Coach sliding windows

[tweak]

The slideing windows in our coach are vary hard to slide. I can slide them but the wife has problems. Is there some kind of lube that can be used that will make them slide easy'er like silicone or something.

 

[Tom]

Check our library file on freeing up a sticking window. Hope this helps.

 

[Woody]

I spray silicon spray into the channel and slide the window back and forth until it dries, just takes a few seconds.

Woody

 

[Wendy]

Ours slide ok but how the heck do you clean the channels?? I'm amazed at what gets in there !

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A portable vacuum with a crevice tool (skinny nozzle) will sometimes clean out the tracks. A lot of amazingly yuchy stuff gets in there.

A dry silicone spray works fairly well. WD40 is sticky and collects even more trash, so a dry spray works best. Hint: the "slideout lube" sprays they sell to gullible RVers can be used on the window tracks.

 

[Ron]

Sam uses a vacuum for cleaning out the channels when needed.

 

[Buddy Tott]

I usually brush the tracks with an old 1" paint brush then vacuum the residue.  I find that dry-cleaning works much better than using a damp cloth or sponge.  Then...the trick of the day...sharpen a candle into point and rub it up and down the tracks a few times then 'work' the windows back and forth.  The candle wax leaves no 'oily' residue for other gunk to stick to.  I always keep a couple in the MH for emergencies so the serve double duty.  I do the same on all the sliding windows at home - works especially well with vinyl windows.

BT

 

[scottydl]

While we're on this topic, how should the latching side frame pieces be attached to sliding windows?  For the longest time I thought one of my side windows wasn't movable, unless I found the vertical metal frame piece w/ latch in one of the underbody compartments while cleaning out more of the previous owner's random junk left behind.  Why the piece was ever removed from the window, who knows!  There's a groove on one side of the piece, which I "worked" the glass into and got the window moving again.  But it doesn't seem very secure and if I pull hard enough when opening the window, I'm thinking that piece will pop right off again.  THAT is probably why it was left off in the first place.  I'm hesitant to put any screws in it, or anything that might damage the glass.

 

[ArdraF]

I vacuum the tracks with a thin nozzle attachment, especially after being in places like Quartzsite when it's windy.  Can't stand to hear that scratchy sound when opening and closing the windows!  Ours have a fuzzy material in the tracks, I imagine to lessen rattles, so using silicone or wax doesn't work.  Just a good vacuuming.  By the way, Buddy's idea is similar to the wax sticks you use when zippers stick.  I also use them on dresser drawers that quit sliding.

ArdraF

 

[Buddy Tott]

Scotty...

Is there enough room to slide a small (cut to size) piece of thin rubber/neoprene (bicycle innertube???) into the latch, then force the latch onto the glass?  That should create an adequate 'friction' hold.  If not, try some silicone or other suitable adhesive inside the latch groove and then push it onto the glass.  Make sure you leave it at least 24 hours to cure before testing.

BT

BT

 

[scottydl]

Is there enough room to slide a small (cut to size) piece of thin rubber/neoprene (bicycle innertube???) into the latch, then force the latch onto the glass?  That should create an adequate 'friction' hold.  If not, try some silicone or other suitable adhesive inside the latch groove and then push it onto the glass.  Make sure you leave it at least 24 hours to cure before testing.

Thanks for the suggestions Buddy.  I'll try one of those two options to tighten up the seal.  The latch frame doesn't pull right off but it is a little loose.  I'm gonna get busy with the vacuum nozzle tool too to get those channels cleared out!