Do pass-through windows leak?

[bighatnohorse]

Traditionally, truck campers have had a window that opens, usually a side-slide window, through to the truck cab.

One manufacturer in particular is telling it's dealers that they stopped installing pass-through windows that open because the window leaks.

I've owned two different brand truck campers with opening pass-through windows and they never leaked.

What's your experience with an opening pass-through window leaking?

[notsobigjoe]

My 2006 Lance 1181 never leaked.

[kohldad]

My 2004 Lance 815 pass through window never leaked when I carried it on my 2004 Ram. Then I switched to a 2015 Ram where I had to add a 3/4" spacer under the truck camper. It leaked during heavy rains and I dealt with it leaking for a year. Finally added a piece of vinyl siding J-channel to the bottom side of the cab over and no more leaks.

So my thought is any window had the chance of leaking giving enough water driven by enough window. IF you eliminate the widow, you eliminate the chance of it leaking.

Personally, I will always want the pass-through window as I use it for my low point vent which when combined with a roof vent slightly open creates enough of a draft to remove moisture preventing condensation problems.

[Camper_Jeff___K]

My pass through window has never leaked. That includes intense rain at highway speeds 70 mph. There was one time I had very heavy winds coming at me from the side, enough that a couple semi's were blown over on the highway driving south from Twin Falls toward Las Vegas. What happened in that windy situation was my home made foam boot between the TC and cab was blowing side to side in the space between. I pulled over and fixed the problem with duct tape from the cab glass to the TC glass, holding the foam in position. Again, water has never been an issue and the cat insists on a window there.

[Kayteg1]

I never had a leak, but then we did not drive in the rain too much.
I made a boot out of swimming noodles and drove with cabin air cooling down the camper. That help a lot when driving in triple digits temperatures and also allowed our dogs to move from cab to camper.
Bad part, the Ford truck would have delayed alarm if you close it with remote and the rear window was open. I was using door pegs for locking to avoid the alarm.

[Bedlam]

My Arctic Fox window leaked only once and it was due to driving rain from the side. The two trucks I had with sliding windows did not leak.

[JoeChiOhki]

deltabravo wrote:

bighatnohorse wrote:
One manufacturer in particular is telling it's dealers that they stopped installing pass-through windows that open because the window leaks.

If I left a roof vent open slightly while traveling in the rain (I had a vent cover on it) the window below the cabover didn't leak.

The one time I drove with the vent closed, the window leaked.

The problem is that a vacuum gets created when going down the road, if all vents are closed. The differential in air pressure sucked water in through the sliding window track on that front window.

The dealer described this to me when I told them about the leak.
After that trip I replaced the window with a solid window from Motion Glass in Vancouver, WA. They custom build windows.

I think the manufacturer is cost cutting - eliminate the cost of a sliding window - and keep the sale price the same = more profit.

Nope. That manufacturer really did ditch that slider due to so many customer complaints about it leaking.
I've heard this from the factory.

JoeChiOhki wrote:
I suppose it depends on the model of window and the quality of the install.

It's actually water coming in through the window track, not the quality of the installation of the window.

There's been more than one thread over the years on here where folks had to get replacement windows because the assembly of the original window was so poor that it was like having nothing more than a window screen in place.

Throw in the slap in and done construction quality of most RVs these days, if its not the track leaking, its the butyl tape (or lack there of) around the window allowing water to also infiltrate into the frame.

[deltabravo]

bighatnohorse wrote:
One manufacturer in particular is telling it's dealers that they stopped installing pass-through windows that open because the window leaks.

If I left a roof vent open slightly while traveling in the rain (I had a vent cover on it) the window below the cabover didn't leak.

The one time I drove with the vent closed, the window leaked.

The problem is that a vacuum gets created when going down the road, if all vents are closed. The differential in air pressure sucked water in through the sliding window track on that front window.

The dealer described this to me when I told them about the leak.
After that trip I replaced the window with a solid window from Motion Glass in Vancouver, WA. They custom build windows.

I think the manufacturer is cost cutting - eliminate the cost of a sliding window - and keep the sale price the same = more profit.

Nope. That manufacturer really did ditch that slider due to so many customer complaints about it leaking.
I've heard this from the factory.

JoeChiOhki wrote:
I suppose it depends on the model of window and the quality of the install.

It's actually water coming in through the window track, not the quality of the installation of the window.

[EYEMLOST]

bighatnohorse wrote:
Thanks for the info - we rarely drive in heavy rainfall and that could be a reason for no leaks.
I think the manufacturer is cost cutting - eliminate the cost of a sliding window - and keep the sale price the same = more profit.

Besides, how many people have a cat or dog that use the pass through window? Or need fresh air circulation in any weather?

I've custom ordered a 15" x 30" pass-through window to replace the factory fixed glass.
Waiting for delivery now. . .

How do you know it's "more profit"???


The cost of doing business also goes up......

[EYEMLOST]

1998 FWC Granby

The 15 year it spent being towed on a HMMWV trailer: Zip/zero/nada leaks.

Since being mounted on my '94 Bronco: Zero leaks.

[bighatnohorse]

Thanks for the info - we rarely drive in heavy rainfall and that could be a reason for no leaks.
I think the manufacturer is cost cutting - eliminate the cost of a sliding window - and keep the sale price the same = more profit.

Besides, how many people have a cat or dog that use the pass through window? Or need fresh air circulation in any weather?

I've custom ordered a 15" x 30" pass-through window to replace the factory fixed glass.
Waiting for delivery now. . .

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

stevenal wrote:
Covered by the cabover and inside the draft of the truck cab, this is our preferred window to keep open for our pets' comfort in all weather but dust.

I agree - this is my "go to" window for ventilation during a downpour!

[dhull]

Ours leaked, Wolf Creek 840, had sliding window that leaked while driving in downpour. Replaced with a one piece. Sure do miss ability to vent in fresh air from there.

[joeshmoe]

Mine leaks somewhat in driving rain, but that doesn't happen often. Usually put a towel down.

The PDI tech warned me it might leak. He said they generally install a solid pane, one-piece glass if its really bad.

[JoeChiOhki]

I suppose it depends on the model of window and the quality of the install. I added one on my restoration, reusing a rear window from another camper that was already known to be able to handle road spray.

I do plan to get the foam boot to go around it, as I'm hoping to convert the rear window on my truck to a slider type from the current non-slider glass that is in there now.

Its vastly too small for a person to do anything with, but its more than large enough for air flow and to allow for the locating of the cat's enclosed litter box on its platform behind the seats in the cab when the camper is parked for the night so that its out from under foot.