Sticky Jalousie windows..

Old Duck, yes I know John Bachmeier and he definitely knows what he's doing!
I wonder if your windows are binding because of dry/hard seals. He took the seals out for the summer, and the windows open so much easier.

I know one thing for sure, jalousie windows are a PITA to work on.

Mdettling, we are are in the same town. I know John Bachmeoer, he's done some stuff me. Did he work in your windows? Mine are such, when I crank them out, they only open about an inch, then bond up.

I had two window operators replaced AGAIN, and the RV repairman removed the rubber strips from the windows.

They open SO much easier. Even more easier when the windows are warmed up from direct sunlight.

The seals were hard and dried up, causing the panes to stick. I have to turn the knob clockwise a few times, and go outside to un-stick the panes. The seals are hard to find, they've been taken out for the summer, they go back in the fall.

Does anyone know of a company that makes hard to find seals?

Mike

A little drop of WD40 on each of the hinge points where the pane moves sure made mine easier to open. You'll be surprised. You think it's the seals sticking but, it's a actually a combination of seal and sticky hinge points!!!

I have always sprayed the joints and other moving parts with silicone and I use 303 Aerospace Protectant on the rubber. Never had any stuck windows...

mdettling wrote:

BuckBarker wrote:
The only cure for sticking aluminum is........."Alumaslick" sold at Home Depot and Lowes. Nuttin' works better.

Where would I put that stuff? I tried vaseline.

It seems that the panes somehow got out of alignment, and the bottom of the top pane is sticking to the top of the middle pane, the bottom pane never has sticking issues. I will post a pic sometime, can't find the make of the window..

Mike

You may have to realign the slats AFTER you oil all moving parts.

mdettling wrote:

All windows are jalousie type. A few of them stick when trying to open them. Busted the torque operator (twice!) on the large window behind the couch. Have to either take the screen off and push the window panes until they pop open, or go outside and pull on the bottom of the panes.

OIL THEM! Most people don't think to oil all the moving parts of these jalousie windows. Oil the little crank thing also. Open and close them a few times to get the oil all through everything that moves and from there on, you should have no problems. They're the best windows for ventilation unlike the cheap crummy slider windows now used in most RVs.

The rubber seals do seem dry and stiff. Is there a way to adjust the windows, so that they do not stick, or are new seals in order? Any ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Rubber seals? Any pictures we can see?

mdettling wrote:

BuckBarker wrote:
The only cure for sticking aluminum is........."Alumaslick" sold at Home Depot and Lowes. Nuttin' works better.

Where would I put that stuff? I tried vaseline.

It seems that the panes somehow got out of alignment, and the bottom of the top pane is sticking to the top of the middle pane, the bottom pane never has sticking issues. I will post a pic sometime, can't find the make of the window..

Mike

Use Alumaslick on ANY moving part that is aluminum. I live in south Florida about a mile from the Atlantic. We are constantly bombarded by salty air. We have aluminum accordion shutters for hurricane protection on all our doors and windows. From them staying stored in the folded position for possibly years at a time, without Alumaslick the shutters are almost impossible to move. With it, I can move them with one finger. Best fix in a can I have ever found.

CavemanCharlie wrote:
If,,, I know what you mean. My windows stick a little too. What I usually do it to crank on the window, just a bit, then as I feel tension starting to build on the crank handle I just stop and wait. At this point I can see some of the panes are starting to open and some of them are stuck. I wait for a few to 30 seconds and suddenly POP the rest of the panes come open. Some times (Although rarely) while leaving a little tension on the crank I do have to go outside and gently help the panes open.POP

If your careful and do it slowly you will get them open every time without breaking anything.

By the way, I also have to go outside after closing mine and push on each pane slightly. That way I'm sure there shut and don't leak dust going down a gravel road.

That is exactly what I do, it depends on the temperature. I would crank it out and wait.. sometimes bang on the window frame/surrounding wall and they'd pop open. Not working too well with the weather cooling down.

I too, have to go outside and push on the panes on cold nights just to make sure. Will be putting up plastic insulation pretty soon. They really do make a difference. I have plastic on the window above my head in the bedroom, cant stand drafts!

Are your seals kinda stiff/hard? Trying to locate some seals for them with no luck. What year is your trailer?

PS when I had the window crank operators replaced, I had a mobile RV repair guy do it. He cut the operator shaft on the bottom and swapped gearboxes, and reattached the shaft using some kind of 1/2" compress fitting (Watts?) you'd see on pipes.. It seems like the only way to do it. BolerLife.com has an article about crank operator replacement. I showed it to him, we tried it but it was impossible! Now that they've been done, I can replace the operators myself in the future.

I fix everything else. When it comes to windows, forget about it!

Anyone in NW Oregon (Salem/Albany/Corvallis area), I highly recommend John P. Bachmeier. He sure knows what he's doing and has all the right tools. He does excellent work. Emergency/weekend calls are no problem for him.

Mike

If,,, I know what you mean. My windows stick a little too. What I usually do it to crank on the window, just a bit, then as I feel tension starting to build on the crank handle I just stop and wait. At this point I can see some of the panes are starting to open and some of them are stuck. I wait for a few to 30 seconds and suddenly POP the rest of the panes come open. Some times (Although rarely) while leaving a little tension on the crank I do have to go outside and gently help the panes open.POP

If your careful and do it slowly you will get them open every time without breaking anything.

By the way, I also have to go outside after closing mine and push on each pane slightly. That way I'm sure there shut and don't leak dust going down a gravel road.