Front Window Won't Stay Open

mickietucs

Me too Verna - and she sent me the same email. I'll be headed into cooler weather tomorrow so it's not critical I open it! Thank you!

Nomad

But after your next stop, it'll be hot again :-)

mickietucs

PXLated said:

But after your next stop, it'll be hot again :-)

You betcha --- and when I got here yesterday I loved the temps but now some system is moving in with cooler temps, rain at some point and the dreaded wind -  I had to turn on the Alde this morning!  Hoping to get a hike in before rain starts. May leave earlier than planned. We'll see.

Speaking of the Alde - it seems to make more of a "racket" when it kicks on (then stops). Could the altitude have an effect on it? 

Lunafemme - might want to email Ed/Elsie so they are aware you are in the group having issues with the window. Think they're working on a fix. 

Dalehelman

So far our front window is staying open. If the problem starts I am going to use some sand paper on the support rods. The added friction should solve the problem. 

mickietucs

Dalehelman said:

So far our front window is staying open. If the problem starts I am going to use some sand paper on the support rods. The added friction should solve the problem. 

Would you post if that works?  Thanks. 

Nomad

As I mentioned, mine stays open but the wind can blow it closed - But, I was in high winds the last two days - enough to blow my tripod over which has never happened before - the wind was right into the front window and it stayed open the whole time. Since some are having problems yet I'm not, it's probably not the mechanism overall, just some faulty ones I'd think.

jctangney

My T@B is at the dealer for two things at the moment:

1. They are replacing the front window struts hoping that will fix the issue of the window not staying open.

2. Trying to fix an issue with the electronic tank gauges. The one I noticed is for the grey water tank. At one point it was showing 35% full. Then after 2 showers, it read only 6% full! Looked for water under the T@B, but none. At the dealer, we got it up to 35% again and after adding more water, it read 10% full. Anyone else seeing this?

Dalehelman

jctangney said:

My T@B is at the dealer for two things at the moment:

1. They are replacing the front window struts hoping that will fix the issue of the window not staying open.

2. Trying to fix an issue with the electronic tank gauges. The one I noticed is for the grey water tank. At one point it was showing 35% full. Then after 2 showers, it read only 6% full! Looked for water under the T@B, but none. At the dealer, we got it up to 35% again and after adding more water, it read 10% full. Anyone else seeing this?

If you list your second question under its own topic more people are likely to see it and reply. Just a thought.

Nomad

jctangney - If the dealer doesn't get it fixed and you need help, do as Dalehelman suggests. Or if they do figure it out, let us know what the skinny was.

jctangney

I just got word that the dealer "reportedly" has fixed both of my issues.

1. Front Window doesn't stay open

CORRECTION: CLEAN STRUTS SHAFT LOOSING UP BOTH SCREW ON KNOB COUNTER CLOCKWISE  UNLATCH ALL 4 LATCHES X2 ON THE BUTTOM AND X2 ON BOTH SIDES OPENED WINDOW 1/4" 1/2' AND ALL THE WAY USED SCREW ON KNOBS AT BOTH STRUTS TO LOCK WINDOW OPEN WINDOW ITS WORKING PROPERLY AT THIS MOMENT

2.  Grey tank not showing proper reading

CORRECTION: COMPLETED DIAG. FLOODED GRAY TANK  FOUND BLUE AND BLACK WIRES MAKING FALSE CONNECTION AT TANK SENSOR CIRCUIT BOARD STYLE ON L/S OF GRAY TANK RE DO BOTH CONNECTIONS BY GRAY TANK TESTED GRAY TANK ALL STAGES OF ITS CAPACITY  FULL AND WHEN DRAINNING ALL READING PROPERLY PUT UNDERBELLY BACK TOGETHER AND TANK MONITOR INSIDE

Just waiting for service adviser at B. Young RV (Milwaukie, OR) to do QC and call me to come pick it up. 

Verna

So, are they saying that cleaning the struts is the answer to keep the front window from sliding closed, @jctangney?

jctangney

That is what the statement from the technician was. I have not yet gone over to pick up the trailer, so have not asked further yet.

Photomom

I can't imagine cleaning the struts of dirt would help, but if they had oil or grease on them...

RollingLagrima

  

jctangney

I picked up my T@B yesterday afternoon. They did not replace the struts as cleaning them of grease, allowed them to work. However, it still requires that both sides be VERY tight before it will hold the front window open if it is just 2-4 inches open. I do think this is still a problem and hope the factory comes up with a change. The side windows work just fine.

TerryV6

We’ve always had this problem with just the front window.  It seems to be just some people.  I’ve just lived with it, but I was thinking perhaps some kind of clip would work to keep it from sliding...  here are a couple of rough ideas...

BrianZ

We've been having this problem too with our front window, and it seems to be more on one side that no matter how tight you turn the knob it still slides.

TerryV6

Thus the thought of some way to arrest that slide...

CanyonTravelers

We have the same problem with out 2018, it seems that the tightening bars are not easy to tighten. The side windows work because the window is mounted vertically but the front window is on an angle with the weight of the window wanting to push it shut.....

4ncar

I recalled NOT having an issue, so to refresh my memory...went out & tried the front window.  Stays open just as easily as the sides...2018 320S OB.  FYI 

TerryV6

4ncar, perhaps this was a 2016 problem, but CanyonTravelers has it too.  Happy it is not your problem.  I wouldn't call it a problem, just an annoyance.  Most people just block the window open if it won't stay, but I am looking for a better way.  I tried using some little clippy things my wife has in her desk and they seem to be easy to use, on and off...  I am going to the shores of Lake Michigan this week, so I'll give it a try.

ScottG

Great idea! We carry a whole box of those little clippy things--among their many uses they are handy for resealing bags and closing up gaps in our awning screen panels.

dsfdogs

Yep, I used clips in early season camping to attach a plastic bag to the front of my A/C unit to cut drafts.

4ncar

dsfdogs said:

Yep, I used clips in early season camping to attach a plastic bag to the front of my A/C unit to cut drafts.

I removed the bezel inside, and stuffed all the open air cracks with fiberglass insulation that I had laying around...

BrianZ

Today I took a closer look at our one broken strut on the front window that will not tighten at all.  I compared it to the remaining one that works & here's what I saw..

The working one at right had a piece inside the screw hole that was not present inside the broken strut; while the broken strut had a small plastic piece jammed inside the knob screw.  I used a wire cutter to carefully grip the plastic piece & pulled it out from the screw knob..

The removed plastic piece is at right (about 1/4 inch long with a head on the end).  I figured that because it was inside the screw, the head end was no longer able to reach the metal strut, no matter how much it was tightened.  I also presume that it might have been overtightened to the point that it got jammed inside the screw & no longer worked.  With that theory in mind, I figured that if I could insert something inside the screw, it may prevent the plastic piece from receding inside the screw & allow it to put pressure on the strut when tightened.  For this, I used the 1/8" piece of common 12 AWG solid copper wire shown at left above (like that used in residential circuits. 14G might work too). 
I stuffed it into the hole in the screw, then inserted the tip of the plastic piece..

This allowed the plastic to push against the metal strut, so that it worked to provide support to the window.  It was not able to totally support the window by itself, but almost.  With both support's knobs tightened, there was no problem keeping the window open.  I suspect that there may be more to the unbroken mechanism (plastic) than what I can see, and that over tightening may have broken the original structure such that my makeshift repair doesn't fully restore it.  It's definitely a whole lot better though (had become totally useless before this).  I'm guessing this mechanism just doesn't provide enough friction for the weight of these windows.  I may try some sandpaper on the strut by rotating the paper around the strut to increase the friction, as Dalehelman suggested.