Replacing Glass in TT window -- how to ???

downtheroad wrote:
Remove the window, take it to a local glass and window shop. They can make a replacement for you. Re-install, re-seal with butyl tape and Dicor.

X 2 That's what I did. Saved me a lot of fooling with it, and they made it as good as new!

TenOC wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:


While Plexy or polycarb could be used, they are not really all that great.. Plexy gets extremely brittle in very cold weather and scratches extremely easily AND is very expensive. Polycarb has strength but also scratches extremely easily along with an even higher premium price tag.

Are you suggesting that safety glass (cut to size and tempered) will be cheaper than polycarb or plexy??? . . . :h

Price a sheet of Plexi or polycarb.. and see for yourself..

I went through this myself.

The trailer I bought had one broken window about 2.5ft x 2.5ft size, called my local glass shop and got instructions on what they needed.

I had to remove the entire window frame and take it to them.

They selected a glass color similar to what was in the frame, cut it to size. Then they sent it out to have tempered. When they got the glass back they installed it into the frame.

Cost, $50.. Half sheet of plexy will cost you just as much if not more.. and Polycarb will be twice the price plexy...

On edit..
Fix spelling and add 1/16" 1 square ft of plexy is going for about $10 right now.

1/8" plexy is about $15 per square ft right now..

Personally it isn't about cost or being cheap, plexy and poly carb are not really long term good looking fixes.. If you are planning to keep your trailer a long time the plastics will haze, scratch and even can yellow.. Not to mention plastic is not as rigid as glass and wind pressure will make large sizes flex considerably more than glass.

It is YOUR trailer, you are more than welcome to be cheap but I would rather my trailer to look better than a cheap repair.

Gdetrailer wrote:


While Plexy or polycarb could be used, they are not really all that great.. Plexy gets extremely brittle in very cold weather and scratches extremely easily AND is very expensive. Polycarb has strength but also scratches extremely easily along with an even higher premium price tag.

Are you suggesting that safety glass (cut to size and tempered) will be cheaper than polycarb or plexy??? . . . :h

TenOC wrote:
My 2005 Carriage Travel Trailer (yes carriage made a few TT) front window (bottom half) is broken thanks to my DGS (Dear Grand Son) and a BB gun.

Has anyone replaced the glass in a TT window? Big Deal?? Since Carriage is out of business, I think I will need to use Plexiglas or PolyCarbon that I can trim to size. Any on line video on how to? . . . :h

While Plexy or polycarb could be used, they are not really all that great.. Plexy gets extremely brittle in very cold weather and scratches extremely easily AND is very expensive. Polycarb has strength but also scratches extremely easily along with an even higher premium price tag.

Glass is over all the best way but not just regular glass, it MUST BE TEMPERED GLASS. This is not something anyone can do and once tempered cutting it is nearly impossible to do without shattering it.

You BEST bet is to check with some HOME AND BUSINESS GLASS SHOPS, these are the places that service mainly businesses for store front and general building windows.

They WILL most likely need your window frame, they will color match your glass then cut to size. Once cut to size they will most likely have to send the glass out to a third party which has the proper equipment and systems to temper the glass.

The cost of tempering is not all that expensive and is well worth having done.

Tempering glass changes the glass structure adding strength and increasing YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY in the event of breakage.. Tempering prevents the glass from breaking into very large sharp shards instead it will shatter into millions of less sharp pieces which are far less dangerous.

Now days it IS called "safety glass" but in reality it is non laminated tempered glass which IS required for pretty much every US state in motor vehicles AND RV trailers on public roads.

You can confirm what I have written by checking the corners of your other windows in your trailer, you should find a small logo in one of the corners which will state something like TEMPERED or SAFETY glazing..

Only vehicle windshields are required to be LAMINATED TEMPERED glass so lamination in your case is LAMINATION NOT REQUIRED BUT TEMPERING IS.

In the past many people on this forum have been rather confused about this so that is the reason for this long explanation..

Here are a few of my glass links-
http://www.parkin-acc.com/page2.html
http://www.dcmco.com/rvglass.htm#Glass
http://www.duncansys.com/home

And the Hehr service manual-
http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/Hehr_Service_Manual.pdf

Check YouTube for a video. You can learn how to do everything from finishing drywall to a heart transplant. :)

They will have a video that will help you.

I think typically these are installed with a caulking/adhesive (urethane?) attaching the glass to the metal frame, and then the rubber "seal" around the outside for looks and to hold things together. The rubber strip doesn't actually seal out the weather.

When I enquired about getting an RV window fixed at a good local glass place, they were willing to take my money and do what they could, but said I'd need to get a replacement rubber gasket strip from a local RV place and generally hinted that it would probably be cheaper and perhaps better to have the RV place do the whole job. I got the distinct impression that windshields and shower enclosures and architectural installations were much more their business than RV windows. If you have a trustworthy RV dealer/repair shop in the area, I would consult with them as well as with a glass place.

The glass itself is nothing all that special, just ordinary glass of whatever flavor you like cut to size and shape. If you don't have some sort of a panel or whatever to cover the window in transport, it may be worthwhile to have the replacement pane tempered.

You can also make a template to take to a glass shop, and they can cut to fit. Being a trailer, the glass doesn't need to be safety glass.

But.. is the glass fixed, sliding or an awning type?

Remove the window, take it to a local glass and window shop. They can make a replacement for you. Re-install, re-seal with butyl tape and Dicor.

Google travel trailer window replace video. Lots of different videos. Maybe one will be exactly what you need.