At least half of the sliding window handles/latches are showing their age and I am thinking it is time to replace all of them and maybe some of the other window parts as well, such as the channel liner and other plastic parts. I think the manufacturer is Hehr; can anyone confirm that? Haven't called them to see if they have a rebuild kit or whether I have to buy the parts individually. Anyone done this? A couple of the handles are being held by one screw and most have cracks. I have the single pane windows. Thanks
Jerry- I picked up some spare latches at MOT or FOT parts department. I have replaced several of them as they crack and sometimes break. Not very expensive if I remember right- but it was a while ago.
Hope this helps.
^.^d
Jerry, you can check, rvwindowparts.net
If you want to do something different, try poker chips. They work just as well
Poker chips for window latches - scroll down to reply 161 by Tom Lang on this link:
What did you do to your coach today IV (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=23683.150)
Rick, you beat me to it.
Jerry,
My 92' has single panes too. Not sure if the latches would be the same. I was able to get replacement latches from FOT.
HEHR 009-788
I bought a couple a couple of years ago for $10. Last spring I bought another one and the price was $20. :(
see ya
ken
Original plastic latches were riveted, and we installed new latches with a short bolt & nut with Loctite. Replacements can be red or black.
I drilled out the rivet, then drilled an off-center hole in a poker chip. Attached it with a Chicago screw. I like it better than the original.
What is a Chicago screw? Just a different name for a tek screw?
The red lock designates the emergency exit
All the large sliding windows are emergency exits. A Chicago Screw is a regular screw that goes inside a hollowed out and threaded larger screw instead of a nut. These are what FT sent with the replacement window latches when they still had them in stock.
They sell them cheaply on eBay and Amazon, frequently for use on leather belts instead of rivets.
Hehr window parts, Hehr International parts, RV window parts, Trailer window... (http://www.parkin-acc.com/page3.html)
I fiddled with a window today and found "HEHR" on the latch. Figured out how to remove the screen by prizing up and pulling out the brittle plastic strip. Pulled up some of the sliding window channel liner, but didn't pull it out. Seems like one would have to do that to remove the sliding window and replace the Latch. The poker chip will not work on my windows, I think the poker chip only works on double pane windows. Sent an email to Hehr, waiting for an answer.
@Jerry,
Stump asked if I had an extra of the top hat looking part of the screw set since he is missing one. While searching I found I had apparently bought 2 latches from FOT. I found a new one still in the box. The 009-788 part number was given to me by Billy Jack in parts. That's probably the old part number. The number on the box is H695. After a quick search I found them on Amazon.
Amazon.com: RV Designer H695 Single Pane Window Latch: Automotive (http://www.amazon.com/RV-Designer-H695-Single-Window/dp/B002XM5968)
These latches are 3 ΒΌ" tall. I know they used a shorter one in some coaches.
Stump I'm still looking for that top hat for you. May have to empty out the big bay... :(
see ya
ken
Be careful with the channel liner. They are no longer available per FOT. The screen plastic strip is available from FOT and I replaced a few of mine.
I did manage to get all of my channel liners out without damaging them. They are tougher than they look. I cleaned them with some cleaning wipes, lubed with dry silicone and pushed em' back in. Windows work a lot better.
see ya
ken
Ken, are you referring to the gasket that the glass rides in? I had to replace one and found it here:
Airstream Motorhome Window Channel (http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Airstream-Motorhome-Window-Channel-p/vts-278.htm)
It needed a bit of trimming on both sides of the bottom flange but it fits and works perfectly.
Best,
Jeff
That doesn't look anything like the channel that I have
but.... It looks like it would work! Nice find! Will be bookmarking that link. :)
see ya
ken
HEHR window parts
Creation windows (http://www.hehrwindows.net/)
I purchased some window hardware directly from Hehr several years ago for my 93, U225. Finding someone at Hehr who would help me was a real pain. I think I called Hehr five times before I found the lady that knew where the old window stuff was stored. She was in the Hehr facility in Newton, KS. I think her name was Glenda. No I don't have the phone number any longer. I don't think they try to sell the old parts but if you find the right person they will try to locate what you need. I picked the parts up at the factory in Newton.
I received an email answer from someone at the Hehr CA plant. I kept getting a return on my email attempt to the Newton, KS plant. I sent some pictures of my windows and he said that he had never seen the red handles. All my large windows have red handles. I don't care about the color, black will be fine. He sent 3 links to sellers, 2 of which were mentioned by forum members. This morning I managed to remove and replace the screen and a sliding pane on one window. A plastic strip under the screen must be removed by sliding it out in order to remove the screen; same for the flocked rubber strip under the sliding pane to remove it. Took about 2 hours as I didn't know exactly what to do. The plastic strips under the screen may not need replacing after all; ditto for the flocked rubber strip under the sliding pane. I washed the strip and let it dry in the sun. Cleaned the dirt out of the grooves in the frame. The rubber strip was rather difficult to get back in. Next time I will wax or use silicone on the groove to make it slide easier. To reinstall I placed the sliding pane in the full open position and shoved the strip under the pane as much as possible, which was only about an inch, worked about half of the strip into the groove on the open side, then closed the sliding pane, grabbed the end of the strip with needle nose pliers and pulled the window and strip together to the open position, when the strip was centered end to end, worked the rest of it into the groove on the open side using a flat screwdriver. Will try a roller next time. I will have to repeat the process for each window to replace the handles. All my handles are/where attached with 2 screws and a special type of nut. Anyone know of a better way to do this?
That's basically how I did it. Pull up the end you have access to then pull the screen/window with it as far as you can then open the screen/window and pull again. Repeat till the channel is out. I reversed the process for the reinstall. Dry silicone helps in removal and install.
I could only find black so I don't have any red latches anymore. As far as I'm concerned all my windows are fire escapes!
While you have the windows out you might as well do a super clean on them. I use #0000 steel wool like the car detail guys do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC24E2YRh1U
Good luck doing the rest of your windows.
see ya
ken
To conclude this topic, I have finished with replacing the window latches. Bought the handles from Interstate RV metal and supply. 8 latches for $14.63 each and two 4' pieces of screen track at .53 a ft $4.24. plus $10 for a shipping tube and $32.89 UPS. In retrospect, I should have replaced all the screen track as plastic gets brittle with age (20 yrs). The red latches needed replacing more than the black ones. Red does not seem to be available now. Lot of work cleaning the window track. Most difficult window was the driver window. There was a small short screw with a sharp point just aft of the fixed pane that extended into the slot for the rubber track. Much difficulty getting the track out and back in even though I filed the point off. Impossible to remove the screw as the vertical metal on the fixed pane covered part of the head. Most of the work ( 9 hrs over 2 days) was cleaning the windows, screens, and track of 20 years of road grime. I have single pane windows, double pane windows may be different.
Jerry,my latches have the screw but the nut turns and you cannot hold it,how did you get the old latch out?
@John,
I used a plastic pry bar and push it between the windows to put pressure on the back of the screw set. That worked on some of the windows. The others I had to pull the windows track out, remove the window, and drill out the backside of the screw set.
see ya
ken
After the window was out, I used ordinary pliers with one side on the nut and the other side on the latch at a bit of an angle so as to get a screwdriver on the screw. Applied pressure to the nut that way while turning the screw with a phillips screwdriver. It was a bit tricky, but managed to do it without slipping and breaking the glass. Not all the screws required that. Not sure if there was threadlock on the screws or just corrosion that made the nut rotate with the screw. I didn't put threadlock on the new screws and nuts. A glob of hot melt glue on the nut and glass might be able to hold it, but I didn't try that.