in a counterclockwise direction. You might have to use a Flathead or multiple-head screwdriver depending on the design of the screws.
Once you have freed the frame, you’ll notice that the glass pane would start shifting its position. It is natural and should be expected. Keep on working the window mount while placing one hand on the glass. This will stop it from falling out of the RV.
Step 5: Remove the glass
After removing both the inner and outer screws of the window mount, there will be nothing keeping the glass in its housing. All you’ll have to do is to pull it toward the outside of the vehicle and it will fall in your hands.
Pro Tip: Some RV owners think that two-piece sliding windows will come out in two parts. That is not the case. They will come out as one part, with a secondary frame holding both the inner panes in place.
FAQs
Q: How much time will it take me to remove RV Window Glass?
A: Provided you have only one window glass to remove, the entire process mentioned above shouldn’t take you more than 2 hours. However, if you have prior experience, you can finish the job in less than 1 hour as well.
Q: Why do RV window glass shatters?
A: The majority of truckers blame the shattering of their RV’s window glass on the outside temperature. The glass has a built-in moisture whose optimal concentration is necessary for the glass to function as intended. The moment the outside temperature goes above a certain level, the moisture content in the glass drops and the window explodes.
However, there are other truckers who blame spontaneous glass breakage on minor damage during installation, such as chipped edges that go on to develop larger breaks. Some also blame the binding of glass in the frame, stating that the stress it places on the glass goes on to make its presence felt when the glass deflects due to air movement or contracts and expands due to temperature changes.
Conclusion
Removing RV window glass isn’t as difficult as some people make it to be. There’s no reason why you should pay big bucks to a plumber to do the job when you can do it on your own. The entire process won’t take more than 1 hour if you follow the instructions given above.
Having said that, the easiness of the process shouldn’t be taken for granted. You still need to collect and dispose of shattered glass and wear gloves to be safe. As there aren’t many cuts that are as painful as the one induced by broken glass. So be careful.